If you are affected by rheumatoid arthritis of the hands please read this article, it may provide some answers for you in terms of what will help with Rheumatoid arthritis pain, what is the best rheumatoid arthritis symptoms treatment, and how to deal with yet another flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis in the hand.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune ailment, your hands are more inclined to have this very painful condition because of the number of joints in each hand (25 in total) RA happens because your immune system thinks it is under attack and erroneously attacks the joints in your hand, this action leads to inflammation ending in sharp pain.
The symptoms of RA will vary from person to person, some will experience symptoms almost all the time whilst others may have to deal with flare-ups that become severe but calm down after a time. The research into autoimmune disorders is ongoing because we need to u understand it better, but it is thought that autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, and polymyalgia tend to gather together, in other words, people who have one form of autoimmune disease may also develop another form.
Which Hand Joints are Affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The joints that link your fingers to your hands are known as the metacarpophalangeal joints, these are the ones most likely to be affected by RA, and the symptoms of swelling and pain will most likely be felt in the joints in the middle knuckle of your finger as well as between the wrist and forearm.
In the beginning, you may feel less pain in the peripheral joints known as the distal interphalangeal joint until the inflammation spreads to the joints further down the hand.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Hands?
People complain mostly about pain, swelling, or stiffness in their hands and fingers, some have experienced other symptoms such as:
- Like carpel tunnel syndrome numbness and tingling
- Fatigue
- A warm and tender feeling when touching the finger joint
- Out-of-shape wrist or finger joints
The stiffness and pain will usually be felt for more than a couple of hours in the morning time and these symptoms will normally be experienced in both hands.
Treatments for RA in the Hands?
We know that there is no cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis at all, but you can reduce the symptoms of RA and make your life a little more comfortable with several treatments such as:
- Over-the-counter and prescription anti-inflammatory medications may help to lessen the pain and inflammation when you are dealing with a flare-up.
- To prevent flare-ups, you need to take other types of medication and lessen the pain and damage to your joints. Some people find that resting can relieve the pain others recommend regular exercise along with stretches of the affected joints to relieve the stiffness and pain.
- A physiotherapist can design a muscle-strengthening exercise to also help to alleviate the pain and swelling.
- Omega 3 fatty acids found in foods such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, or trout can help to curtail the inflammation, other foods that contain the omega 3 fatty acids would be walnuts or flax seed oil.
Avoid stress
If you are prone to a high level of stress and you have RA on your hands you need to use strategies to deal with that. High levels of stress can bring on a flare-up in certain people. Avoiding stressful situations can help to lessen the number of flare-ups that you have.
Surgery
In a minority of cases and only where the joints are badly damaged would surgery be considered an option.
Home treatment
If you would like to try and treat yourself at home try using an ice pack to reduce the swelling or a heat pack on the affected area.
This may help to soothe the inflammation and pain, use the heat pack around the affected area for about 15 minutes to ease the pain, this method is useful before any exercise.
What changes can help Rheumatoid Arthritis victims?
Anyone who has had RA for a long period may find that they lose some of their deftness, meaning they can’t do things so well with the affected hand, these simple steps may help to make life that little bit easier:
- Velcro fasteners on clothing are easier to work than buttons
- Foam padding to writing instruments – easier to grasp
- Lighter pots and pans
- Doorknob accessories making them easier to turn
Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis of the hands?
Treatment may be required in certain cases, especially where the condition has deformed the joints, one of these is called a boutonniere deformity whereby the middle finger has been bent in the direction of the palm, and at the same time the joint of the last finger has bent the other way.
This happens because of chronic inflammation in the middle joint of the finger, in this case, the middle finger will be operated on to keep the joint extending properly.
Swan neck deformity
This type of deformity is quite common and happens when the farthest joint of the finger along with the joint that joins it to the hand bend together and the middle joint stays normal and straight.
When this occurs over a period it can create a swan-neck-type shape making it very difficult to carry out simple tasks such as holding a cup, buttoning your shirt, or tying your shoelaces.
Depending on how bad the condition is surgery may be required to realign or fuse the joints to bring back normal movement or a finger splint or ring may be used.
What is Serrapeptase?
Serrapeptase is often called “the miracle enzyme” because over the past 35 years or so it has been recommended and used widely by honest health practitioners and well-informed doctors around the world.
In a nutshell, Serrapeptase or Serratiopeptidase clears out dead or harmful proteins in the body that may be causing pain, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can digest non-living tissue, cysts, and blood clots.
Serrapeptase’s amazing work helps to remove dead tissue, this action brings inflammation under control and allows the body to naturally heal itself, so the Nattokinase and Serrapeptase benefits are:
- Healthy blood vessels
- Healthy inflammation
- Healthy digestion
- Healthy lungs
- Healthy body
What can Curcumitol Q help with?
Curcumitol Q can help with heart problems many of which are associated with inflammation especially in the arteries, by using this Curcumin supplement can help to make your arteries healthier.
Curcumitol Q is a most effective Curcumin supplement that strengthens cartilage by reducing inflammation and helping the healing process.
Many people suffer from poor digestion, studies show that inflammation causes poor digestion, Curcumin 3 can go a long way in helping to calm inflammation in the stomach and improve digestion.
Pain in the joints is primarily caused by inflammation, by using the most effective Curcumin supplement daily can help to calm down the inflammation and associated symptoms will begin to diminish.
Curcumitol Q is an excellent natural way to boost your immune system, and that process will benefit your overall health.
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