why do things hurt more when it is cold?
In: 89
[removed]
Generally our pain receptors are more sensitive when cold which leads to things hurting more. Joint and muscle pain could be related to a decrease in circulation as we tend to be less active when cold.
Your nerves are more sensitive in the cold. Also less blood flow to your extremities like your hands and feet make your skin stiffer and more receptive to pressure. Cold also stiffens your muscles making it easier to injure yourself. Kinda like a drunk walking away from an accident cause they were relaxed.
Imagine someone punches you in the arm once. It hurts, but it’s not a huge deal. Now imagine someone has already punched you in the arm 10 times and then punches you an 11th time. That 11th time will hurt much more than the first time because you’ve already sustained an injury there from the previous 10 punches. Being cold is akin to those first 10 punches. Intense cold is already a pain response, similar to intense heat, so the level of stimulus that elicits a pain response is effectively lower.
Cold temperatures can cause things to hurt more because they can cause the skin to become numb, which can make it more difficult to detect injuries. When the skin is numb, it is harder to tell when you have cut yourself or bumped into something, which can cause the injury to become worse before it is noticed.
Cold temperatures can also cause muscles to contract, which can lead to muscle cramps and other types of pain. When muscles are cold, they may not function as well as they normally do, which can lead to discomfort and pain.
Finally, cold temperatures can also cause inflammation, which can lead to pain. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, and it can cause swelling, redness, and pain. Cold temperatures can exacerbate inflammation, which can make injuries and other types of pain feel worse.
Latest Answers