Hand pain

breane

Hi,Has anyone tried the resting hand splints? I suffer with OA in both hands and when I have a flare up,I find it impossible to get a good nights sleep. Any tips for a pain free night would be most helpful.Thanks,Breane.

woodbon

Hi,

I've got hand splints, (I to have OA)but I'm not sure whether they are proper resting ones for the night. They cover my lower arm and wrist, wrap over my hand and have a metal bar up the front onto the palm. I had them to rest my hands before I had carpel tunnel injections and to rest during the day if my hands got painful. Sleeping splints that I used to put on other people when I worked with disabled, were made of a plastic, waxy material moulded for each individual by the physio assistant. The had velcro straps holding them in place. I tried mine in bed, but they did'nt help, they seemed to make me curl my fingers. But thats just my individual experience. Do you have an OT who could advice and fit? Your GP can refer you. Love Sue

jaspercat

breane wrote:

Hi,Has anyone tried the resting hand splints? I suffer with OA in both hands and when I have a flare up,I find it impossible to get a good nights sleep. Any tips for a pain free night would be most helpful.Thanks,Breane.

Hi, I would agree with Woodbon, my husband hates my resting splints, I once turned over and hit him with one, he was not amused, I sometimes sleep in my working splints (with metal in), you should ask your gp to refer you to a Occupational Therapist.
With regard to sleep I often use lavender oil on my pillow as my Amitriptylline dosen't always make me sleep love Jaspercatxx

magenta

Hi Breane,
I've used the resting splints before-lost them when I moved house. I'm due to see an OT soon for getting some new ones made. I like them and find they help to ease the pain.
Magenta x

pussycat

Hi my OT has made me several set's of plastic splints with velcro straps to wear at night. I do find they help but they did take a lot of getting used to.
I recently had another set of daytime splint's made to measure by OT, they are made from neoprene and this time the finger's reach to my mid joint on finger's. This new design is much more useful for during the day.
However during the latest cold spell I have found it easier to sleep in an armchair rather than going to bed.

I have a seperate set of neoprene splint's for when I am driving which have a plastic strip to provide stronger support for my wrist's.

Also for anyone having difficulty using a hairbrush my OT made a plastic attachment to lengthen my hairbrush handle.
MY OT is FAB and it is worth giving splint's a try, but push to have them made to measure because it does make a big difference.

I have RA, and I assume different splint's are more suitable for different forms of arthritis

petmad

Hi Breane, as with pussycat my OT made my splints from plastic with Velcro fasteners. I did not find these dificult at all and have noticed a great improvements in my OA of my hands.
If I we're you I would request that you OT make a pair up for you. Linda[/u]

woodbon

If my hands have been really painful, or I've been using them for ironing or something similar, I put my splints on when I'm watching TV, for a couple of hours or so before bed. They make my hands feel less painful. I also wear them when I'm working on something that needs a lot of grip, they stop me gripping too hard and hurting my hands.
The first time I wore them, the cat came in and jumped on my chair, I stroked her, but unfortunatly, hit her on the head with the metal bar. :oops: She doesn't come near me if I'm wearing them now :!: Love Sue