Arthritis: How to relieve aching pain

Arthritis pain: Understanding your body and osteoarthritis

You know those mornings. There’s a crisp winter chill in the air and you reach to bundle up but your joints feel stiff and achy as if they were frozen. When mornings like this happen, what do you do to relieve the pain and stiffness?

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For many people unfortunately, these mornings are all too familiar and it is estimated that 1 in 7 Australians* have an arthritis-associated disability, so you are in good company! We know that arthritis pain can take some of the enjoyment out of your life and the most common form is Osteoarthritis.

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At The Hands Physio we seek to provide you with the knowledge, training and treatment so that you can stay healthy and active to enjoy life.

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What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in your joints wears away. It is characterised by osteophytes – bone growths/nodules, narrowing joint space, cyst formation and swollen joint capsule. You can experience pain, stiffness, swelling or joint enlargement. Normal everyday tasks can become harder and more painful to complete.

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So what are some good habits to ease the achy pain?

By applying heat or wearing a warm glove you can increase the blood flow to the painful stiff area. This helps to reduce the pain you experience by enhancing the nutrition to the joint. 

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Exercises will also heat of your joints and help stabilise the joints.  Strong muscles around the joint help to improve joint space between the joints and position the joints in a more natural position, therefore the pain reduces. 

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The exercises you are taught at The Hands Physio are functional and easy to continue at home using equipment your usually find around your home.  It is important that your exercises are tailor suited to you and fit in with your lifestyle, so they are easy to manage and most importantly – they get done. You will then experience these benefits!

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What can The Hands Physio do to help relieve my arthritic pain?

The Hands Physio will help you understand your injury, your limitations, what exercises to do and how to balance rest and activity. We can also advise you on any equipment aid you may need to help you be more functional at home and at work. My preference is to have two options to use. 

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One support that you wear when the pain is a lot that just helps you rest your hand, especially designed for you to handle those difficult days. The second splint of preference is one to wear when using your hand to help exercise the correct muscles with the joint in the correct position, so further damage doesn’t happen, and you can prevent further damage to the joints.

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The Hands Physio also uses an ancient treatment of wax therapy which is pure delight for people with arthritis as it eases pain instantly!

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How can I get in touch?

You can call for an appointment 02 97434672 or book an appointment online. No doctor’s referral is necessary.  

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*Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare