Latest news with #coldweather
Medical News Today
4 hours ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Cold weather and joint pain: What is the connection?
Effects Who it affects Managing pain Contacting a doctor FAQ Summary Cold weather may worsen joint pain in some people, such as those with arthritis or orthopedic implants. Keeping warm by dressing appropriately for the weather and using draft excluders at home may help. Many people with health conditions such as arthritis report worsening joint pain when temperatures drop. Some research supports this, but more studies may be necessary for scientists to understand exactly why this happens and how common it is. Taking steps to stay warm may help reduce joint pain during cold weather. However, if someone experiences severe or persistent pain that interferes with their daily life, it is a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional. CatherineHistorically, most evidence of a link between cold weather and joint pain was anecdotal. However, in recent years, more researchers are investigating a cause-and-effect link. A 2025 review suggests that low temperatures may affect: compliance of the periarticular structures, which are tissues around a joint viscosity (resistance to flow) of synovial fluid, which is in joint cavities the ability of substances to pass through blood vessels, which may affect inflammation blood vessel constriction These effects may lead to increased joint pain and stiffness during cold weather. A 2023 systematic review of 14 studies suggests a correlation between increased osteoarthritis joint pain and lower temperatures, as well as increased atmospheric pressure and relative humidity. A potential cause for this is an overexpression of thermosensitive transient receptor potential channels (thermo-TRPs) in cold weather. Thermo-TRPs are a type of protein structure in cells involved in functions such as body temperature regulation and pain perception. However, the researchers conclude that more research is necessary to fully understand the links between osteoarthritis pain and weather conditions, including temperature. According to the 2025 review, cold weather may affect how people use care resources for health conditions such as arthritis. For example, lower temperatures may make people less likely to use physical therapy, which could contribute to increases in their symptoms. The Arthritis Foundation also suggests that cold weather may contribute to lower moods, which may cause people to focus more on their pain. More research is necessary to understand exactly how cold weather affects joint pain and other factors that may contribute. Not everyone will experience joint pain when it gets colder. However, certain health conditions may increase a person's chance. Pain is subjective and varies from person to person, even among people with the same health conditions. Mild pain for one person may feel severe for another. So, there is no guarantee everyone with arthritis will have painful joints when it gets colder. A 2020 study also suggests a link between cold weather and increased pain in people with orthopedic implants, such as joint replacements. If someone tends to experience worsening joint pain in colder temperatures, it can help to monitor weather forecasts to anticipate weather changes before they happen and take steps to prepare. Keeping warm may help reduce joint pain due to cold weather. People can try the following steps: wear warm clothes, such as gloves and multiple layers choose clothes made from insulating materials, such as wool use hot water bottles or portable hand warmers use heat pads or heated blankets at home place draft excluders or door sweeps on doors at home eat a hot meal or drink a warm drink move around to boost circulation If someone has a health condition that affects their joints, sticking to their treatment plan even during cold weather can help prevent worsening joint pain. A person's symptoms may differ depending on factors such as underlying health conditions, current treatments, and more. If someone does not have a diagnosed health condition but starts experiencing persistent or frequent joint pain, a doctor can diagnose the underlying cause. People with a health condition, such as arthritis, may benefit from speaking with a healthcare professional if they experience a severe flare-up or worsening symptoms. Their healthcare team may wish to change their current treatment plan to help them manage their symptoms. Although warmer temperatures may improve joint pain for some people, other weather factors, such as humidity and barometric pressure, can also affect joint pain. Treatment compliance and other factors may also contribute. The Arthritis Foundation suggests there is no guarantee a warmer climate will help. However, people can visit a new climate at different times throughout the year before committing to moving to see if their symptoms improve. No scientific studies support an 'ideal' temperature to reduce joint pain. The most comfortable temperature to relieve joint pain may vary from person to person. People can use a symptom journal to help work out what temperatures seem to relieve their joint pain and what temperatures worsen it. No scientific research supports using copper or magnetic bracelets to relieve joint pain during cold weather. However, the Arthritis Foundation suggests there is no harm in trying this remedy alongside a doctor-approved treatment plan. Some people may find that their symptoms improve due to the placebo effect. Cold weather may trigger or worsen joint pain in certain people, such as those with arthritis or joint replacements. Low temperatures may affect the fluid and tissues in and around joints, causing pain and stiffness. People may also focus on symptoms more and be less likely to follow treatment plans in cold weather. Taking steps to keep warm may help relieve joint pain that worsens in cold weather. This may include wearing multiple layers, using hand warmers or heat pads, and fitting draft excluders at home. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
ABC News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Why we get more infections in winter
It's that time of year again where the cold weather kicks in, we pack on the layers, and the seasonal sicknesses come creeping in. Health authorities are urging people to get their vaccines, as influenza sweeps through the community, while the common cold has everyone reaching for the tissues. So why is it that we get more bugs in the cooler weather?
News24
19 hours ago
- Climate
- News24
Friday's weather: Western Cape chilly with light rain, rest of SA fine and cool
Very cold conditions are expected in the Western Cape and the Northern Cape with daytime temperatures of 10°C or below in some parts, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS). Impact-based warnings - Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging waves along the coastline between Saldanha Bay and East London are expected until Saturday morning. These waves may create difficulty for navigation, pose risks to small vessels (capsizing or taking on water), and cause disruption to ports and harbours. - Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging winds are likely to cause localised damage to settlements (both formal and informal) over the Kouga and Nelson Mandela Bay local municipalities. These winds will also affect offshore navigation between Plettenberg Bay and East London. Weather forecast for today & tomorrow, 19 - 20 June 2025. Partly cloudy conditions are expected along the coastal areas of RSA, with isolated showers and damaging winds & waves possible along the south coast. #saws #weatheroutlook #southafricanweather — SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) June 19, 2025 In the SAWS' colour-coded weather warning system, yellow indicates a moderate risk of impact that requires caution and awareness, while orange indicates that higher-risk impact is expected, requiring increased attention and preparation. SAWS uses the numbers to indicate the likelihood of weather-based impacts occurring. Levels 2 and 6 are high, and Level 4 is low. Advisories Areas in the interior of the Western Cape and the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape are expected to experience very cold conditions, with daytime temperatures of 10°C or below. The weather in your province Gauteng: Fine and cool. Pretoria: 9°C — 23°C Johannesburg: 9°C — 20°C Vereeniging: 8°C — 20°C Mpumalanga: Fine and cool, warming up in the Lowveld and escarpment. Mbombela: 7°C — 27°C Ermelo: 6°C — 20°C Emalahleni: 7°C — 20°C Standerton: 5°C — 20°C Skukuza: 12°C — 31°C Limpopo: Fine and cool to warm. Polokwane: 8°C — 23°C Phalaborwa: 13°C — 30°C Tzaneen: 10°C — 27°C Musina: 11°C — 29°C Lephalale: 8°C — 26°C Mokopane: 8°C — 24°C North West: Fine and cool. Klerksdorp: 5°C — 21°C Potchefstroom: 5°C — 21°C Mahikeng: 5°C — 22°C Rustenburg: 7°C — 22°C Vryburg: 4°C — 21°C Free State: Fine, windy, and cold to cool. Bloemfontein: 0°C — 17°C Welkom: 4°C — 18°C Bethlehem: 1°C — 16°C Northern Cape: Cloudy in the south and south-west, then fine and cold to cool with windy conditions in the extreme south-east. Coastal winds: Light and variable, becoming moderate southerly in the afternoon. Upington: 1°C — 16°C Kimberley: 2°C — 17°C De Aar: 1°C — 13°C Alexander Bay: 6°C — 22°C Springbok: 5°C — 15°C Calvinia: 4°C — 13°C Sutherland: 5°C — 11°C Western Cape: Cloudy and cold with light rain in the south-west in the morning, later spreading along the south coast by evening. Northeast areas will start partly cloudy before becoming cloudy. Coastal winds: Fresh to strong west to north-westerly, becoming light to moderate south-westerly north of Cape Point from the afternoon. Cape Town: 12°C — 15°C Vredendal: 9°C — 17°C Riversdale: 8°C — 17°C George: 10°C — 17°C Worcester: 11°C — 16°C Beaufort West: 2°C — 17°C Oudtshoorn: 4°C — 18°C Western half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and cool to cold, partly cloudy later along the south, with isolated coastal showers and rain. Coastal winds: Moderate to fresh north-westerly, turning fresh to strong south-westerly by the afternoon. Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and cool to cold. Coastal winds: Moderate to fresh north-westerly in the south, switching to south-westerly by midday, with moderate south-westerly winds elsewhere. Gqeberha: 12°C — 20°C Makhanda: 8°C — 19°C Cradock: 3°C — 16°C Graaff-Reinet: 4°C — 15°C East London: 13°C — 20°C Port St Johns: 11°C — 20°C Mthatha: 5°C — 18°C Komani: 0°C — 16°C Qonce: 7°C — 19°C KwaZulu-Natal: Partly cloudy in the south early on, then fine and cool to warm across the province, yet cold along the south-west. Coastal winds: Light to moderate northerly winds, strengthening toward the north, followed by moderate to fresh southerly winds sweeping south to north during the afternoon. Durban: 13°C — 23°C Richard's Bay: 12°C — 26°C Pietermaritzburg: 6°C — 23°C Ladysmith: 7°C — 22°C
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
A company is developing a fancy electrolyte to charge EV batteries four times faster
Electric A groundbreaking thing might have just happened for electric car batteries Skip 3 photos in the image carousel and continue reading A company called 24M Technologies has created an electrolyte called Eternalyte that it reckons will revolutionise the way electric car batteries work. Big claims, but it might be onto something. Rather than switching out to a solid-state electrolyte, this special sauce (the recipe for which is kept under wraps) makes the ions move between the anode and cathode more quickly and at a greater rate. Advertisement - Page continues below The result? A charge rate four times faster than conventional batteries, giving around 186 miles of juice in less than four minutes, using – get this – standard charge points. Yup, there's no need for ultra-fast charging infrastructure. Granted, 24M's own spec sheet states the gravimetric energy density of the battery cell is 350Wh/kg, and Merc's working on solid-state batteries with 450Wh/kg power density. Still, 24M's proprietary liquid electrolyte has other cool properties, literally. Where cold weather can reduce current battery capacity by about 25 per cent at freezing point, the boffins at 24M reckon Eternalyte helps a battery maintain all of its usability at 0°C and more than 80 per cent capacity if you get down as low as -40°C. Since we haven't any polar expeditions planned, we'll take their word for it. You might like Eternalyte has been developed for lithium-ion batteries, but the laboratory tests have shown similar results in lithium-metal, silicone-based and graphite-based batteries, too. There's also improvement in the battery lifecycle. Naoki Ota, 24M Technologies boss, said: "24M's Eternalyte electrolyte breakthrough solves some of the biggest challenges of lithium-ion batteries today. Rapid charge, superior low-temperature performance and great cycle life with lithium-metal and other high energy density chemistries, Eternalyte provides outstanding performance for applications ranging from EVs to consumer products. It paves the way for next-gen batteries, including lithium metal, with 1,600-kilometer driving range and years of reliable performance.' Advertisement - Page continues below Almost 1,000 miles on a single charge sounds like progress, right? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Sydney, Melbourne weather: How cold it will get as high-pressure system strikes
A powerful high-pressure system parked over southeastern Australia has triggered a week of icy temperatures, just ahead of the year's shortest and darkest day of the year. Clear skies have spread across New South Wales and Victoria, with the system expected to keep clouds away into the weekend. While the days are sunny and mild, the nights have turned bitterly cold, leading to widespread frost and sub-zero temperatures. The Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathon How explained the system can cause cool mornings. 'We've got high pressure sitting on top of us which basically means sinking air, sinking air generally clears skies, number one,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Number two, it brings dry air down to the surface and that can mean cold nights.' Dry air, which contains less water vapor, traps less heat, allowing temperatures to plunge overnight. On Thursday morning, regions along the Great Dividing Range - from Victoria to Queensland - recorded temperatures below -4C. Marrangaroo, west of Lithgow in NSW, saw the coldest reading at a bone-chilling -7.7C. Frosts are forecast to continue across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania's highlands, eastern South Australia, and parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, including Roma and Alice Springs. The cold snap is expected to ease slightly over the weekend as the high-pressure system begins to move offshore. 'Overnight temperatures will gradually start to climb again and it won't be as icy,' Mr How said. Sydney's overnight lows could rise from 6C to 13C by late next week, thanks to a front bringing warmer northerly winds. The timing coincides with the winter solstice on Saturday, marking the darkest and shortest day of the year. 'You've got long nights and the longer the darkness the more that heat can leave the Earth's surface,' he said. 'And you've got less daytime to warm it up again. So we've really been approaching the coldest time of the year.' Hobart will see the least daylight of all capital cities - just nine hours and one minute. Sydney will get 9 hours and 54 minutes, while Darwin, being furthest north, will enjoy 11 hours and 24 minutes. Meanwhile, in the west, Perth braces for wet and windy weather as another cold front rolls in from the ocean, bringing rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. Canberra Friday: Morning frost. Mostly sunny. Min -5C. Max 13C. Saturday: Morning frost. Sunny. Min -4C. Max 15C. Sunday: Morning frost. Mostly sunny. Min -4C. Max 14C. Sydney Friday: Mostly sunny. Min 6C. Max 17C. Saturday: Sunny. Min 7C. Max 18C. Sunday: Sunny. Min 8C. Max 19C. Brisbane Friday: Partly cloudy. Min 13C. Max 23C. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 14C. Max 23C. Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min 15C. Max 24C. Melbourne Friday: Sunny. Min 6C. Max 16C. Saturday: Sunny. Min 5C. Max 16C. Sunday: Sunny. Min 6C. Max 16C. Hobart Friday: Partly cloudy. Min 8C. Max 17C. Saturday: Mostly sunny. Min 7C. Max 17C. Sunday: Mostly sunny. Min 7C. Max 15C. Adelaide Friday: Sunny. Min 9C. Max 19C. Saturday: Sunny. Min 9C. Max 19C. Sunday: Shower or two. Min 10C. Max 22C. Darwin Friday: Sunny. Min 20C. Max 31C. Saturday: Mostly sunny. Min 21C. Max 31C. Sunday: Mostly sunny. Min 20C. Max 30C. Perth Friday: Rain increasing. Min 13C. Max 21C. Saturday: Showers. Min 8C. Max 17C. Sunday: Showers. Min 9C. Max 19C.
