33% REPORT PERSISTENT PAIN AS SUB-ZERO WINTER SPELLS INTENSIFY FLARE-UPS
- January temperatures plunged below −10°C in multiple UK regions, reaching −14.7°C in Scotland on 8–9 January, as Arctic cold snaps compounded symptoms for 18 million adults living with persistent pain.
- According to new data from the UK’s leading medical cannabis clinic, Mamedica, one in five Britons have left a job due to illness or chronic pain, with winter cold snaps intensifying pressure on an already strained workforce.
- 33% of UK adults report persistent physical pain since 2019, equivalent to around 18 million people.
- Google searches for “treatment”, “cannabis” and “therapy” remain high-volume terms linked to chronic pain during cold weather.
- 20% have left a job due to illness or pain, with 18% reducing working hours to cope with symptoms.
- January temperatures fell below −10°C in multiple UK regions, intensifying flare-ups in musculoskeletal and nerve-related conditions.
Mamedica, the UK’s leading medical cannabis clinic supporting more than 12,000 patients nationwide, has released updated analysis from its landmark Sick Note Britain report, highlighting how sub-zero winter spells and abrupt temperature swings are compounding symptoms for millions of chronically ill adults.
January 2026 saw temperatures fall below −10°C in multiple regions and reach −14.7°C in Scotland during an Arctic outbreak. While the UK remains on a long-term warming trend, this winter has been characterised by sharper cold incursions and more abrupt volatility than recent milder seasons, with prolonged frost, ice and snow disruption across parts of the country.
Such winter volatility amplifies the already widespread chronic pain across the UK. Between one-third and one-half of UK adults are estimated to experience chronic pain, with around 8 million reporting pain that is moderate to severely disabling. An increase in “treatment”, “medical cannabis” and “therapy” Google searches during cold weather indicates the hunt for pain relief.
Cold, damp conditions and barometric pressure changes are consistently associated in clinical research with increased stiffness, flare frequency and pain severity in musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions. Musculoskeletal disorders remain one of the leading causes of sickness absence nationally, alongside mental health conditions, whilst migraine attacks are linked to pressure shifts and neuropathic pain is widely recognised as sensitive to cold exposure.
Sick Note Britain tracks how these health drivers translate into workforce and economic instability:
- 23% have felt pressured to return to work while still unwell.
- 10% relied on Statutory Sick Pay and experienced financial hardship.
- 9% lost up to half their income due to unpaid sick leave.
- 13% say employer lack of understanding harmed career progression.
- 22% have struggled to find an effective remedy for persistent pain.
Conditions most susceptible to cold weather snaps include:
Chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders
Arthritis, back pain and joint conditions are strongly associated with cold-related stiffness and flare-ups. Reduced mobility during freezing spells compounds restriction and sleep disruption.
Arthritis, back pain and joint conditions are strongly associated with cold-related stiffness and flare-ups. Reduced mobility during freezing spells compounds restriction and sleep disruption.
Fibromyalgia and widespread pain
Around 5% of adults exhibit fibromyalgia-type symptoms. Winter conditions can magnify fatigue, sleep disturbance and generalised pain severity.
Around 5% of adults exhibit fibromyalgia-type symptoms. Winter conditions can magnify fatigue, sleep disturbance and generalised pain severity.
Neuropathic pain
Cold sensitivity is a recognised trigger, intensifying nerve-related burning and tingling during sub-zero periods.
Cold sensitivity is a recognised trigger, intensifying nerve-related burning and tingling during sub-zero periods.
Migraine and weather-triggered headaches
Pressure drops and unstable fronts are established migraine triggers, increasing attack frequency during volatile winter patterns.
Pressure drops and unstable fronts are established migraine triggers, increasing attack frequency during volatile winter patterns.
Forecasts indicate further unsettled conditions into early spring, with alternating mild and cold spells rather than a stable transition. For millions living with persistent pain, this means ongoing symptom fluctuation, sustained sleep disruption and elevated absence risk.
Sickness absence linked to chronic conditions is no longer a short winter spike. It is an unpredictable, year-round workforce pressure intensified by weather volatility.
Comment from Jon Robson, CEO of Mamedica:
“Cold snaps and sharp weather changes disproportionately affect people already living with chronic pain. Sick Note Britain shows how quickly that translates into working lives, from reduced hours to job exit. Chronic illness must be recognised as a mainstream workforce reality. Earlier clinical intervention and recognition of legitimate treatment pathways, including prescribed cannabis-based medicines where appropriate, can help people remain economically active and reduce preventable absence.”
“Cold snaps and sharp weather changes disproportionately affect people already living with chronic pain. Sick Note Britain shows how quickly that translates into working lives, from reduced hours to job exit. Chronic illness must be recognised as a mainstream workforce reality. Earlier clinical intervention and recognition of legitimate treatment pathways, including prescribed cannabis-based medicines where appropriate, can help people remain economically active and reduce preventable absence.”
