Humidity can make long-term pain worse, study suggests

A new study suggests people with long-term health problems such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or migraine are more likely to feel pain on humid days.

Folklore suggests that cold makes the pain worse, but there is actually little research into the weather's effects on pain. University of Manchester researchers found symptoms were actually worse on warmer, damper days for study participants.

The participants recorded their symptoms on a smartphone app. Scientists used GPS data to record weather conditions.

According to the data gathered from more than 13 thousand people across the UK, relatively high humidity was the most important factor in determining pain levels.

The study revealed dry days were the least likely to cause pain.

The study called "Cloudy with a Chance of Pain," was funded by the charity called Versus Arthritis.