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I recently had back surgery and my back is killing me. Did I just re-injure myself or did the barometric pressure change today?
Lana S.
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On the day Lana wrote into us there was definitely a drop in pressure, in fact pressure changes last week when she wrote this note were all over the place.
You can't escape a rising or falling barometer in Utah so those people who are sensitive to those changes can have uncomfortable days. You can be aware of falling and rising pressure by noting weather observations and watching the forecast. At least that way you can plan on staying in or doing something that doesn't bug you a lot like reading a book.
Your body acts like a barometer. When the pressure falls outside of your body the fluid inside of you expands. This can push on nerves and cause pain. Pregnant women who are close to their due date have been known to go into labor when pressure changes are rapid.
So the person who says "I think it's going to rain, my joints hurt" isn't just pulling your chain. If someone can feel those pressure changes, their joints might actually hurts. Often time with a rain storm, the pressure is lower since rain is around areas of lower pressure. By watching barometer changes we can keep and idea of what kind of weather is coming.
If you want to live somewhere where the pressure doesn't change as much, Southern CA and Hawaii would be some good places to check out.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
