Overcoming arthritis

[bracoon]

I have increasingly greater pain and discomfort in my hands due to severe arthritis during the colder months. What does everyone else use to limit the pain? I've been told a rosemary tincture helps with inflammation and Tiger Balm helps sooth the discomfort.

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[Lugg]

Diclofenac (Voltaren) It's a topical cream/gel, that is designed for arthritis. It's available OTC or by Rx. It really does help with the pain and inflammation.

 

[orygun]

CBD cream, especially one with a small amount of THC can be really helpful with issues like this. Problem is that there are many manufacturers of these creams. We've found some don't work worth a crap and some that are fantastic.

My experience says try some!

Welcome to NWFA.

 

[P7M13]

Which type of arthritis?
The things that most affect my arthritis are specific foods and stress. When I'm in a flare, I find movement of the affected body part helps more than pampering it. It also keeps my pain tolerance fairly high. The doc suggests nasty drugs like Remicade, but I'm like, "no, I'll just stick with what I'm doing."
Sometimes it's really fookin' bad, and then I'll use Blue Emu Oil or DMSO, massage the joint, and then just use it.

 

[Alexx1401]

Have not yet had a problem with it in my hands but my knees got pretty bad for a while. It was only one on and off for a good while then got to both of them. It was almost to the point I thought I would have to go see about replacement. Couple people told me to try Turmeric. I figured what have I got to lose and did. Damn pain has been gone for a good while. Tried stopping the stuff and pain starts to come back. So really not sure if this is all "in my head" or if the stuff really does work but, its working for me. Supposed to help with pain caused by inflammation by reducing it.

 

[Mikej]

Have not yet had a problem with it in my hands but my knees got pretty bad for a while. It was only one on and off for a good while then got to both of them. It was almost to the point I thought I would have to go see about replacement. Couple people told me to try Turmeric. I figured what have I got to lose and did. Damn pain has been gone for a good while. Tried stopping the stuff and pain starts to come back. So really not sure if this is all "in my head" or if the stuff really does work but, its working for me. Supposed to help with pain caused by inflammation by reducing it.

I have arthritic shoulder, both wrists, one thumb and right knee. I've been receiving cortisone in knee, shoulder and both wrists for several years. About once a year or a little longer. I have also been taking a turmeric and black pepper (piperine) elixir from "SYNCHRO" for several years. I also have a repetitive motion disorder in my neck and shoulders that I earned from work over 20+ years that I control at night with one or two, depending on how I'm feeling, ibuprofen for the last 10 years.

I don't know, for sure, if the elixir really works? I mean, when you have seen x-rays and bone scan of that knee and there's no gap, and black in "that" spot(on the bone scan) that hurts when you walk, it's hard to believe a cream, or elixir, or CBD, THC BFD or BS can eliminate the pain. I would agree though that the elixir works on the angry muscle pains. To settle them down.

I have increasingly greater pain and discomfort in my hands due to severe arthritis during the colder months. What does everyone else use to limit the pain? I've been told a rosemary tincture helps with inflammation and Tiger Balm helps sooth the discomfort.

I believe in continued movement to keep pain at bay. Not necessarily the knee though. If it's your hands, your not putting a bunch of weight on it so it's probably better to move them than to let them sit and stiffen up? I've found that a single 200mg Ibuprofen can work quite well. And been told by the shoulder, hand and knee specialists that there's really no worry about Ibuprofen in those small doses.
Other than that, try something/everything mentioned above.
Good luck with that aging thing man. We need it!

 

[bbbass]

My wife take turmeric, hard to say if it helps because she still has pain and is using CBD rub, a full spectrum made locally. Very high potency. I use full spectrum rub from Lazurus Naturals, a company that tests it's product and guarantees the potency. They are the real deal and offer a 60% discount to veterans. https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/

Diclofenac works but the CBD effect lasts longer. Blue Emu barely works. Capzasin works some, but is a real beotch when it spreads to your eyes or your privates.

All of this works somewhat. IOW, it helps but doesn't cure.

Not sure about Relief Factor, the people promoting it are impressive tho. It's tempting but I'm so skeptical of OTC advertising that I haven't pulled the trigger on some.

I switched from .45ACP to 9mm (.40 was too much pain). Which I still have for EDC and train with, but I now shoot .22lr for plinking/fun.

 

[Joe13]

Turmeric helps.

Glucosamine has been a God send for my knees. It's extremely cheap but the catch is that you have to take it twice a day for 3-4 weeks and you will find the pain has gone away (or mostly YMMV). If you stop taking it the pain will be back in a week or less.

It helps with the fluid in your joints - it's the main ingredient in things like joint juice etc.

 

[bbbass]

Turmeric helps.

Glucosamine has been a God send for my knees. It's extremely cheap but the catch is that you have to take it twice a day for 3-4 weeks and you will find the pain has gone away (or mostly YMMV). If you stop taking it the pain will be back in a week or less.

It helps with the fluid in your joints - it's the main Indian things like joint juice etc.th

I've taken a liquid form and it does indeed help with knee joints.

Wife takes hyluronic acid in liquid form for her knees. There are poor formulations and good formulations. Hers is about $40 from the health food store.

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[WAYNO]

There are so many facets and levels of arthritis, and the tolerance to the symptoms varies so widely between patients.

Some arthritis' is the body's self destruction of joints. Other arthritis, and we use the term very loosely, is the residual effects of injuries or over/improper use. And that's where I am at.

I am wracked with arthritis, in most of my joints. I have bad days, and I have better days.

I am to the point that there is no medication that helps as I would hope it would. I just limit myself from the things that aggravate my symptoms.

I am on a regular prescription that helps sometimes, but it seems as if my body builds a tolerance to the meds. If I skip doses for a few days, then resume, then the medicine seems to work better...for a while.

I am fortunate that one major area not affected, is my shooting hand. But shooting larger handguns requires two hands and it still takes a toll on my off-hand. When I can't shoot without risking an increased flare-up, I shoot lesser handguns. I shoot a lot of rimfire, .38 Specials, and 9mm/.45ACP from large revolvers.

If a feller finds a remedy that helps, I'm pleased for them. I find most remedies are okay for beginners, but when joint problems are advanced, there's little that helps.

Even narcotic meds... They do help me, just to relax and let the inflammation settle down. Problem is, there are few Doctors that will prescribe the stuff. Protecting society from the downsides of narcotic pain meds means denying them to other folks that could greatly benefit.

Good luck and keep trying. Remember, if it works for you, then it does work.




.

 

[Siglvr]

Diclofenac (Voltaren) It's a topical cream/gel, that is designed for arthritis. It's available OTC or by Rx. It really does help with the pain and inflammation.

Diet (reduce starches, no sugar) and ^^^ this stuff up there ^^^^^. Costco has it in a 3 pack. Wound up in a house with a bunch of runners during a long run, and everyone (which was @ 5 people) who used it due to pain felt relief. Basically it's Ibuprofen that is local to where you rub it. I tried CBD and got nothing.

 

[Member 34319]

Take better care of your hands. Women know what they are doing when they are always putting lotion on their hands. I started a daily routine of applying lotion to my hands at least 2-3 times a day, as well as after washing. I placed lotion at each faucet to help with this.

It doesn't exactly help with the joints. But my hands hurt a lot less because of it.

 

[Cavedweller]

Diclofenac works for me. Pain relief is fairly fast and long lasting. I get mine by prescription but the OTC stuff has the same potency. Using it on your hands at the recommended rate, 100g should give you about 25 applications.

 

[bbbass]

There are so many facets and levels of arthritis, and the tolerance to the symptoms varies so widely between patients.

^^^ This

Some arthritis' is the body's self destruction of joints.

Mine ate the joint at the left big toe; it finally got so bad and years of not being able to walk, that a surgical podiatrist did surgery/joint replacement. She said it was totally shot, the worst she had ever seen. I still have arthritis in other areas of that toe, but the fake joint moves real well with no pain.

Other arthritis, and we use the term very loosely, is the residual effects of injuries or over/improper use. And that's where I am at.

^^^This.

The intake nurses always ask what the pain level is... when I tell them 2, 4, 6, whatever, they ask where is the pain... well, it's all over/everywhere, my back, my neck, and all my joints. Neck injury is from an improper lift of a weight bar/weights when I was 20; I'm 70 now and lots of degeneration there. Also have an intercostal rib injury from a one handed lift above my waist of a 10gal propane tank for my RV. That one is real trouble.

I am wracked with arthritis, in most of my joints. I have bad days, and I have better days.

^^^ This


Doctor used to give me Vicodin to relax the muscles in my neck; as the tightening would give me migrain-like symptoms. He use to prescribe them for coughing when I had flu. Ya know, can we say Codeine as in cough syrup? Not no more. I just have to suffer along because some people can't control themselves or are too ignorant to limit useage. Those people that can't control themselves are prolly dead from Fentanyl now, so what did we accomplish???????

 

[bbbass]

I once read that eliminating coffee and other high acid foods/drinks, carbonated soda, sugar, and then going the alkalizing route would help tremendously. It didn't.

 

[Dungannon]

I've had both knees replaced, after all the cartilage wore away and it was bone on bone. I now have 12 year old knees in a 71 year old body. No cartilage remaining between four neck vertabrae on the right side and a very thin bit on the left side, so the ache is most pronounced looking to my right. Cartilage degeneration in both hips but the orthopedic doctor says I probably have another 5 years or so, given my pain tolerance. Bulging discs between L3-4-5 in my back actually causes the sharpest pain, so I'm much more careful these days and sometimes ask for help lifting and moving heavy objects. Have had cortisone injections in the discs when it got unbearable.

I use acetaminophen to take the edge off the ache/pain but don't want to take anything that masks the pain entirely. Pain today, and learning from poor choices in the past, keep me from acting like a 20 year old these days.

It's ironic and mildly amusing to realize that I now look-act-talk like my grandfathers and uncles did back in the 1950's and early 60's.

 

[Alexx1401]

My wife take turmeric, hard to say if it helps because she still has pain and is using CBD rub, a full spectrum made locally. Very high potency. I use full spectrum rub from Lazurus Naturals, a company that tests it's product and guarantees the potency. They are the real deal and offer a 60% discount to veterans. https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/

Diclofenac works but the CBD effect lasts longer. Blue Emu barely works. Capzasin works some, but is a real beotch when it spreads to your eyes or your privates.

All of this works somewhat. IOW, it helps but doesn't cure.

Not sure about Relief Factor, the people promoting it are impressive tho. It's tempting but I'm so skeptical of OTC advertising that I haven't pulled the trigger on some.

I switched from .45ACP to 9mm (.40 was too much pain). Which I still have for EDC and train with, but I now shoot .22lr for plinking/fun.

Relief factor is what got me to try turmeric. I was going to buy some until I found out the trial pack is a subscription you have to cancel to stop. That was the only reason I did not give them a shot. I figured if they had to do that something was wrong. In searching what makes it work Turmeric kept coming up so that I tried. Still not sure why it works for me. Several Docs I have asked are very skeptical but it is working for me for some reason. When I first started with the one knee I tried "joint relief" stuff of many brands and if anything it got worse for some reason. The dog in my Avatar lived a good while longer due to CBD. Had a bad hip late in life and I was almost to the put him down when I tried some on him figuring nothing to lose. Damn stuff made him almost young again. I tried and it did nothing for me but it gave me another year and half or so with him. Who knows why some works for some and not others. I figure if I stay this side of the sod I will need new knees some day but, if I can hold off with something like this I will as long as it works. Place I work lets me save up 800 hours of sick time. Figure if I end up needing the new knee's it will come in handy for that.

 

[Lincoln4]

Diclofenac or CBD usually work for me.

 

[thorborg]

"Overcoming" arthritis is a myth. Some things will abate, but for a while.


In general, as it applies to me, results may vary, I don't hold any medical certificates, etc.