Living with Hand Arthritis? 7 Daily Hacks for Less Pain and More Grip

Arthritis in your hands can affect daily living dramatically. Pain and stiffness interfere with tasks you take for granted, and your grip strength seems to vanish when you need it most.

Arthritis is degenerative and permanent, so treatments focus on managing symptoms and slowing its progression. Medical partners, such as the team at Bahri Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, can make coping with hand arthritis easier.

Today, we’ve gathered seven daily hacks to help you cope with the changes brought by arthritis of the hands. Use these tips to ease your pain and maximize your grip.

7 daily hacks for less pain and more grip

Chances are you have either osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form, or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when you develop the condition in your hands. These two forms of arthritis have different origins, and that affects how they’re treated.

RA is an autoimmune condition, where your body mistakenly attacks joint tissue, while OA is a wear-and-tear condition that results from joint injury and overuse. Despite this difference, many of our daily hacks work with either condition. Let’s take a look.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications

Relying on any medication as a primary means should be discussed in detail with one of our orthopedic specialists. Drugs themselves carry a cost of use in the form of side effects.

Use OTC medications as a temporary measure to handle pain on the worst days. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) control pain and reduce inflammation. NSAIDs include:

Aspirin
Diclofenac sodium (usually in the form of a topical gel)
Ibuprofen
Naproxen

Other OTC products that may help include acetaminophen, topical capsaicin, and topical lidocaine.

Hot/cold therapy

Hand pain and grip strength may benefit from heat, cold, or both.

Heat sources: warm water, hot water bottle, heating pad, warm washcloth
Cold sources: ice or cold gel pack, package of frozen peas

Cold therapy is useful for dulling sharp pain, while heat therapy is better at relieving stiffness.

Physical therapy exercises

Exercise improves circulation, which is crucial for cartilage in joints that typically have a weak blood supply. Include hand exercises to stretch and strengthen your hand joints. Ask us about the best options for your hands.

Braces and splints

Braces and splints can limit painful motion while relieving inflammation and pain. These devices help your hands rest and recover throughout the day.

Specialty tools

Jar openers are the obvious choice when your grip strength is compromised. Don’t rule out other devices, too, such as dressing aids, large-grip utensils, pens or scissors, and other tools that increase leverage while reducing force on your hands.

Wardrobe choices

Buttons, hooks, zippers, and other fasteners can make getting dressed difficult, especially in the morning when your hands are stiff. While you may not be able to eliminate all the offenders, every piece of pull-on clothing reduces the demand on your hands.

Hands-free options

No one knows the demands on their hands better than you. Look at your typical day and the tasks you struggle to complete, and find hands-free ways to perform them.

For example, use a voice recorder to make lists, or voice-to-text features on your smartphone. Use your palm rather than your thumb if you’re self-injecting medication for RA. Replace squeeze bottles with pump designs wherever possible. Your hands will thank you.

Contact Bahri Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic when the effects of arthritis need more than home care. Call or click to book an appointment today.