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Arthritis
- Thread starter Robbie100
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Hi @Robbie100 and welcome to the forums. My husband (not T2 but has a very very strong family history) has started to get arthritis in his hands and he uses a hot water bottle or puts them in hot water.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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- 10,418
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- New Zealand
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- hypos and forum bugs
My apologies, I forgot to say that if you haven't been to your doctor it is worth going. It is worth checking whether it is rheumatoid or osteo. Your GP may be able to help you.
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Hello and welcome @Robbie100 .
Has your arthritis been assessed and diagnosed by GP? I have, since teenage years (I am retired now) had oseoarthritis in many joints, and three years ago started to have very painful thumb joints. I was referred to muscloskeletal consultant. There I was xrayed, and diagnosed with subluxation of thumb joints. Basically they dislocate when I try to use hands to grip anything. Makes fine motor action with hands difficult and painful. I was given hand exercises to do. These did help strengthen the soft tissues. Also given neoprene splints, which immobilised the thumb, but were no use if I needed to do anything using a pinch motion.
Acupuncture gave relief for a few weeks. A steroid injection did not help. I am allergic to many medications, so anti-inflammatory meds were not available to me.
The most useful things for me were regular appointments with a hand specialist occupational therapist, who had a whole drawer full of gadgets to enable me to do such things as open jars, hold cups and utensils. Also, a hot wax bath, used in the clinic to dip hands in was so successful in relieving pain, that I bought my own to use at home.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...=-iu-tK0ivV8&usg=AOvVaw0LnhcqoNlh4LYT-DTRlJU0
Additionally, working hand splints give more freedom of movement, so I wear these when I want to do anything that requires fine movements.
https://www.ohmyarthritis.com/Shop-Splints/Thumb-Splints/CMCcare-Thumb-Brace.html
I would emphasise, though, that my treatments have been designed for my own individual circumstances, and it would be advisable to have your own assessment.
Regarding your work station, keyboard situation, if you are UK based you should be able to have help to adapt your work environment to suit your needs. Following a medical diagnosis of arthritis, you can request an ergonomic assessment of your work space, and receive help to make it more comfortable / accessible. There are all sorts of adaptations available, including software that will reduce the need for keyboard use.
https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work gives info.
This is also a site I find has useful info and advice. https://www.versusarthritis.org/
Has your arthritis been assessed and diagnosed by GP? I have, since teenage years (I am retired now) had oseoarthritis in many joints, and three years ago started to have very painful thumb joints. I was referred to muscloskeletal consultant. There I was xrayed, and diagnosed with subluxation of thumb joints. Basically they dislocate when I try to use hands to grip anything. Makes fine motor action with hands difficult and painful. I was given hand exercises to do. These did help strengthen the soft tissues. Also given neoprene splints, which immobilised the thumb, but were no use if I needed to do anything using a pinch motion.
Acupuncture gave relief for a few weeks. A steroid injection did not help. I am allergic to many medications, so anti-inflammatory meds were not available to me.
The most useful things for me were regular appointments with a hand specialist occupational therapist, who had a whole drawer full of gadgets to enable me to do such things as open jars, hold cups and utensils. Also, a hot wax bath, used in the clinic to dip hands in was so successful in relieving pain, that I bought my own to use at home.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...=-iu-tK0ivV8&usg=AOvVaw0LnhcqoNlh4LYT-DTRlJU0
Additionally, working hand splints give more freedom of movement, so I wear these when I want to do anything that requires fine movements.
https://www.ohmyarthritis.com/Shop-Splints/Thumb-Splints/CMCcare-Thumb-Brace.html
I would emphasise, though, that my treatments have been designed for my own individual circumstances, and it would be advisable to have your own assessment.
Regarding your work station, keyboard situation, if you are UK based you should be able to have help to adapt your work environment to suit your needs. Following a medical diagnosis of arthritis, you can request an ergonomic assessment of your work space, and receive help to make it more comfortable / accessible. There are all sorts of adaptations available, including software that will reduce the need for keyboard use.
https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work gives info.
This is also a site I find has useful info and advice. https://www.versusarthritis.org/
I have osteo in knees and thumbs.
Posture:
Now using an ergonomic keyboard and an ergonomic mouse.
I’ve also learned to be extremely careful about posture, because it has a definite knock on effect.
My chair has a lot more adjustment than a normal office chair, and can be adjusted to perfection. Rated for 24 hr use (if necessary) Seat height and forward tilt. Arms up and down. Back tilts and moves up and down too. Entire seat rocks and the locks in any position. We bought it when I moved to working from home a few years ago. I could have bludgeoned a ‘fitted’ chair out of my employer, but it would have taken months. Instead, we ordered it on amazon prime and I had it within 24 hrs and its MINE. Good posture reduces the pain significantly.
Diet:
I have also discovered (through various elimination diets and reintroducing foods), that several foods trigger a flare up.
So I avoid those foods like the plague. Potatoes, gluten and tomatoes are the worst. This reduces the pain significantly.
Supplements:
After some pretty extensive research I decided that, for me, in my situation, I take glucosamine and chondroitin, collagen, bone broth, turmeric and black pepper, and cbd oil. I also take vit D3 and K2 and a few other supplements, and can’t always remember which does what
The cbd oil is, far and away, for me, a FAR better pain/inflammation relief that any ‘pain killer’ I have ever tried.
It is also a fine balance between staying active, with mobile strong joints (well, as strong as poss), and overusing the joints causing progressive damage, inflammation and requiring rest.
Edited to add: I also have an electric heated pad 30cm x 45cm which I can wrap around my knees, or rest my hands on. Love it. It eases the stiffness brought on by cold, and makes a huge difference.
Posture:
Now using an ergonomic keyboard and an ergonomic mouse.
I’ve also learned to be extremely careful about posture, because it has a definite knock on effect.
My chair has a lot more adjustment than a normal office chair, and can be adjusted to perfection. Rated for 24 hr use (if necessary) Seat height and forward tilt. Arms up and down. Back tilts and moves up and down too. Entire seat rocks and the locks in any position. We bought it when I moved to working from home a few years ago. I could have bludgeoned a ‘fitted’ chair out of my employer, but it would have taken months. Instead, we ordered it on amazon prime and I had it within 24 hrs and its MINE. Good posture reduces the pain significantly.
Diet:
I have also discovered (through various elimination diets and reintroducing foods), that several foods trigger a flare up.
So I avoid those foods like the plague. Potatoes, gluten and tomatoes are the worst. This reduces the pain significantly.
Supplements:
After some pretty extensive research I decided that, for me, in my situation, I take glucosamine and chondroitin, collagen, bone broth, turmeric and black pepper, and cbd oil. I also take vit D3 and K2 and a few other supplements, and can’t always remember which does what
The cbd oil is, far and away, for me, a FAR better pain/inflammation relief that any ‘pain killer’ I have ever tried.
It is also a fine balance between staying active, with mobile strong joints (well, as strong as poss), and overusing the joints causing progressive damage, inflammation and requiring rest.
Edited to add: I also have an electric heated pad 30cm x 45cm which I can wrap around my knees, or rest my hands on. Love it. It eases the stiffness brought on by cold, and makes a huge difference.
