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Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 8:10:20 AM   
myotherself


Posts: 7157
Joined: 3/9/2006
From: The cold bit of the UK
Status: offline 		About 6 months ago I was told I had osteoarthritis in several parts of my body, predominantly my lower spine, feet, knees and hands. Losing weight and increasing exercise has almost eradicated the pain and swelling in every part of my body, except my hands.

I have it mostly in the last joint of each finger. My pinkie fingers are worst hit at the moment, with swollen joints and deformity. My other fingers are rapidly following suit. My doc has said there's nothing that can be done, except painkillers and over the counter anti-inflammatories (paracetamol and ibuprofen, for the UK people).

The pain in my hands is getting worse, and I can see my fingers deforming more and more each day, and to be honest it's scary. I'm nearly 49 and I rely on my hands for my job (I'm a teacher) and my hobbies (knitting, needlework, writing).

So my question is this - for those who have experience of osteoarthritis in their hands, is there any supplements you take that might help slow things down a bit? Is there anything I can do on a day to day basis to protect my hands? Is it worth going to see a physiotherapist for my hands, or would that be a waste of time?

All opinions very welcome!

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 8:20:18 AM   
smartsub10


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Status: offline 		Hi myotherself. I have arthritis in both my hands, too. The symptoms started when I was about your age, too. I'm 59 now and am still able to do the things I enjoy. I have used capsacian (sp?) creme on my hands for years to help with the pain relief. Keep your hands warm as much as possible. I do very delicate lab work at my job and I bought a pair of those stretchy gloves, cut off the fingertips and wear those under nitrile gloves to keep my hands warm and limber. I also crochet quite a bit and even though it sometimes makes my hands achy my doc says that it's better to keep doing things with my hands to keep them flexible.

I don't take anti-inflammatories because I have stomach issues. Once in a while I will "treat" myself to naproxen sodium (Alleve here in the US) when the pain is intolerable.

I hope this helps you. I literally feel your pain.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 8:26:53 AM   
DesFIP


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Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		What I see recommended are glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. I haven't used them myself because my hand doesn't get any worse. It aches in bad weather, but holding a hot cup of tea in it helps as does any NSAID. Try keeping them warm.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 8:29:17 AM   
Hillwilliam


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Joined: 8/27/2008
Status: offline 		I've taken Glucosamine/Chondroitin for over 20 years. I don't have arthritis per se but I have a lot of old cartilage damage from competition.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 8:47:04 AM   
myotherself


Posts: 7157
Joined: 3/9/2006
From: The cold bit of the UK
Status: offline 		Thanks guys! Just ordered some glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, and tomorrow I shall be investing in some thick gloves for the nasty weather and some thinner gloves for milder weather and perhaps for indoors when my hands are feeling particularly sore.

And Hilly - I'm intrigued now...what did you do competitively that gave you joint damage? I'm envisaging pole vault or that slightly comical 'hop, skip and jump into a sandpit' thingy

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 10:27:12 AM   
Hillwilliam


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quote:

ORIGINAL: myotherself

Thanks guys! Just ordered some glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, and tomorrow I shall be investing in some thick gloves for the nasty weather and some thinner gloves for milder weather and perhaps for indoors when my hands are feeling particularly sore.

And Hilly - I'm intrigued now...what did you do competitively that gave you joint damage? I'm envisaging pole vault or that slightly comical 'hop, skip and jump into a sandpit' thingy

I coached and wrestled for 13 years.
Between Freestyle and Greco-Roman, I qualified for nationals 4 times.
Rough on the body


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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 10:51:57 AM   
myotherself


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From: The cold bit of the UK
Status: offline 		That's pretty impressive Hilly!

You macho beast, you

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 11:02:49 AM   
Hillwilliam


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quote:

ORIGINAL: myotherself

That's pretty impressive Hilly!

You macho beast, you

Now I'm just an old bald guy who limps most of the time.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 11:31:40 AM   
OsideGirl


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From: United States
Status: offline 		There's some evidence that wearing gold rings may help slow the erosion.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 11:41:26 AM   
myotherself


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From: The cold bit of the UK
Status: offline 		I wear a gold ring on one finger, and so far it doesn't seem to have any of the arthritic changes of my other fingers. Coincidence? I dunno

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 12:57:29 PM   
petitespot


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From: Surfside Beach, SC
Status: offline 		Get a product called Zyflamend. Amazon has it the cheapest. It's an all natural antiinflammatory that has none of the side effects of any a doctor can prescribe. It really does work. I took mega doses if it when I herniated three discs in my neck and I was back to normal within three weeks. I now take it regularly since I have heart disease and arthritis running in my family.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 1:32:02 PM   
freedomdwarf1


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quote:

ORIGINAL: petitespot

Get a product called Zyflamend. Amazon has it the cheapest. It's an all natural antiinflammatory that has none of the side effects of any a doctor can prescribe. It really does work. I took mega doses if it when I herniated three discs in my neck and I was back to normal within three weeks. I now take it regularly since I have heart disease and arthritis running in my family.

Just because it's 'natural' doesn't mean it doesn't have any nasty side effects.
Bella Donna would be a good sleep aid in very small doses but I wouldn't want to take it.

Most prescribed meds are originated from natural sources or otherwise replicated from them.
Aspirin is a good prime example.


I would just like to note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of Zyflamend as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition.

It is marketed as a dietary suppliment which does not go through such rigorous safety checks as other 'drugs'. On that basis, I would not trust the claims it makes nor assume that it is as 'safe' as it advertises to be either.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/5/2013 6:14:39 PM   
angelikaJ


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Status: offline 		Many of the Bella Donna alkaloids are used in medicine.
Atropine, scopolamine... .


Turmeric is a fairly well studied spice: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/turmeric-health-have-a-happy-new-year_b_798328.html
And ginger doesn't seem to have any toxicity profile.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 3:16:12 AM   
ShaharThorne


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Status: offline 		I don't tell people that I have arthritis in my hands...I just let Mom do the peeling or us instant potatoes if we want mashed potatoes.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 9:11:38 AM   
kiwisub12


Posts: 4742
Joined: 1/11/2006
Status: offline 		about three years ago, I was experiencing some major pain in my pinkie. My sweetie took me to a casino and while wandering around I found a copper ring with celtic knotwork on it that fit that finger. It hasn't flared up since. I realize that copper probably doesn't do anything for arthritis, but I haven't take the ring off since.

I have a feeling that your body goes through cycles of flare ups and remissions, but if the ring helps, i'm keeping it on. And the rest of my fingers feel better as well.

My mum has arthritis in her hand so she knits baby clothes for the cold babys and donates them to a mother/baby organization.

There are things I do at work that stress my hands, so I keep a pair of scissors with me, and no longer rip boxes or plastic packages open. I pretty much don't stress my joints any more than I can help it. I figure every little bit helps, especially since my hobbies - quilting and knitting - need working hands.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 11:21:38 AM   
kiwisub12


Posts: 4742
Joined: 1/11/2006
Status: offline 		Oh - oh - one thing I forgot - I read somewhere that arthritis is a result of inflammation (more or less), so I take two aleve every night. It helps me sleep better and seems to keep my arther under control. If I forget to take it for a few days, I notice.
I gave my mum my bottle of aleve and she could believe how much better she slept.

as ever, you probably need to ask your doctor before taking any meds regularly.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 12:47:56 PM   
CynthiaWVirginia


Posts: 1915
Joined: 2/28/2010
From: West Virginia, USA
Status: offline 		I used to ride a motorcycle when I lived in California, and I was too dumb to wear gloves when I rode on the freeways in cold weather. I abused my hands and I deserved getting osteoarthritis in all of my joints there when I was 25.

What has worked for me:

Aspercreme helped. :)

glucosamine chondroitin (will regrow worn down cartilidge, can't regrow it in areas were the cartilidge is gone)

Fruit Fast (tart cherry concentrate, sold in grocery stores. This works better for pain and inflammation better than ibuprophen, etc. Dosage is one ounce once or twice per day.) Mom saw this talked about on The Doctors and started taking it. She takes hers by spoon, I dilute mine in a bottle of water and add sweetener so that it's like drinking Koolaide.

Getting hobbies that make me use my fingers a lot. Knitting, sewing, and typing stuff in forums on the internet...

Wrapping my fingers around a hot mug of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. (Heat works better than icing them down.)

Gloves. I have a massive collection...my favorites are ones that leave the ends of my fingers exposed. (Three are Pikachu gloves.)

Exercise thingies for fingers, like balls to squish and...I don't know what they're called but I have a set of metal, Ben Wa type, balls that are made to be rotated in one's hand to reduce stress. This takes care of some muscles that other stuff doesn't handle.

I tried wearing copper bracelets and a copper ring, as most people around here swear by it...but...ugh, I hated the blue/green staining it left behind. I believe it did help, or I wouldn't have kept it up for 2-3 years, but like I said, it was annoying. I also tried counter irritants, but...I kept getting some in my eyes and some on my fur babies. Also, my skin is delicate, or at least the nerves under my skin are hyper when it comes to menthol stuff. Friends raved about some products so I tried them for myself, but these creams burned the hell out of me. Unbearable.

Steve, a friend of mine, swears by using rubbing alcohol when his arthritis hurts. There is a green (menthol?) alcohol and one that's red that he sometimes uses, but most of the time it's the plain old rubbing alcohol.

Good luck with finding out what works for you. I hope you're feeling better soon.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 1:29:03 PM   
PeonForHer


Posts: 19612
Joined: 9/27/2008
Status: offline 		I was painting a house at just above zero once. I strapped heat pads to the backs of my hands to keep them warm (gloves didn't work - they'd quickly get soaked through with paint). Not elegant, but good in emergencies. Might help with the pain. Those - or the opposite - cool pads. Available at the Pound Shop or similar.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 3:21:56 PM   
noellesdestiny


Posts: 94
Joined: 9/3/2012
Status: offline 		Sometimes in joints, the synovial fluid, which acts as a padding dries out, and you are left with bone against bone, which is extremely painful. I hope you feel better.

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RE: Arthritis and hands - 10/6/2013 4:38:32 PM   
OsideGirl


Posts: 14441
Joined: 7/1/2005
From: United States
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: myotherself

I wear a gold ring on one finger, and so far it doesn't seem to have any of the arthritic changes of my other fingers. Coincidence? I dunno


Same with me.

My grandmother had severe arthritis in her hands. By the time she died (age 92) her hands were permanently balled into fists. I remember as a child she would get gold injections into her hands. Eventually, she wore a plain gold band on each finger and she said it helped a great deal.


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