Are you suffering with arthritis hand pain? Medical treatments will differ depending on what specific kind of arthritis you have, but at-home treatments can expedite recovery of all arthritis types.

100 different varieties

When people start to suffer with arthritis, they quickly begin to realize how important their hands are for daily tasks – simply because it becomes more difficult and painful to use them.

The treatments for arthritis will differ depending on the type it is. Actually, there are more than 100 kind of arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The most commonly occurring forms are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout.

Hand pain tips

Although you will get different treatments through a doctor depending on whether you have osteoarthritis (OA) or some other form, here are four at-home techniques to help you recover:

1. Rearrange your schedule.

You may have heard that pain is worse in the morning for those with arthritis, but the time it strikes actually differs based on type. People with osteoarthritis tend to have the least pain in the mornings, so it makes sense to do more challenging activities at the beginning of the day, explains Cleveland Clinic rheumatologist Scott Burg, DO. People with other types, such as rheumatoid arthritis, get out of bed feeling rigid and gradually become looser over the course of the day. “If that describes you,” says Burg, “save your activities for the afternoon and evening, when you feel your best.” While you work on reducing the pain of your arthritis, thinking about the time it strikes can be a powerful defense.

2. Ice/heat your way to therapeutic relief.

Ice massage is a great way to reduce pain that arises during any hand-heavy tasks. Simply move the ice in a circle over the painful area. You don’t want to do an ice massage for more than five minutes, though. An ice pack is another possibility. The general recommendation for those is ten minutes. Do this hourly throughout the day.

Warm water can be a great way to reduce the pain because it loosens up the body’s tissues. However, heat is not a good idea when the injury has just occurred and is in its acute phase. Talk to your doctor for more advice on how best to apply ice/heat to your painful hands.

3. Get arthritis-friendly tools.

With help from your doctor, and through resources such as the Arthritis Foundation’s “Ease of Use” page, you can find adaptive tools that will make your life easier and help you to avoid pain. It’s a good idea to use gardening and kitchen tools with larger handles that help to strengthen grip without as much effort. Ergonomic keyboards are especially helpful in the office, as are hands-free headsets. Gloves can be generally helpful to strengthen grip without causing pain. Generally, arthritis-friendly tools will help you enormously.

4. Get professional help.

“Never underestimate your power to adapt,” notes Dr. Burg. “But also don’t underestimate [a medical expert’s] ability to help you adapt.”

Professional help

Are you suffering with arthritis hand pain? At Atlanta Medical Clinic, we offer safe, minimally invasive medical treatments and therapies that are highly efficient.
Receive your free consultation.