The first “advice” not to give is that refraining from cracking your joints is the best way to avoid arthritis in your hands. Not only is this information absolutely useless once you’ve already developed the condition, but it is pretty debatable how true it is that cracking your fingers gives you arthritis. Truly, the best arthritis related advice avoids this cliché outright.
There is no cure for arthritis, but there are plenty of different remedies that can effectively deal with the effects. Up until now, these remedies have normally taken the form of analgesic medication, but there are new health products making serious waves among arthritis sufferers. It should also be noted, however, that there are also a range of non-chemical remedies for arthritis, good health habits, and nutritional plans available for those suffering from the condition. The cure is not always in a pill.
What Causes Arthritis
Before getting on to some tips for arthritis sufferers, it is worth going into a little more detail about what actually causes arthritis in the fingers. The first thing to note is that this arthritis can manifest as anything from a little stiffness around the joints of the fingers to full-blown pain whenever you try to move them.
As arthritis is caused by the wearing away of the natural cushioning around the joints, it puts pressure and stress on the surrounding flesh, which leads to inflammation and pain. Some severe arthritis sufferers may even develop lumps around the effected joint. These are actually bone spurs that develop where the bone meets a joint and, without sufficient cushioning, can irritate the surrounding tissue.
Relief Options
Such is how arthritis can affect the hands and fingers, and as mentioned, the “cure” takes only the form of symptom relief. Nevertheless, this symptom relief can be pretty effective, depending on what products you use and what lifestyle changes you make.
Topical relief for arthritis normally takes the form of creams and gels aimed at reducing inflammation, but there are several other remedies which can be effective too. For most sufferers, it is a combination of these treatments that can bring the optimal relief.
Here follows some things you can try:
Non-Drug Options
This should be your first port of call after any immediate uncomfortable pain has been dealt with. The non-medicinal remedies for arthritis all revolve around reducing the stress and strain on the effected joints. Using a brace or splint can reduce movement and allow them time to heal, and hot/cold therapy has also been shown to be greatly beneficial.
Analgesics
In other words, painkillers. These are usually consumed orally and so therefore promote a general painkilling effect. Depending on what you take, these remedies can be highly effective and will give you the opportunity to temporarily deal with pain.
Anti-Inflammatories
These medications reduce the immune response of inflammation, which can occur around the joints in response to the effects of arthritis and thereby cause the pain. Anti-inflammatories can be topically applied, or they can be orally consumed and thereby offer a full-body relief.
CBD
One of the newest treatments, which has taken the world by storm on account of its many applications, is also effective for the treatment of arthritis. It is at once a painkiller and an anti-inflammatory. CBD product suppliers Yammy CBD also say that it can be very easily integrate into daily life, as a food supplement, CBD oil, or as a confectionary.
Ultimately, arthritis can be a long-term problem, but you have much at your disposal today for dealing with it.
