Understanding Atmospheric Pressure Changes and MCAS

This winter I’ve experienced a lot more issues with changes in atmospheric pressure than ever before. And in fact, on the day of this writing, we are experiencing in the Midwest what is called a Bomb Cyclone, which is a meteorological event of an extreme drop in barometric pressure. So I am devoting this post to sharing the information I’ve learned about what happens to your body when you experience atmospheric pressure changes, and what can help with the attendant discomfort.

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What is atmospheric pressure?

Atmospheric pressure is “the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere, which at sea level has a mean value of 101,325 pascals (roughly 14.6959 pounds per square inch).” – Oxford Languages

Atmospheric pressure is exerted on everything on earth, including our bodies. So, the context for this post is the effect of atmospheric pressure on our bodies, specifically on people’s bodies who have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, or MCAS.

What is MCAS?

This is a concise explanation of MCAS from Mast Attack:

“Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a serious, chronic health condition that affects all organ systems. It increases the risk of anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. Complications of MCAS can include organ damage. It is often disabling. It is often found alongside other conditions such as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and POTS. It is not well known among medical providers. It is difficult to test for. Treatment revolves around blocking mast cell mediators with things like antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers. Most people are not able to manage their diseases simply by avoiding triggers. Most people need medication, and often, a lot of it. Most people have symptoms every day and sometimes experience bad mast cell attacks and anaphylaxis. MCAS is in no way a mild or minor health issue. It should not be minimized and neither should the experiences of the people living with it.” – Mast Attack

Headaches

Changes in atmospheric pressure are well known to cause headaches. As I mention in this post about headaches, the first place I check when I have a headache is the weather app on my phone to see if the atmospheric pressure is rising, falling, or stable.

I’ve noticed that when the atmospheric pressure is rising or falling I usually have a headache. When the pressure is rising I feel that headache on the top of my head, and when it is falling I experience a more diffuse headache all over my head.

What is causing this? Well, a study from Japan explains it this way:

“… atmospheric pressure to human bodies, compresses or dilates human blood vessels, which leads to abnormality in blood flow and induces migraine.”

Another explanation is, “Barometric pressure (and humidity) can change the pressure from the air to the sinus cavity … The pain receptors in the sinuses overlap with the pain receptors that impact migraine headaches. So a small change in barometric pressure can trigger headaches.”

Medical News Today says, “Changes in atmospheric pressure can create an imbalance in the pressure within the sinus cavities and the structures and chambers of the inner ear, resulting in pain.”

What can you do if you have a headache related to atmospheric pressure? The American Migraine Foundation says, “The medications used to treat weather-related migraines are the same as those used to treat other migraine headaches, with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen and others) and the triptans (sumatriptan and others) being the most important medications.”

If you react to NSAIDS or triptans then here are some other options:

• Herb Pharm Head Soother
• Using your rescue plan medications or supplements
• Planning for downtime if atmospheric changes are forecast
• Antinausea medications
• Ice packs applied to the head
• Relaxation techniques
• Avoiding your other MCAS triggers (so you aren’t dealing with more than a headache)
• Limiting physical activity and exertion
• Taking a warm, relaxing bath or shower
• Getting plenty of rest
• Avoiding noisy or brightly lit areas
• Maintaining a regular sleep schedule

Inflammation

Another symptom that I commonly experience with atmospheric pressure changes is general inflammation. If the atmospheric pressure drops, ” .. the pressure against your body drops as well, and your joints and areas that are injured can begin to swell. This swelling causes increased inflammation, and we require hormones to deal with this increased activity in our bodies. Increased use of these hormones can cause depletion of them, too.” – PsychCentral

If you think about it, anywhere the body that is inflamed causes mast cells to mass and signal to the brain that the body is not safe. So, if you experience inflammation from atmospheric pressure changes you will automatically have mast cell activation in the same areas. It becomes a self-propagating cycle where the increase in inflammation causes mast cells to signal a problem in the body, which causes more inflammation, and so on.

I’ve read that pressure stockings can relieve some of the discomfort caused by atmospheric pressure changes. Anecdotally I find that getting into a warm bath helps my body feel better. Perhaps this is because the water also exerts pressure on my body, negating some of the effects of the lower atmospheric pressure. Other suggestions I’ve seen are NSAIDs, and staying active.

In any case, using your rescue plan medications may help address the cycle of inflammation and mast cell activation.

Pain

As I discuss this post on pain, there are many ways that pain can manifest for people with MCAS, and changes in atmospheric pressure can be a pain trigger for those with MCAS. One study showed that lower atmospheric pressure was associated with increased pain intensity and discomfort.

One theory about pain is that our adrenal glands produce cortisol, a stress hormone, which is a key chemical in pain management, immune function, and energy. Changes in atmospheric pressure cause your body to become depleted of cortisol, which causes pain management to go haywire.

As well, “Changes in atmospheric pressure may affect the resistance of fluids in the joints. This then activates the pain reactions of the nerves in your joints.” – Citation

Some of the pain management suggestions I’ve seen are, using NSAIDs, if tolerated; using your rescue medications to address the cycle of pain/inflammation and mast cell activation; and supporting healthy cortisol levels. Some ways to do that are:

• Cycling carbs by eating a lower-carb diet in the morning, and moderate carbs later in the day to “reset” your cortisol curve;
• Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C and B5 (pantothenic acid);
• Staying hydrated;
• Practicing relaxation techniques;
• Having healthy sleep

Brain and mood

I’ve also read that there is a relationship between atmospheric pressure changes and impulsivity.

“Changes in barometric pressure can mess with your brain and your mood, according to the American Addiction Centers’ chief medical officer Dr. Lawrence Weinstein. Low barometric pressure (that drop in air pressure you feel when it’s about to storm) has been associated with more emergency psychiatric visits and violent incidents. Studies suggest that this is due to an uptick in impulsive behavior.” – Explore.com

And personally I have noticed an increase in anxiety when I experience changes in atmospheric pressure. But from what I’ve read that may not have a scientific basis:

“From this highly cited study, rising barometric pressure was associated with increased concentration, decreased sleepiness, and increased feeling of control. So rising barometric pressure is associated with improved concentration, alertness, and confidence.” – Anxietyboss.com

However, I did read many reports of people having anxiety correlated with changing atmospheric pressure.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure also changes when you experience changes in atmospheric pressure. This study showed “A significant inverse relationship between atmospheric pressure and blood pressure during the spring days and, only for systolic blood pressure, during winter nights was observed.” – PubMed

One theory for this is that the pressure on veins influences the strength and rate of your heartrate and the state ofof your blood vessels. – Citation

I was not able to find specific treatment suggestions for blood pressure changes resulting from atmospheric pressure changes, so speak with your doctor if this is something you experience.

Immunity

For those with MCAS, an illness can cause symptoms to spiral as mast cells activate to deal with the illness. So, changes in atmospheric pressure can make you more susceptible to getting sick:

“Changes in barometric pressure provide the ideal cold weather environment that increases the transmission of the cold virus. If you are under a lot of stress, then this increases the cortisol levels in your body, which suppresses your immunity. With a compromised immune system, you have a lower resistance to viruses, and you are more likely to get ill.” – Citation

The bucket theory

The bucket theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.

Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but they combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.

Evaluate your symptoms

So if you are experiencing headache, pain, inflammation, brain or mood issues related to changes in the weather, the place to start with your inquiry is with your symptom progression.

Know your typical symptom progression

Just like with any symptoms, keeping track of what you are experiencing along with atmospheric pressure data may help you to pinpoint your particular sensitivity to pressure changes. I read about one patient who could pinpoint a narrow band of pressure that was problematic for his symptoms. If you have a smartphone the weather app contains the atmospheric pressure reading, and it usually shows an arrow indicating whether the pressure is rising or falling, with an equal sign for atmospheric pressure that is remaining stable.

Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.

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What helps you?

What helps you when you are experiencing the effects of atmospheric pressure? I’d love to hear your comments below!