arthritis in hands

Hi sylvia

I have OA in my wrists and it seems to affect my hands too. I'm not great today, and i know why, I did far too much yesterday. I really wanted to do some knitting or crochet or sewing today but I can't, i'm so bored! Nurofen and paracetamal are not working and I don't want to take any thing heavy duty at this time of day.

Still, it's nice and sunny here and thankfully my legs and feet are fine so I'm going to go out for a walk in a bit.

I take a wheat bag to bed with me and sort of wrap it round my wrist and hand, it does help a bit and I find it comforting!

I think i may try rubbing some deep heat or nurophen gel on them, I'll use the one I find first LOL. House is a tip, but it will have to stay a tip today!

Hi Sylvia

I am sorry to hear your hands are painful and not working properly. I too wrap a wheatbag around my hands when they are causing discomfort and this may be in the day, as well as
night. Perhaps you could have some resting splints made up by an OT. I hear others on here find them beneficial and also day ones for when the pain is bad.

Luv
Elna x

When my hands and fingers are painful I put them in hot water and move them around and this often helps.

Luv Legs

Hi Sylvia,

it's rotten to have sore hands makes everything you try to do so difficult. :roll:

I have had problems with both hands too for years. The OT gave me some hand stretching exercises to do that increase blood flow and these sometimes help a bit first thing in the morning to ease stiffness.

I bought a hot wax hand therapy unit...cost just under £40.00. It is the best thing I've ever bought and was suggested to me by the hand therapist at hospital.....you dip the hand(s) in and out of the warm wax so's you get half dozen layers building up, then put the 'waxed' hand in a plastic bag, wrap in a towel and sit back for 15mts or so. The heat continues to penetrate the joint and is so soothing.....unbelievable how it helps! once it cools down you simply remove the plastic bag, peel off the wax (comes off like a glove) and put the wax back in the unit for the next time.

I use it twice a day..wonderful. It doesn't treat arther just provides 15 mts blissful heat and relief.

A lot of physio / ot departments have wax units so you could ask and try it out to see if it helps you.

Irisx

warm water if stiff and cold if swollen like today got pebbles in them so they not working all that well have taken pain meds and can still feel it gggrrrrrr better go soak them

Hi

So sorry to hear your hands are painful and I do hope its getting a little easier.

I have really bad hads and wrists at times. Sometimes too much working out with them can make it worse and then too much rest has the same effect!! A good balance I am told but not got there yet so will keep having a go.

Cold and then the hot may also help. Its not nice though. The pain and stiffness is terible for me 2 especially in the evenings and mornings. Soaking them in nice warm water often helps 2.

Hope this helps

Claire
xxxxxx

pols090607 wrote:

:

i'm really interested in the was therapy unit, can i ask where everyone bought theirs ?

thanks xxxxx

I bought mine from Argos.....Champney's Paraffin Wax Heat Therapy System'... cost £39.99. comes with all the wax you need & plastic 'sleeves'....and you can buy replacement wax too £9.99.

I've had mine for a couple of months now and not needed to buy new wax yet. It's easy to set up, takes a few hours to heat to the right temperature but after that you just leave it on and the thermostat keeps it at the temperature that suits you best.

It is a godsend, honestly.

(hope the mods don't mind me saying where I bought it :oops:)

iris x