Myth: there’s nothing you can do for arthritis

Sound familiar? If you’ve ever been told that there’s nothing you can do for arthritis, I’m happy to tell you that there is! Depending on your particular hands, there are quite a few strategies to reduce pain and maintain your joints’ health. Here are a few strategies to try:

Heat, and paraffin in particular

One very popular strategy is paraffin wax. Heat of any kind is very pain relieving for arthritis and it also helps loosen up tight joints and muscles. Paraffin wax is just one method of heating your hands that tends to be loved by people with hand arthritis. You can purchase a paraffin bath online starting for around $30. And when using it at home, you can re-use the wax to save money. If you don’t want to purchase something new, any old heating pad will do!

Stretching, if it does not hurt

Stretching the joints is a good strategy as long as it does not cause pain. People with stiff, but less painful, arthritis benefit immensely from a stretching regime. Make an appointment with a certified hand therapist to learn the proper ways to stretch arthritic joints. You never want to cause or increase pain when stretching.

Massage for the tightness that follows

It is common for people with advanced arthritis in their hands to develop muscle tightness. This can be easily remedied with massage and stretching. A certified hand therapist can show you great ways to do this yourself without hurting your other hand and will also massage them for you!

Keep moving

Finally, remember to keep moving! Pain-free motion in arthritic joints helps keep them supple and minimize pain. Remember the phrase: “motion is lotion!”

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