There is perhaps no part of the body more sensitive and prone to pain than our hands. Especially our fingers are so close to delicate nerves so when they are injured or damaged they can be incredibly painful. Also we use our hands each day and that use can make them prone to conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or osteoarthritis which can make basic functions very difficult.
Osteoarthritis is caused when the “shock-absorbing cartilage between bones in the finger and joints and at the base of the thumb becomes worn out or damaged”. For this type of hand pain a doctor should be consulted especially a rheumatologist who specializes in arthritis. The Mayo Clinic recommends:
- Keep Your Joints moving- do simple stretches and exercises each day
- Use good posture- how we sit and stand can impact our entire health including our arthritis
- Manage your weight and quit smoking
If your problem is carpal tunnel syndrome the Mayo Clinic has some of the same recommendations like improving your posture, but they also suggest taking typing breaks, keeping your hands warm and using a big pen if you are handwriting a lot at work.
For more ordinary hand pain doing some simple exercises can help to relieve pain. Here are some good tips:
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand has a great website with lots of suggestions for helping with treatment of the hand pain. Heat and cold treatment are recommend to help with recent or chronic injuries, swelling, stiffness and irritation.
Heat treatment helps sore, stiff joints where cold treatment helps “slow down the molecules in tissues and reduces blood flow”. The Zim’s line of pain relief products can provide heat and cold relief depending on the product being used.
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