For some people, climate change doesn’t exist; for others, it’s an abstract theory. For me, climate change literally gets under my skin.
I started getting migraines as a pre-teen. They are always related to weather events and barometric pressure, though it took me over 15 years to figure that out. Until that time, I associated my migraines with moral failings and character flaws. Since then, I have learned I have some control over the intensity of the migraine, but the cause is completely out of my control. Over the last several years, with the increase in storm events and extreme temperature changes, the frequency of my migraines has increased significantly.
Now, I am learning that these same kinds of weather patterns affect my Long COVID symptoms. Storms, high temperatures, and temperature fluctuations are likely to increase the severity of my Long COVID fatigue, brain fog, and vertigo.
While I look forward to a day when I will no longer experience Long COVID symptoms, there is no similar hope for my migraines. The best I can hope for is to get back to a place of better migraine management, which includes regular intense cardio that Long COVID currently prohibits me from doing. Genetically, I have a high chance of living for a long time as both my parents have numerous relatives who lived into their 90s and 100s. Climate change is only projected to get worse as I age. Health management is increasingly crucial to my long-term quality of life to counteract the increasing influence of climate on my health.
Feature image credit: climate by littlestar23 from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Carolyn Ristau 