Ease Arthritis Hand Pain NATURALLY
We often don’t realize how valuable something is until we’ve lost it. And that’s certainly true for having a working set of hands.
We use our fingers from the moment we get up in the morning and wipe the sleep from our eyes right on through until we pull the covers up under our chin at night as we slip off to sleep.
But we rarely think about how much we depend on them for EVERYTHING. Well, until they no longer work like they should that is.
Arthritis can leave you with stiff, painful, and weak hands that make simple everyday tasks an uphill battle.
Mention that struggle to your doctor and he’ll likely prescribe heavy-duty (and let’s face it downright dangerous) drugs.
But you don’t need to pop more meds to get some much-needed relief. Try one of these 5 drug-free arthritis solutions instead.
This is far from a complete list of arthritis remedies to ease the aches in your hands, but it’s a great, science-backed place to start.
- Hand Exercises
Ironically, one of the best ways to ease the pain you feel when you move your hands is to move them MORE. In fact, research reveals doing hand exercises helps folks who are battling arthritis in their hands in a variety of ways.
In one study, women with osteoarthritis (OA) in their fingers did hand exercises three times a day for three months. The exercises included things like squeezing a rubber ball and spreading their fingers as wide as possible.
In the end, the women had significant improvements in joint pain, grip, and function.
And in other research on folks with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were already taking medication, those who added hand stretching and strengthening exercises to their routine experienced greater improvements in hand flexibility, dexterity, and strength.
- Acupuncture
According to the National Institute of Health studies suggest acupuncture is particularly effective at treating chronic pain including osteoarthritis.
Research shows it can help reduce pain and numbness in people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
And a review published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that when acupuncture is used alongside other therapies it helps manage pain and improve the quality of life for folks with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Hot and Cold Therapy
Hot AND cold therapies can be very effective at relieving arthritis pain.
Heat relaxes stiff joints and loosens aching muscle. The heat increases the flexibility of connective tissue reducing stiffness. While cold restricts the blood vessels in the muscles decreasing blood flow to the painful joints reducing inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and pain.
You can try applying hot or cold therapy, but in my experience many experience the greatest pain-relieving benefits by doing a combination of both.
Heat therapy can be soaking your hands in warm water, applying a heating pad, or doing a paraffin wax bath.
Cold therapy can be as simple as putting ice or a bag of frozen vegetables on your hands. Be sure to place a cloth between the ice and your skin. And don’t ice your hands for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Capsaicin Creams
Capsaicin is responsible for the “hot” in hot peppers. But the compound doesn’t just bring heat to the table, it delivers health benefits too.
Capsaicin helps block pain signals. And it can be especially effective against arthritis pain.
One study showed that when people with OA of the hand and knee used capsaicin gel for 12 weeks, they experienced a 50 percent reduction in pain.
Topical capsaicin creams and gels are widely available.
- Curcumin
Curcumin is a potent compound found in the spice turmeric. It’s one of nature’s TOP anti-inflammatories. And that makes it particularly effective at tackling arthritis pain.
In a study 500 milligrams of turmeric twice a day slashed joint pain and stiffness in folks with RA AND OA.
Supplements are widely available at health food stores and online from retailers like Amazon.com
P.S. Inflammation is at the heart of arthritis pain. But over-the-counter anti-inflammatories come with risky side effects like stomach bleeding. These 7 NATURAL anti-inflammatories can tackle swelling and pain WITHOUT the dangers.
Source:
Natural Remedies for Arthritis verywellhealth.com/natural-remedies-for-arthritis-in-hands-5095949
