Tips for dealing with Arthritis Pain in your Hands

Tips for dealing with Arthritis Pain in your Hands: Whether you’ve had a hand injury , or just simple wear and tear, pain in your fingers and wrists can give you real discomfort during the day. As we need our hands for writing and typing , dressing and even driving . Therefore, try and make some simple changes to your daily routine to try and help alleviate the symptoms and pain: - Give your hands a rest before they start hurting! If you know you are going to do a task that works your hands hard, perform a few stretching exercises 20-30 minutes beforehand. If you have pain during this or any other activity, then stop doing what you are doing. - Always use both hands, when lifting or carrying objects. Make a number of small trips to reduce all the stress on your joints. - Look at all the items you use on a daily basis. Use a wide-barrelled pen when writing , pumps for your shampoos and soap and large cushioned handles on your hair brushes, toothbrushes and scissors, easy grips for opening jars , and use electric can openers and knives if you have them. - Use your bigger joints for the job in hand. When opening a door, don’t push it open with just your hand. Ensure you lean into the door using your shoulder and body to do the work. - Avoid a tight, prolonged/ongoing pinch or grip. And always When possible keep your hand flat. For example, keep your hand flat on a sponge when cleaning the kitchen worktop instead of trying to grab or grasp it. For more information on Arthritis pain visit and explore the Arthritis Care website: http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/LivingwithArthritis