Kerry first responded to Christine’s TMJ story about her daughter in Rachel and Her TMJ Journey.

“Hi Christine,
I stumbled across your post and wondered if your daughter is still having problems? I am a jaw physio and know how difficult these jaw problems can be when you have an inflammatory arthritis. The usual type of physiotherapy approach can often be way too much and actually counter productive.
I am hoping you are getting some good solutions now she must be around 16 yrs old, but just wanted you to know that she is not alone, and she hasn’t exaggerated her pain.”   Kerry Read

I asked Kerry if she would consider sharing some more of her insights with us to help parents learn more about the condition and strategies that can be helpful.

My thanks to Kerry for taking the time to write for us.  Here is her helpful article Arthritis and the Jaw.

Weather can have a big impact on joint pain.

I have heard her doctor talk about changes in atmospheric pressure being the cause.

I was curious to find out more.

I found some interesting information in Brenda Goodman’s article, Weather and Pain, published on Arthritis Today.

Changes in temperature or barometric pressure, a measure that refers to the weight of the surrounding air, trigger joint pain, though researchers aren’t entirely sure why. In 2007, researchers at Tufts University in Boston reported that every 10-degree drop in temperature corresponded with an incremental increase in arthritis pain. Increasing barometric pressure was also a pain trigger in the Tufts study.

In fact, studies in cadavers have found that barometric pressure affects pressure inside the joints. In one experiment, when pressure in the hip joints was equated with atmospheric pressure, it threw the ball of the hip joint about one-third of an inch off track.

Does this make sense of what happens to your child when the weather changes? What has been your experience?

Rain photo courtesy of law keven at Flickr Creative Commons.