3 Research-Backed Home Remedies To Relieve Hand and Wrist Pain
Get relief quickly and naturally.
As the weather gets even cooler, changes in barometric pressure may cause inflammation in your hands and wrists to ramp up. This leads to increased pain and aches, which are bothersome to deal with. The good news is, naturally putting an end to the discomfort in your hands is possible. Thanks to fast and effective cures you can get back to painlessly doing simple tasks such as peel potatoes for a holiday feast or wrapping holiday gifts. Try these five home remedies if you’re looking to get much-needed relief from hand and wrist pain.
Rub this in.
Amazingly, research suggests that massaging stiff, achy hands and wrists with olive oil for five minutes twice daily is more effective at quashing discomfort than the topical medicated prescription NSAID gel piroxicam. Scientists say the compound oleocanthal in the oil inhibits pain-triggering enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) just like NSAIDs. Tip: Boost the effects by rubbing in the oil with a simple self-massage technique called madenci, which is study-proven to reduce wrist pain scores significantly. Search YouTube for free minute madenci tutorials.
Do the wave.
Sounds too easy to work, but you can literally “wave away” hand and wrist aches with a tabletop wave, report Harvard scientists. They explain that flexing the wrist from side to side while keeping your arm stationary acts like a pump that lubricates tendons responsible for discomfort, reducing pain quickly. To do: Rest your forearm on a table with your wrist hanging over the edge and your thumb pointed upward. Move your hand straight down then up 10 times, repeating once an hour when you’re on your phone or computer.
Try a proven duo.
Taking 1,500 milligrams (mg) of glucosamine and 1,200 mg of chondroitin sulfate daily eases pain-triggering swelling in the joints and tendons of your hands, easing even severe osteoarthritis pain for 79 percent of folks, a study in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests. That’s as good as the prescription NSAID Celebrex. Plus, the nutrient duo actually helps repair damaged cartilage in hands, something an Rx can’t do.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
