Hi, my name is Brenda and I am experiencing difficulties with RA flare ups affecting mainly my hands. As I live on my own daily tasks are proving difficult. Has anyone any advice on how to relieve the pain around knuckles without taking other medications. I am on methotrexate and rituximab infusions.
I have tried apple cider vinegar and ibukeve gel to no avail.
Hi
I have terrible problems with my hands also. My hands are quite deformed now but I use compression gloves when they feel really painful. It gives a bit of support.
Trish.
Hi Brenda I'm also having problems with the same area and I wear compression gloves which help a bit and I also wear a hand splint when trying to do anything, I'm going to give it a couple off weeks as I'm going to Ferteventura for a week then if it's still bothering me I'm going to give my Rheumy nurse a ring to see if I can get an injection in my hands xxx
Hi, I tried an elastic cuff but that didn't help. Where did you get the splints from? Xx
I got them from occupational therapist
Hi I suffer badly with my hands and like you Trish, my fingers are quite deformed now 😔
However when they are bad, I agree compression gloves are great. I'd wear them during the night so on waking, my hands were less swollen and sore. You should be able to get them from the OT.
Hope you get something that gives you some relief, soon.
Thank you, I don't have an OT, don't live in a great area for health care but I will see my GP
I've just bought a splint for night. I bought one from a chemist and although it is ok I wanted one like the one I had when I broke my wrist a few years ago so I found this place on Amazon
amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00...
Have to say the service was more than amazing and the price was really good.
I ordered the wrong size, it arrived in Christmas Eve and the guy who runs the firm was amazing. We emailed back and forth - even on Christmas Day how dedicated to your customers can you get! I changed the size and colour and my replacement arrived first thing this morning.
I have found wearing a splint really good, it seems to hold my hand in a good position overnight and I think it has really helped. I think the new one I've got will be even better as it comes higher up the back of my hand than the one I bought in the chemist and it is breathable.
I'm going to look into compression gloves now too.
Appreciate that, thank you so much x
I find the splints helpful if I need to use my hands for work, housework etc. They give some support and seem to help reduce pain around wrist and thumb. Physios will warn though, try not to be too reliant on them as you can lose some range of movement if you wear them a lot. Try to wear them for up to an hour when needed, then take them off and flex hands / fingers/wrists for a while before using again. I have worn them overnight too when wrist pain was at its worst but I suspect that does reduce range of movement over time, and I found the compression gloves more comfortable at night. Amazon sells gloves and splints quite cheaply.
They also sell paraffin hot wax kits for hands /feet which I've heard some folks say are helpful, but I've never tried.
I do get some brief relief from hot water, or just using a hot water bottle or heat pack on my hands.
An occupational therapist would advise on a few tools that can make everyday jobs easier, and amazon stock quite a lot of them eg electric can openers, jar openers, ring pull openers, things to help you put on socks or stocking etc etc. If you go to amazon and search for "arthritis aids" or "mobility and daily living aids" you'll see the range.
I've never yet found anything that helps pull those plastic seals off the tops of milk cartons though! Good luck.
Thank you so much, your information is very helpful to me as I get to grips with this condition. My hands were particularly bad yesterday and I struggled with the milk carton seal and ended up stabbing it with a knife 😀😀 I'm sure I will get used to the do's and don't' eventually.
I am really grateful to everyone who has contacted me
Best wishes
Brenda
Attagirl.....I've been stabbing milk bottle tops for years! It can be very therapeutic!
I also keep a small milk jug in the fridge ...saves lifting a heavy milk bottle every time you have a cuppa!
Brenda
I have bought magnesiun body butter from Amazon. Inhad magnesium spray first but it itched. Cream is very good it may help your hands.
Thank you I will try it x
Nothing i have tried works im afraid, things have appeared good and then a flare up comes and i realised i was kidding myself.
Best aid I found was things from Amazon that you attach to your plugs to let you get a grip of them to pull them out of their sockets. That was something I just couldn't do. You get a pack of the things, they are flat with plug shaped holes on each end and youjust pop one over the prongs, up over the top and round the prongs on the other side and you get a handle. Brilliant!
I'm another compression glove advocate. I have some with grips on the palms which help opening jars and holding things.
I also have to wear a wrist and thumb splint on each hand for an hour a night to rest my joints and then once off I have a set of stretching exercises to do.
As it's my thumbs which as the worst I've had steroid injections in them and they seem to be doing the trick for now too.
Could I ask where do you get them from?, and could you try them on first ?.
I think the time has come for me to get some 
Many thanks
I got mine from Amazon, here's the link for the ones I bought.
amazon.co.uk/Bodytec-Wellbe...
I have 2 pairs now so I can have a pair to use and a pair in the wash.
I've heard some people try turmeric say it helps but I've never tried it yet I have it really bad in my hands had to buy a tipped kettle because I kept shilling boiling water over work top trying to make a cup tea I rub voltorol into mine and wear the gloves I was given from occupational unit whilst in hospital they help a bit but don't stop the pain just holding things is difficult like stair rail to get upstairs ,I wash up the pots don't come right clean etc I cannot put any pressure on anything I touch getting dressed is difficult too you use your hands for everything but talking
I've got turmeric but need to check with dr. It's ok to take with other meds. I'm just beginning to realise how much of what I do depends on my right hand. X
Hands are pretty vital. The problem with RA is it tends to hurt both of them at the same time, leaving you feeling a bit useless. So all the tips, milk stabbing, small jugs of milk, not overfilling the kettle, etc, all very useful.
However, tried turmeric while waiting on a diagnosis/meds. Didn't help for me.
Turmeric has been very beneficial for me. I stopped taking it for five days and really noticed the difference. I am now off it again but that is only because I have my first appointment with Rhematology consultant in a few days.
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