air conditioning & arthritis? | Arthritis Information

Usually my joint pain is less in the summer but it is getting much worse lately. Could be meds need changing, but then I wondered if any of you find air conditioning affects your joints? I am in an air-conditioned building that is so cold I wear a long-sleeve shirt and sweater or jacket all summer. My house is also air-conditioned and is colder than I like. Anyone notice they are affected by air conditioning?
LakerHi Laker. Yes, it bothers me. I can't stand to have air blowing directly on me. Drives me batty, also makes me ache and my muscles tighten. I don't mind a breeze outside but I dislike AC. I can remember my grandmother complaining about the "drafts" and how it would make her hurt and guess what I've turned into my grandmother!!! LindyIt definitely affects me. I had to go outside yesterday to warm up. Everyone keeps their office and home so cold I start turning to stone. I have started sleeping with cotton gloves on and a towel around my neck because when I get up my hands, feet and neck are killing me until I take a hot shower. But, what can you do it is so hot and humid I need the a/c too. Hi Laker. I seem to have more trouble in the heat. My hands and feet swell and ache. Air conditioning seems to help. But on the other hand, winter just kills me. Weird huh?

Try sitting outside and see if that helps.

I have more trouble with humidity, so I need the air conditioner. I cant take the air when its extremely cold. In my home we keep the air to a minimum for cost purposes and me.

I have trouble when it gets to either extreme. In my office the ladies keep the air setting at Antarctica. Even wearing a heavy jacket I still go outside several times during the day just to thaw out. When it gets to hot and humid I get achy too. Yes! I have a love/hate relationship with AC. We keep the thermostat set so high at home it is almost like not having any, poor hubby. At work they have it so cold, I sit and look out the window and just drool!

jamie

Being in A/C for any length of time makes me stiff and achy. There is no way I can sleep with it on or I can't move in the morning and hurt most of the day. I feel better in the hot and humid weather.

Ann

I've never noticed a problem regarding heat, humidity, AC, storminess, rain, cold, etc. I tend to get angry when the wind is incessant or there's a fan constantly blowing on me, but other than that, no effect.

I hear ya!!

I can't sleep without the a/c on in the summertime - but I'm all snuggled up under my down comforter - LOL!

At work - it is so cold I have a little space heater running next to my desk - HAHA!
Hugs

~Brenna

I got "busted" for wearing a college sweatshirt on a non-casual dress day at work (it goes great with dress pants!). I told the HR busybody that if they raised the temperature above 70F in my area, I would take off the sweatshirt (I had a blouse on underneath). I don't understand why they think they need to keep it cold in the summer and hot (usually 75 or above) in the winter time in my office, but they do.
The a/c doesn't aggravate my RA at all. [QUOTE=kelstev]The a/c doesn't aggravate my RA at all.[/QUOTE]

Mine either but it's damn hard to type at work while I'm shivering![/QUOTE]

Yeah, that I understand. Could never figure out why they keep places so cold. My husband has to keep a little heater in his office since he hates the cold.

[QUOTE=Brennaboo]I can't sleep without the a/c on in the summertime - but I'm all snuggled up under my down comforter - LOL!

At work - it is so cold I have a little space heater running next to my desk - HAHA!
Hugs

~Brenna

[/QUOTE]

Brenna.. were we separated at birth??? LOL

I have a heater running too.. and go ouside to get warm during the day..

our A/C at home is set at 74... comfy but not artic...

sometimes I have to wear socks on my feet... and Ihave some socks cut the toes out.. and pull them up over my knees.... I know.. attractive I've been wanting to blame feeling unusually cold on my thyroid. Also my fatigue & stubborn weight that won't drop off despite diet and exercise.

I have an appt next week to discuss with my GP.

yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Air conditioning hurts terribly if you don't have it on the right setting for your body.

I start hurting bad and forget to try turning down the AC. Not only does my ra get worse but the odd swellings that they don't know what they are, also swell up as well.

Turn it down a bit, if anyone complains, tell them to buy a hand held fan :)

I'm cold intolerant so I want to be cool, but it can aggravate my fibro like cold weather does if it's popsicle forecasting. It heat and humidity that bothers me the most. That's the main reason we moved from FL to Ny.

I love my A/C.I can take dry heat but have exponetially greater pain during monsoon season. Similarly, I can handle the air conditioner but not the swamp cooler. [QUOTE=Dodie]I can take dry heat but have exponetially greater pain during monsoon season. Similarly, I can handle the air conditioner but not the swamp cooler. [/QUOTE]

Whenever I hear about a swamp cooler I can't help but remember the CSI episode where a guy electrocuted himself with his homemade AC setup. He had a beat-up old fan blowing on a large block of ice, which of course was melting onto the floor. It got the frayed old electrical cord wet, and the man was electrocuted. I can't quite remember the details, but I think by the time they found him the water had evaporated and they had a hard time figuring out how he had died, as all they saw was a dead guy and a fan.
I'm always burning up and sweating. I love my ac and fan. I sleep with the fan directly on me in the winter too. As soon as I step outside in the humidity, ouchi owie, not fun. Also snow or any type of precip in the winter gets to me too. [QUOTE=CinDee]I'm always burning up and sweating. I love my ac and fan. I sleep with the fan directly on me in the winter too. As soon as I step outside in the humidity, ouchi owie, not fun. Also snow or any type of precip in the winter gets to me too.[/QUOTE]

I'm the opposite - I love it when it's very warm and humid. In the summertime I frequently step outside the office just to get warm. My husband likes the AC on, so our downstairs unit is air-conditioned (we have a converted two-flat) and I keep all the windows wide open upstairs. We have separate bedrooms because of our vastly different sleeping preferences. He prefers to snore all night and I prefer to sleep.This year AC is bothering me to the point of causing more pain. Before it was just really bad gelling, but now more intense pain has been added into the mix.

I hate to sweat, but it seems like my RA does better when I am in the heat and sweating like a pig! I like to come home to my 82 degree house and thaw out!

I can go without AC have for years.