HOME REMEDIES : ARTHRITIS

Apply heat and cold to arthritis pain

• Applying heat to a painful joint can provide significant relief. For heat sources, you can use electric blankets and mitts, heating pads, or hot packs. Heat things up for 20 minutes. Simply taking a hot bath or shower can also be soothing. 

• Cold treatments may work equally well when joints are inflamed. Wrap an ice cube in a towel or washcloth, and press it to the sore joint. Alternatively, you can use a bag of frozen peas or corn.

Wear gloves to bed

• If you frequently have stiff, swollen hands in the morning, wear a snug-fitting pair of gloves to bed. They’ll keep the swelling in check.

Oil aching joints

• Eat more cold-water fish. Many people who supplement their diets with omega-3 fatty acids—found in cold-water fish like salmon—discover that pain and stiffness are lessened. These substances seem to discourage inflammation in the body.

•  If you dislike fish, get the healing oils in capsule form. The recommended dose is 2,000 milligrams of an omega-3 supplement three times daily. If you take blood-thinning drugs, check with your doctor before taking fish-oil capsules.

• As an alternative to fish-oil capsules, take one tablespoon of flaxseed oil a day. It’s loaded with the same type of omega-3’s. Take the oil straight, or add it to your salad dressing.

• If you like nuts, indulge in them a bit. They also contain beneficial oil.

Rub on relief

• Capsaicin is a substance that gives hot peppers their “heat.” Rub on a store-bought capsaicin cream and let it go to work. It irritates nerve endings, diverting your brain’s attention from arthritis pain.

• Oil of wintergreen and eucalyptus oil are also effective. Put a few drops on the skin and rub it in. Be cautious with wintergreen, however, since some people develop a skin reaction. Also, don’t use either of these oils under a heating pad or hot compress, as the additional heat can cause them to burn or irritate the skin