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The best place to live in the U.S. for osteoarthritis

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Posted 12/29/2011 4:54 PM (GMT 0)

I have Osteoarhtritis.  I need some advice as to the best State to live in to help me with my pain.  I am looking at Arizona but my sister and son both live in Florida and are urging me to come there.  I know Florida has a lot of humidity where Arizona doesnt' but it seems to be the buildup before the rain and snow that bothers me so much.  It seems that once the storm gets here and it is actully raining or snowing that I am better.  I am 67 years old and I have had 3 spine surgeries,  and I have Osteoarthritis in my spine, knees, legs, shoulders and hands.  I currently live in Oklahoma and I do plan to move in the spring.  Anyone who has knowledge about either State, please feel free to let me know.  Thanks, Amie

Posted 12/29/2011 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
I think different things bother different people, but humidity is a killer for me. Like you, I'm at my worst 2-3 days before the front rolls in. We looked at any number of retirement locations. I still think Arizona would have probably been the most arthritis-pain free, but the heat there is unbearable. My husband wanted Florida, but I refused. We lived in Austin, Texas, and the humidity there almost killed me. We ended up in East Tennessee at a high enough elevation to miss most of the humidity and heat.

I don't know that there is a single best place; they all have their good and bad points. If your situation allows, you might consider traveling and spending some time in the places you're considering - try to go during their worst weather season, so you get a clear picture of what works best for you.
Posted 12/29/2011 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks that was helpful. I wont might the heat in Arizona and I know how Florida is as my son is there and we have visited him in both the winter and summer. Summer time in Florida is as bad as Arizona heat but boy it is nice in Florida in the wintertime. My sister who lives in Texas will be moving to Florida in the spring and that has me felling all alone out here and moving to Arizona will be even further away but the weather here in Oklahoma is really brutal and is killing me. My arthritis is at an all time high right now because it is winter time. My husband likes Arizona and I would be happier near family. Thanks for the words.
Posted 12/29/2011 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck with your choice. If cost of living is a major issue for you, I think it's lower in Arizona. On the other hand, in Florida you get to see green trees and grass!
Posted 12/30/2011 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
not Virginia Beach, VA
Posted 12/30/2011 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
I don't think that there is really a best place, but if it were it would be a dry climate like Tucson, Az. I personally choose Alamogordo NM
Posted 1/7/2012 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
I just moved back to S. Cali from Maryland where there is alot of humidity. I'll take the dryness here anytime.  Though I also have to say, my neck Osteo is equally painful in both types of weather. It increases in pain throughout the day, and feels like a knife is sticking in it.    
Posted 1/8/2012 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

I have always read that people with arthritis do good if they live in dry, hot climates like the desert of southwestern USA. Arthritis feels much better with heat and pains with cold - that leaves out moving to my home state of MN.

I wish you the best in making your decision.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 1/11/2012 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
I have just been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis & I'm only 41. I moved to AZ almost 10 years ago, mostly because of its climate. My mother & grandmother had arthritis so I thought I'd have it so. I also heard that dry & hot climate is the best for arthritis therefore I moved to AZ when I was still healthy. I believed that if at some point I'd get arthritis it would be easier for me to live here & that moving to hot climate would delay arthritis, if I ever have this disease. But osteoarthritis struck early so now I'm confused if dry or hot climate really helps when someone suffers from this type of arthritis. Maybe it helps folks who have rheumatoid arthritis?
Forgot to add, I live near Phoenix, AZ; it's really hot & dry here.

Post Edited (Blue J) : 1/11/2012 1:22:33 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/15/2012 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
I live in Tampa Florida and the humidity makes me feel so much worse.  Winter isn't too bad but the summer is a killer! shakehead
Posted 9/3/2013 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
From what I have studied & have learned from my experience to be true. Arthritis is more painful because of low pressure in the atmosphere. That would explain why it hurts before a storm comes & subsides even before the rain or snow has ended. It's all related to the barometric pressure on our bodies. High pressure compresses on the body while low pressure allows the flui in the joints to expand & cause pain. I've been living with osteoarthritis for many years & this seems to be true. I'm in Oklahoma where the low pressures come & many times brings no rain but is very painful! I'm wanting to move to South Texas because when I go visit my daughter I have much less pain even when it does rain. Googel the question: "Why does my arthritis hurt when it rains?" For more detailed research.
Posted 9/15/2013 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
My husband and I are considering San Antonio TX. I believe they have fewer low pressure days than many other regions in the country. We have 5 years left here in the Chicago area, but we are researching this, too. I love FL, but too many low pressure systems roll through.
Posted 9/15/2013 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Florida is horrible for arthritis, plus the humidity is awful. San Antonio is less humid and has a lot of sunny weather. My husband and I moved from Austin, Texas (about 80 miles north of S.A.) because we got tired of having six-plus months a year of temperatures in the 90's and about 60 days every summer over 100. If you can tolerate that climate, San Antonio is likely a good choice as far as weather goes.
Posted 9/30/2013 6:14 AM (GMT 0)
I live near Memphis TN. The humidity is so painful. Whether summer, winter, fall, or spring. Just any rain saying hello hurts. I happened to visit Pigeon Forge area. It wasn't until we were coming down the mountain that I realized I had spent 4 of 5 of the days there in rainy weather. I didn't take any pain pills while I was there. Not until we hit the storm on the way down did I really realize it. I was just enjoying the time I had. I was able to navigate steps and had less pain. I was wondering if anyone else noticed that the mountains are better for chronic pain? Mine is dysautonomia related. Pretty much overactive nerves making me hurt all over. I am wanting to go to the mountains this winter for a week or so.
Does anyone know if the mountains are painful for the nerves/muscles in the winter? I am hoping for an area not far from Nashville. There are only 2 clinics in the US so far that handle autonomic dysfunction. One in NY the other in Nashville. Any ideas? I have been to Florida. My parents live there. Their summer is bearable, same with winter. But Spring and rainy season just hurt so bad. I might as well be home.
I pray you all find some answers. So far, I have found some help with Vanderbilt. They love and care for the patients. They don't just give you pills. They help you with nutrition, PT, a medical psychologist, etc. Just a wonderful team working for you, the patient.
Posted 2/26/2014 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
http://blog.securevideo.com/tag/barometric-pressure-cities/

Hope this helps some. I live near Tampa, and its been better than vermont, new york, arkansas,sand diego, and the desert southwest..
Posted 2/27/2014 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
I want a mansion in heaven.

I will say that San Antonio is a wonderful town, the people are very very pleasant.

The heat in upstate New York is horrible. I come from New York City where the ocean breezes were helpful. But with global warming, when I heard the temperature would be in the low 110 degrees...well it was time to move.

I love the Hudson River but it becomes very swampy here since I live so close. The mountains are high and dry but since winter here is quite long, we have a great deal of dry weather. Fall is breath-taking here but most people find it difficult to go from hot to cold or vice versa. I did live a few years in Texas and especially loved San Antonio. I have heard Florida can be very humid but Arizona is hot and probably dry. I lived there as a child so I don't recall. Florida has great food as I am sure so does Arizona. But if I had to leave New York for a sunny clime, it would definitely be back down to San Anton.
Posted 3/5/2014 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
I may be a little bias but i will take Hawaii (Maui) all day long. New Mexico would be my second choice followed by south florida.
Posted 4/8/2014 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Warm temperatures, low humidity, sunshine & few pressure changes/weather fronts are the standard recommendations for arthritis sufferers so that explains why the Southwest fares so well & all the Arizona recommendations. Everyone is a little different however and if you find that changes in air pressure / weather fronts seems more problematic than other factors San Diego & Hawaii rate very well on that variable so you can try that out and see if the good of that outweighs the additional humidity you get. The ample ocean swimming opportunities might be a great source of relief as well for anyone able enough to do it as swimming is one of the best low impact exercise options around.
Posted 4/8/2014 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
San Diego and Hawaii would both be great, but they share a common problem in that the cost of living in both places is very high. If that isn't a factor, though, they're probably ideal.
Posted 4/23/2014 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
HI- I live in Tempe,Arizona and it helps my arthritis with so much hot weather... If it gets cold in December my neck hurts from cold like 50 degrees..............

I moved here from Oregon a cold place and it really helps me living in Az

Caren
Posted 5/14/2014 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Excuse my ignorance ahead of time.. I do not have osteoarthritis but I am trying to find out information for my dad who is just now starting to experience symptoms. I have always heard that cold weather makes the symptoms worst. Are you guys saying that humidity is also a problem? He lives in Virginia and hasn't yet complained about the humidity, but he has said it hurts in the morning and when it is cold. I'd love to be able to move him somewhere warm where he can not be in pain. I'd go for Texas though if I had to pick one..
Posted 6/1/2014 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

Humidity plays no roll in my OA pain. Barometric changes on the other hand tear me up. Spring is hell in Missouri.

It is different for everybody, but for most folks, cold seems to add to it also. For me, cold makes me stiff and sore. If I am out in it too long the typical response of shivering makes me sore. The contraction of all those muscles at once wreaks havoc on my body.

I am off to check out Tampa area for a couple of weeks this August. I hope it works for me too.
Posted 7/17/2014 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
This is in reference to a post from 2013 by Ajays_mom. I live in TN as well and have visited Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg many times. I always have relief from most of my pain as well as my sinus issues.

I don't know what it is about that area, the foothills of the Smoky Mtns., but it does improve my health. I'd like to live there if it were possible.
Posted 7/29/2014 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
I would never leave New York but the humidity here is killing me. I do better in the winter with the dry weather. I am "winter ready" and just deal with it. I don't like the heat but I did like San Antonio because of the Latin influence...a lovely city for sure.
Posted 8/9/2014 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hello
I understand the decision you are trying to make.
I have osteo arthritis and I was diagnosed at age 21. I am now 59. My level is severe. I have been been very active most of my life as a yoga and Pilates teacher and now corrective exercise specialist.
I find movement really really helps. I walk with my husband twice a day here in Phoenix AZ. It helps but I don't think I have ever lived in a place with so much barometric pressure changes especially in the spring and summer and fall. So that said, I have had more severe pain here than anywhere else and I am from the upper midwest Wisconsin. Lots of pain there during the winters. We have also lived in Oregon and the storms off the Pacific were really difficult.
I have found that the barometric pressure changes are what make the difference.
Here is a good map:
http://www.usairnet.com/weather/maps/current/barometric-pressure/

From my research I have found that San Diego, Seattle, and Hawaii are the places in the US with the least fluctuation. Good luck!
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