5 HOME REMEDIES FOR SPRING ARTHRITIS

How do you like this damp, cool spring weather? It’s better than a searing hot day in July, that’s for sure. Trouble is, it’s hard on those of us with arthritis. Did you know that 50% of folks over 65 have it? My husband’s physical therapist said this weather has been really rough on arthritis patients. We know it won’t last forever, but we’d like to lessen the pain without resorting to extra painkillers. Over the years, and after numerous therapy sessions, I have come to rely on these 5 home remedies for spring arthritis. All are available online,

Massaging Wrap

You can go online and find a wrap for almost every part of your body—knees, back, shoulders, whatever. The one I like was originally designed for knees but it works great on my shoulders, too. It has 3 buttons: massage, heater, timer. If it gets too hot, you can turn off the heat, and continue with a massage. If you use it a lot, you have to recharge the battery pretty often, but it’s not a big problem.

2. Cold packs

I like the ones that come with a wrap, and a strap, because you can tie them around your arm, leg, or waist while you read or watch TV. I don’t use cold packs very often, but some people alternate between heat and cold therapy. They use the heat to warm up a joint before exercise, and cold therapy to reduce the swelling afterwards.

3. Hot rolling massager

This is a little bit more complicated than the wrap . It’s a fairly heavy device, and the one I use isn’t battery operated. It’s plugged into an electric outlet. Which means that if I turn the wrong way, it’s apt to become unplugged. However, it gives a really deep massage, along with a gentle heat—actually much less heat than the massaging wrap. The first time I used it on my back, I was amazed how many sore spots I wasn’t even aware of. It’s really versatile. Can be used on shoulders, neck, back or knees. Just about anywhere you feel joint pain. It’s timed for 20 minutes, which is about as much as you can take because it gives you a pretty hard massage. But I guarantee you will sleep better that ni

Tens Unit. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is used for nerve related pain conditions. The machine works by sending pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands. The pulses help prevent the pain signals from reaching the brain. This is actually my favorite pain relief device because it’s so portable. I can pack it in an overnight bag if I’m going for an out of town visit. There nothing like a long road or plane trip to cause an arthritis flare up. Not to worry. 20 minutes of Tens takes care of the pain. They’re relatively inexpensive and the tabs are easily replaced.

5 Home Remedies for Spring Arthritis include heat, cold packs, tens and Bio-Freeze.
Bio-Freeze or Vicks VapoRub. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I just rub some of the menthol product, Bio Freeze, into my skin, and I’m back to sleep in minutes. Surprisingly, old fashioned Vicks VapoRub also provides menthol , with some added camphor. You’re not supposed to use Vicks all the time like you do Bio-Freeze, because the camphor can build up in your system. But it’s a good substitute if you’ve run out of Bio-Freeze.

Soon, we’ll be sweating away in the sunlight, watching the INDY 500 or having a picnic in the park on Memorial Day. Hopefully, the aches and pains will ease. But if they don’t, you can always fall back on these 5 home remedies for Arthritis.

December 12, 2020December 13, 2020

EASE THE PAIN WITH TURMERIC

As a dietitian working in an acute care hospital for over 25 years, I saw many elderly patients who were taking over 10 prescription drugs per day. That was before medical records were computerized, so there were many errors with drug interactions, overdoses, missed meds, and so on. But that didn’t stop the medical profession from prescribing more and more pills. It’s still going on today, with the average elderly person taking 14 different prescriptions. Hoping to avoid all this pharmacology, I started looking into alternative therapies for my arthritis. Since I can’t tolerate Tylenol, I took a lot of aspirin. But that can be dangerous, too. Finally, I’ve found a way to ease the pain naturally with turmeric, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties.

If you’ve eaten in Indian restaurants, you’ve probably had turmeric without knowing it. It’s an ingredient in many Asian dishes, and imparts a golden yellow color. It is a principal ingredient in curry powder. Not everyone likes curry. But even if you do, you probably can’t get enough in dishes containing the spice to help with pain.

According to the Mayo clinic,

“Turmeric’s main active component — curcumin — is what gives the spice its yellow color. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced pain and increased ease of movement in people with osteoarthritis. One study found that taking turmeric extract three times daily was comparable to taking a 1,200-milligram dose of ibuprofen daily. However, more research is necessary to confirm these effects.

Other research suggests that curcumin may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it may lessen some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint swelling and morning stiffness. Other areas of investigation include curcumin’s effect on Crohn’s disease, certain cancers, depression, diabetes, joint pain and irritable bowel syndrome. ”

Tumeric eases the pain because its an anti-inflamatory — Ease the pain with turmeric. It’s an anti-inflammatory .

The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking turmeric capsules (400 to 600 mg) 3 times per day.

Studies show that it takes about 4 weeks of taking turmeric before enjoying any real benefits. But my knees started feeling better after a week. These knobby, arthritic knees are never going to run marathons, but they get me around, and the pain no longer keeps me awake at night.

If you have arthritis, try easing the pain with turmeric.

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

WALKING WITH MITTENS

When you think of mittens, you picture little kids. Their fingers are too small to bother with gloves, and besides, they don’t really have to do much of anything with their hands. The grown ups dress them, zip up their coats, and take them where they want to go. Gloves are for busy adults who have to master many tasks with their fingers and hands. But when you pass eighty, you notice that the tips of your fingers are practically numb while you’re driving a car or doing ordinary tasks outside during cold weather. It may be caused by arthritis or poor circulation. But one thing is clear. It’s time to start walking with mittens.

Mittens aren't just for kids. When you have arthritis, they keep your fingers warm and flexible. — Mittens aren’t just for kids. After you’re eighty walking with mittens keeps your fingers warm and helps with arthritis.

When my daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told her I wanted some mittens. Being a conscientious person, she looked around and came up with top-of-the-line.

Wearing mittens that first day was an adjustment . I walked down the lane, feeling like the little girl who walked to school wearing snow pants. Needless to say, I use a cane for hiking through the park. Yes, I could manage without the cane, but there are too many ups and downs in the pavement and grounds. Pride goeth before a fall. Anyway, gripping the cane with the mittens felt rather uncomfortable, at first.

Usually, after I’ve walked for a few minutes on a cold day, my fingers start feeling numb. This happens even with fur lined gloves. Isolating that pinky finger from the other piggies doesn’t work well. But that first day with mittens, my hands kept feeling warmer. By the time I finished my walk, they were actually sweating. My fingers didn’t ache; in fact, they felt downright flexible.

The next challenge came when driving on a cold day. Would I be able to steer, turn the key in the lock? I tried driving with mittens on a quiet street with little traffic. Again, an adjustment. But so nice not to have cold fingertips. If I’m driving a long enough way, I can take off the mittens after the car warms up. But my trips to town and the store aren’t usually that long.

If you see an old lady walking with mittens, don’t worry. She hasn’t gone daft. She’s just keeping her fingers warm.