herbal help

[justlizz]

hi

just though i would ask if any of you use herbal /salt baths and do you get any relief from pain or any other lotions and potions?

the main reason of asking i have just had a nice long soak with bath salts and arnica and it does feel better does not last long but it is good

lizz

[Hidden]

Hi Lizz, I read that epsom salt baths are great for ra and bought myself a big bag with the intention of having them 3 x a week.....so far I've had two lol. I just worry so much about the water meter that I use the shower instead. I do find that I feel better after a nice warm soak though, with or without the salts.

Paula x

[justlizz]

I also am on meter but water pressure so bad will not work shower very well but I do like a soak but if worried about water if hands are bad bowl of water and some salts or for feet if they are bad i am at the moment giving my knee a seaweed wrap to help getting the swelling down after knee replacment it seems to work well

lizz

[Hidden]

Have you tried a paraffin wax bath for your hands Lizz. Last year there was a craze for them on this site and I have one and used it a lot last winter - don't seem to need it any more now the drugs are working so well but I find I like doing the washing up and cleaning the bathrooms much more now because of the heat.

[justlizz]

yes I have one often I am lucky 1 of my daughters is a beauty therapist so I get pampered when she comes home like 2morrow pedicure and manicure booked knee will also be treated well i am trying everything to get knee swelling down i am quite annoyed over the last year i have lost over 2stone in weight down a size in trousers but i cant stop my knee going to twice is should be size up till i started mtx i had hot hands now find it strange to have cold hands and feet been searching drawers for socks and gloves not worn them for yrs hubby has been moaning as i keep pinching his socks think i need a holiday in the sun

lizz

[tilstongal]

I have recently bought some gel packs with little bags and Velcro. These can be frozen or heated. I have only used them frozen but they have given me huge relief when strapped to my wrists which are very painful. A pack of frozen peas does the same job - but of course you can't do anything because you've got to hold them on. Cold therapy is a well recognised form of treatment, and it reduces the swelling, which is what causes the damage, and therefore pain. Do give it a try.

Lorna

[tingles]

I use epsom bath salts, they are a great source of essential magnesium and def help with sore muscles etc, I buy them from Amazon 25 kg at a time!

[Beverley72]

Hi there

I would advice you try a product called bio freeze I get it in a tube (gel form) off E Bay.

I tried the salts and also herbal oils and neither worked for me, infact I have probably tried every trick in the book, tiger balm, inflammation gels and none of them worked but the bio freeze does seem to ease the pain for a while. I thought heat was suppose to help but found cold is better in reducing the throbbing. I also bought a cold bag and filled with ice cubes that help a lot as well.

I also take ginger capsules which I swear by along with omega 3 capsules.

If you read up on the internet ginger is good for inflammation and I do feel it has help me a lot.

I have also changed my diet as I found I had flare ups when I ate white bread, boiled or scrambled eggs, I can have eggs in things but not as a single form, red meat - beef mainly lamb seems to be ok and yogurts bothered me as well. Again I have done a lot of reading up on things and dairy products don't seem to be very good for RA suffers along with white bad.

Works for me but might not for you but I am sure you will agree it is worth a try as I know when you have a throbbing joint you will try anything to get that pain to be less. You will never get it to go totally until they find the right drug for you. But the right drug can be found as 3 years down the line I am on medication which works for me totally and I have been pain free for 1 year, touch wood

Hope this helps you a little

Bev