About this episode
The episode explores the belief that joint pain can predict weather changes and examines the scientific evidence behind this phenomenon.
Have you heard the phrases, "aches and pain, coming rains" or about "ill health due to evil winds"? Many people believe they can feel a change in weather coming on because pain flares in their joints. Norman and Tegan unpack what could be going on, and whether it's backed by scientific evidence. References: Associations between weather conditions and osteoarthritis pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis Come rain or shine: Is weather a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis of case-crossover studies Cloudy with a chance of pain: How the weather affects the pain of citizen scientists using a smartphone app Temperature extremes causing gout flare hospitalisation Can aching joints really predict the weather? Exploring the science behind the stormy debate What triggers weather-related joint pain? - Harvard Health If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! You'll catch your death! Does cold weather cause colds? Can consuming dairy really give you acne? How risky is sharing a toothbrush?
People in this episode
Hosts: Norman, Tegan
Topics covered
- weather prediction
- joint pain
- scientific evidence
- musculoskeletal pain
- osteoarthritis
Keywords
- joint pain
- weather
- osteoarthritis
- musculoskeletal pain
- scientific evidence
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Harvard Health
More episodes of What's That Rash?
- Is farting a sign your gut microbiome is happy? · June 9, 2026 · 18 min
- Still coughing — are you still infectious? · June 2, 2026 · 18 min
- Should you get a full-body MRI? · May 19, 2026 · 22 min
- Deep dive on progressive exercise · May 12, 2026 · 22 min
- Hantavirus: what we know about the cruise ship outbreak · May 11, 2026 · 13 min
- Why is yawning contagious? · May 5, 2026 · 17 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the What's That Rash? podcast page.