How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Hands
The following are a few things you can do to relieve the painful symptoms of arthritis in the hands:
Perform Hand Exercises
Performing hand exercises is one of the best ways to relieve arthritis in the hands. This is because they help keep the supportive ligaments and tendons in your hands flexible.
The following are a few recommended exercises that you can perform:
- bending your fingers slowly and carefully before straightening them again
- making a loose fist and then opening your fingers to fully straightening them, repeating this process several times in each hand
When performing hand exercises, make sure to use gentle motions to help reduce any pain.
Use Hot and Cold Therapy
Hot and cold therapy can help address the arthritic symptoms in your hands. Apply ice to your swollen joints for at least 10 minutes at a time help to help reduce the swelling. When applying ice to your hands, make sure to utilize a cloth to prevent any skin damage.
Alternatively, you can place your hands in a tub of warm water for heat therapy. This can help in easing your stiff joints.
Use Adaptive or Assistive Devices
Assistive devices can help reduce pain and stress on your arms from arthritis. The following are just a few of the common assistive devices that can reduce arthritic hand pain:
- In the kitchen – a knife with a curved blade that rocks as you cut. This can reduce the stress on your hands. The Duo Glide Knife has earned praise from the Arthritis Foundation Ease-of-Use.
- When traveling – carry a light weight backpay style bag that you can load without straining your hands and arms.
- Out in the garden – Proper gloves that fit comfortably and help you grip and pull are a must.
Seek Medical Treatments
If the arthritis in your hands is sever enough where none of these home remedies are working, there are medical treatments available that can help reduce your symptoms.
Treatment of arthritis is dependent on the type of arthritis present.
Typically, treatment includes a combination of physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and pain medications. The following types of medications are common for arthritis:
- acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
- subsets of DMARDs (biologics and JAK inhibitors)
- corticosteroids
These are just are a few tips on how to relieve arthritis pain in hands. Contact us with the link below for more information!
