Opinion: Climate change is making people with chronic illness even sicker
Chicago was enveloped in a smoky haze, trees appearing as ghostly silhouettes on a July summer marked by record-breaking air quality due to Canadian wildfires. Even with windows closed and air purifiers in use, the suffocating air left the reporter with headaches, a sore throat, and burning eyes, exacerbating her pre-existing chronic illnesses.
She has been living with six chronic conditions for most of her adult life, including endometriosis, psoriatic arthritis, Celiac disease, Graves and Hashimoto’s diseases, and interstitial cystitis.
She noted that her joint pain intensified in cooler, wet weather and was prone to overheating when temperatures soared above 90 degrees. She is not alone in this experience, as she has spoken with many others with various chronic conditions about the impact of weather on their symptoms. Those with lupus need to avoid the sun, while some with psoriasis find relief from it; storms can trigger migraines and joint pain; hot weather exacerbates postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
The body’s unique response to weather patterns makes it challenging for patients to predict what might trigger a flare.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
