Hand pain is more than just annoying. Swollen fingers, joint inflammation, stiffness and pain are some of the symptoms of hand pain and can sap strength and diminish the ability to carry out routine functions, like buttoning clothes and handling utensils. The bones, connective tissue and small joints of the hands and wrists are prone to several types of injuries. Hand pain can result in otherwise healthy joints from completing the same motion over and over again, sports injuries, cuts etc. In other cases, a disease process may make an injury more likely. For example, wrist bones weakened by arthritis are prone to fracture.
Here are some natural suggestions to help prevent, relieve and manage the pain, retain hand function, and avoid medications:
Moist Heat and Ice
Both of these can ease hand pain when used appropriately. Heat helps the muscles relax while cold helps to minimize inflammation and pain. Using a warm, moist towel or heating pad on fingers and hands for about 15 minutes is beneficial, especially before exercise. An ice pack applied to the painful joint for 10-15 minutes at a time can reduce swelling.
Exercise
Here are some exercises that can help strengthen the muscles that support the hand joints and relieve discomfort: http://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/arthritis-hand-exercises#Overview1
Hand Gloves and Braces
There are special hand gloves designed for daily activity and for 24-hour relief. They provide mild compression and enhance circulation to relieve pain. Most feature open fingertips for easy gripping and touching. A splint that immobilizes the wrist can sometimes help at at night to provide rest and support while finger splints can help prevent deformities in the fingers affected by arthritis
Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Foods and Teas
- Eat garlic on a regular basis, either in raw or cooked form. It contains sulfur that relieve joint pain and inflammation. Plus, the selenium present in garlic has anti-rheumatic effects.
- Honey and cinnamon. Take 1 Tbsp honey and ½ Tsp cinnamon each morning. The combination can soothe joint pain
- Drink turmeric as a tea and add to food to benefit from it’s antiseptic and antibacterial properties
- Drink ginger tea daily and add this herb to foods. Ginger has been used for thousands of years to relieve pain
- Olive oil for cooking help reduce the risk of hand arthritis and also is a good massage oil for your hands and fingers
- Apple cider vinegar alkaline-forming properties can reduce pain and stiffness in the hands, Drink 1 tbsp with warm water daily. Also add ¼ Tsp to a cup of warm apple cider vinegar and soak the painful joint for 15 minutes each day
So, take frequent breaks, strengthen your wrists, and try these techniques to prevent and relieve the discomfort, swelling and inflammation associated with hand pain.
