Oct 03, 2022

Dealing with Arthritis Flare-Ups & Carpal Tunnel Pain Remedies

Have you ever wondered what can cause arthritis to flare up? Or perhaps you’re curious if there’s a link between carpal tunnel and arthritis. No matter which of these issues is plaguing you, we’re here to shed some light on what you’ve been feeling. We’ll also provide you with a reprieve by teaching you about carpal tunnel relief without surgery. And for those of you who are new to the world of arthritis, we’ll answer the question of ‘what does an arthritis flare-up feel like?’

What is an Arthritis Flare Up?

An arthritis flare-up is an unexpected and unwanted increase in the severity of your disease. When you enter a flare, you can expect it to last for a few days, at minimum. In some cases, the increased severity of your symptoms will last for weeks. If lifting your head from your pillow seems to take too much energy, you’re definitely in a flare.

What Can Cause Arthritis to Flare-Up?

Triggers that can cause your arthritis to flare up differ for the type of arthritis you have, whether it be osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout or psoriatic arthritis. However, there are some general things that can trigger a flare for all types of arthritis:

Changes in the weather, especially from heat.
Barometric pressure changes that precede storms.
Too little or too much physical activity
Injury or infection
Hormonal changes
Certain foods
Stress
Lack of sleep

What Does an Arthritis Flare-Up Feel Like?

Dealing with a flare takes your normal arthritis symptoms and cranks them up to an 11 out of 10. Not only will you feel unable to get out of bed, but your joints will also ache. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help yourself better deal with your current flare-up.

Always pay special attention to your body to watch for the warning signs of an impending flare. For instance, have you started experiencing daytime sleepiness that has lasted for more than a day? Or maybe you have a dull aching in your hands? Both are warning signs that a flare may be coming.

How to Deal with an Arthritis Flare-Up?

Anyone who has arthritis knows the pain associated with a flare. Sadly, most arthritis patients will have flares, even if they take good care of themselves. Using the following guidelines may cause your flare-up to be over quickly, though.

Talk to Your Rheumatologist

Discuss your various options with your rheumatologist. They should put you on a regular course of medication, but this may not be nearly enough to stop a flare. Therefore, having a plan to increase your meds as you go through a flare temporarily is a great option.

Talk to Your Family

Making a plan with your family in advance of a flare will make them easier to deal with. Discuss with your family members what chores of yours they’ll need to get done as you deal with the flare.

Wash Your Hands Regularly

When you have an autoimmune condition, it’s imperative that you keep yourself as healthy as possible. This becomes even more critical once you’ve entered a flare. Keep your hands thoroughly washed during this time to prevent infections.

Take a Break

Normally, the best way to deal with arthritis is to keep going. After all, if you take a break, your body may stiffen. However, when you’re experiencing a flare, you need to be mindful of listening to your body’s demand for rest. Give into it and relax, but don’t completely stop being active, either.

Rely on a Therapist

Using a talk therapist will always help reduce some of your stress, along with giving you a good outlet for the pain. During a flare-up, it’s especially important to speak to a professional. They can help you deal with the pain without shutting yourself off.

Slow Down but Don’t Stop

It’s essential that you don’t stop altogether. If you’re sitting in a chair and feel like you can’t get up, run yourself through your range of motion from where you are. This can prevent your joints from getting stiff.

Alternate Hot and Cold

You can apply a hot compress, followed by a cold compress, for up to 15 minutes at a time. The heat will increase the blood flow to the affected area, which will cause it to relax. The cold will disrupt the pain signals by constricting your blood vessels.

Exercise with Your Mind

The idea of doing physical exercise while your body is in a flare probably won’t appeal to you at all. Instead, work on visualization techniques and mediation. Doing so can relieve some of your stress.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Your natural tendency when you’re in a flare may be to hide from others. This is the worst thing you can do, however. Instead, interact with your closest family and friends, and don’t be afraid to ask for their help.

Get Some Sleep

Practicing good sleep hygiene is important for anyone, but it’s critical for those of you who suffer from arthritis. That’s because not having a sleep routine can lead to increased pain and inflammation. Be sure to avoid any caffeine before bedtime and put away electronic devices at least one hour before bed.

What is Carpal Tunnel?

Carpal tunnel refers to wrist pain, tingling, numbness, and hand weakness. There are nine tendons within the carpal tunnel, and they can swell and become inflamed. Risk factors for developing carpal tunnel syndrome include repetitive hand motions, rheumatoid arthritis, birth control pills, being overweight, and/or pregnancy.

Carpal tunnel is a common issue, and it causes more than 400,000 surgeries each year. For many people, however, surgery isn’t desirable. Whether it’s because your carpal tunnel is mild or you have a lot of fear regarding surgery, you could try the following tips instead.

Natural Ways to Help Carpal Tunnel

Following a natural path to pain relief may be possible if your carpal tunnel isn’t too bad. These tips can also assist those who have a more severe case of carpal tunnel, although the help they provide may not last for very long. Either way, trying these carpal tunnel home remedies may help you steer clear of surgery.

Use Ice

Bringing your inflammation down is essential and will also give you some pain relief. To make this happen, cool your wrists. The best way is by putting a thin towel between the ice and your skin.

Use Heat

You can relax your muscles by using heat on them. For best results, soak your wrists and hands in warm water for approximately 15 minutes. This will work even better if you do it right before you go to bed.

Use a Splint at Night

Wearing a splint to bed will prevent you from unintentionally putting pressure on your wrist. In fact, trying to sleep without a splint will often cause you to wake up from the pain. Give yourself a break with a splint. Additionally, if you frequently work with your hands, you may want to wear your splint during the day, too.

Arnica May Help

Arnica is well-known for having anti-inflammatory qualities. Therefore, rub about a quarter of a teaspoon’s worth of ointment onto your inner wrists and up through your palm. Repeat this process two-three times per day.

Take Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil has the potential to reduce inflammation. If you’re going to try this method, be sure to give it at least two weeks to produce any results.

Take St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort has plenty of useful applications. For example, it’s commonly taken to ease depression. Another of its qualities is repairing the nerve damage that’s synonymous with carpal tunnel.

Take Bromelain

Bromelain reduces pain and may help reduce some of the pain associated with carpal tunnel. You can get bromelain naturally from pineapple although it makes some people’s mouths and throats sore.

Take Curcumin

Many people prefer to take turmeric instead, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as taking a curcumin supplement. By taking this supplement, you should feel a reduction in the amount of inflammation and pain.

Take Elemental Magnesium

Finally, try some elemental magnesium for your carpal tunnel pain. It primarily deals with muscle relaxation and nerve function.

Dealing with Carpal Tunnel or an Arthritis Flare-Up Due to the Weather

It doesn’t matter if your arthritis flare is caused by the weather or if your carpal tunnel complains the most when you’re trying to sleep. What really matters instead is how you attempt to treat either problem. You may have success with any number of the items listed above, so it’s a good idea to experiment with them.

Invest in Red Light Therapy for Arthritis & Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief

Another thing you can do to provide all-natural help to your body is to invest in Bright Health’s Red Light Therapy Foot Pain Relief Device. Although it was designed for foot pain, it’s also capable of providing hand or wrist relief. Even better, once you purchase this product once, it’ll always be available to help you with a wide variety of painful situations. Get it now to deal with arthritis and/or carpal tunnel pain and save it to deal with foot pain down the road.