Arthritic hands

[BAK]

To all fellow old-timers.  My hands are getting knobby arthritic joints resulting in pretty much constant pain.  What have some of you tried that helps?   

[Sam McMichael]

I don't know, but if you find what you are looking for, please share.

[KentuckyWolf]

Tumeric curcumin

[Etter]

Old fellas at my gym swear by astaxanthin.

CBD and (where legal) cannabis does miracles for some folks.

[achigan]

Fish oil has been helping m. YMMV

[Eric Krewson]

Glucosamine Chondroitin as in Osteo Bi Flex, I have taken it for at least 30 years. A couple of years ago I thought it wasn't doing anything so I stopped it, within a few weeks the arthritis in the knuckles of my left hand was so severe and painful that I couldn't close my hand. Back on the Bi Flex and things went back to pain free in a week or two.

My orthopedic surgeon told me it was very good stuff. I saw a report of Bush 43s physical where they listed his meds, Osteo Bi Flex was on the list.

Initially it takes up to a month to build up in your system and reach its full potential.

Krill oil has some anti inflammatory properties as well.

[smokin joe]

My doctor has me on 1300 mg of tylenol per day plus a pain prescription and an anti-inflammatory prescription. That combination seems to be keeping things from getting much worse in my hands and other locations.

One thing I would not recommend is hand surgery. My wife had it because her doctor recommended it. It got rid of the pain, but the weakness on her hand has been life-changing in a very negative way.

[KentuckyWolf]

Tylenol is very very hard on the liver. You might want a new doctor.
Not joking... look up Tylenol liver toxicity.

[Pat B]

I've learned to live with arthritis in my thumbs for the last 4 or 5 years. So far it hasn't been crippling. It doesn't bother me as long as I'm working, cutting firewood, carpentry, bow and arrow shooting and building, etc. but when I relax I use a thumb stabilizing brace(from Wal Mart). I have taken turmeric, collegen and other supplements for years anyway so I can't tell how well they work but I'll continue to take them. Ibuprofen and other anti inflammatory drugs help with pain and swelling as does heat and cold treatments. But, basically it is something most of us will have to live with.   

[rkelly]

May not work for everyone.  We buy water packed canned cherries.  One can lasts about 4 days.  Works for me.

[BAK]

Do you use those cheries as a poultice, or just rub them in?   

[rkelly]

Ha! Ha!

No, just eat them.

[M60gunner]

My hands hurt if I tried to make a fist or tried to stretch them. I was reading on another site a guy with same issue. He tried an old remedy from his granny. A handful (about 10) Walnut half’s each morning. So, being somewhat skeptical but liking Walnuts I gave it a shot. Took about 10 days but that pain is pretty much gone. It doesn’t hurt to hold my LB anymore.
  Trust me, I am not into voodoo, witchcraft or any organic remedies like I see on the Internet, I went through that with my hip. Grannies home remedy works for me, it’s a first.

[Etter]

I wouldnt eat a tylenol if there was an axe in my skull.

[azhunter]

I work in the pharmaceutical industry and have worked with doctors everyday for the last 25 years and this may sound strange coming from a pharmaceutical representative but popping pills isn't always the answer. It is what we have become accustom to in this country. I believe we have become excellent at "putting a bandaid" on things but not great at getting to the root of the problem. I see this over and over again with "modern medicine". Your typical MD and DO are taught almost nothing about diet and healing through food and proper suplementaion. I'll give you and example. A few years ago I was having issues with my hands and joints especially at night with pain and stiffness. It was getting to where it was a big problem. Since both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis run in my family I went to see a Rheumatologist. They did the typical exam and did some bloodwork. He told me I just had osteoarthritis and to "take tylenol arthritis". I then went to see a functional medicine doctor who is not an MD or DO and mainly heals people through diet changes and a wide variety of supplements. He did more extensive bloodwork and other tests than any of the doctors I had seen in the past during yearly physical exams. He found that I had problems with my thyroid, I didn't have a good balance of good verses bad gut bacteria so he helped me to develop a healthy gut microbiome, and he put me on a strict diet for 3 months and I took 4-5 supplements. My pain in my hands went completely away as if I had never had any joint pain or stiffness. I still do not eat dairy, gluten or much sugar. I eat mostly organic fruits and vegetables, chicken fish and wild game when I have it. I certainly don't know what is causing your hand pain but I would consider that what many of us experience as we age is partly caused by many years of eating the typical American diet. A lot of times there are foods we eat that cause inflammatory reactions in our body and can cause auto immune reactions and we don't even know it. We just think we have arthritis. As already mentioned by others Tylenol, NSAIDS, glucosamine may help and there is a company called Hope Science that has a couple products one called Active Again Pain Cream and a capsule called Active Again Capsules that I believe works better than glucosamine. Sorry for rambling I hope you get better because I know how limiting it can be when you have hand pain and stiffness.

[mj seratt]

Magnesium oil has worked for my back and my wife's knees.

Murray

[M60gunner]

azhunter pretty much sums up my experience with my hip. I had brusitius as a start. So was given “pain pills” by VA and my regular Doctor. It was my chiropractor with his old fashion X-ray machine that showed my hip was bone on bone.
 So what did I get for relief, more pain pills, enough from VA to be classified a drug dealer.  I threw them down the sewer. But, like I mentioned before not all the natural stuff works. You have to find what works for you.

[PatGarrett]

 I'm in the same boat. Hands full of arthritis, thumbs are the worst. The relief I found in tumeric twice a day with ibuprofin when I do need some pain relief, What has really helped with the joint pain has been being on a Ketogenic diet and avoiding carbs and sugar, Sugar inflames the joints, causing pain in arthritic areas. This is what has helped me. It has also seemed to slow down the advancement of the disease.

[Medicare Bhtr]

Started using Voltaren yesterday. Now offered over the counter. Has great reviews. Too soon for results, but I am optimistic.

[McDave]

People will laugh at me, but Blue Emu helps me a lot, whether knees, hips, or shoulder.  You don't need any fancy diagnosis; just buy a jar and if you can't tell the difference in 1-2 days, it's probably not for you.  It's kind of expensive for a small jar, but it's definitely worth it if it works, and if it doesn't, the cost of one jar isn't going to break the bank.