Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition that causes inflammation, swelling, and irritation in the joints. It can also cause problems in other body parts, including the eyes, skin, heart, lungs, and blood vessels. RA occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues.
RA differs from osteoarthritis, a more common condition that causes damage to joints from overuse. People living with RA can experience difficulty with everyday chores, such as opening a refrigerator or cleaning a counter. Sometimes, pain can strike when you least expect it, even with assisted devices that are designed to eliminate pain.
In order to offer some relief for people with RA, we’ve compiled a list of hacks that are designed to provide relief for RA hand pain. If these hacks do not help your situation, though, you may need to see a specialist or therapist for rehabilitation.
Try An Apron As A Tool Belt
Doing minor work around the house? Spending a couple hours cleaning? Try using an apron as a tool belt. It can hold a hammer and nails or a spray bottle and paper towels. Place these items in the apron so that you don’t have to fatigue your fingers and wrists. The items will be at the ready in the pockets of the apron. This helps keep your hands pain-free until you are ready to complete the tasks at hand.
Try Cuticle Scissors For Opening Packages
There are a lot of tiny packets, such as mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, and other condiments, that can be very difficult (and painful) to open. Some people with RA keep a dedicated pair of cuticle scissors on their person for this reason! If you get scissors, make sure to get a pair with a larger, padded grip.
Use A Potholder While Ironing Clothes
Although an iron isn’t the heaviest of objects, it can be taxing on the wrists with repeated use. It is better to slide the iron as much as possible to avoid lifting it up and putting it back down. What do you do when you have to adjust the item you are ironing? Keep a potholder on the ironing board and slide the iron right onto it until you are ready to slide it back onto the garment. Additionally, consider doing a task like ironing during a time of day when your hands are less likely to hurt.
Use A Kitchen Sponge For Stability
Whipping up a batch of banana bread or pancake batter? It can be very difficult to grip the mixing bowl with one hand while stirring the ingredients with the other. Try placing a damp sponge under the bowl to keep it in place without using your hand to support it. A damp cloth is equally as effective if you do not have a spare sponge. If you have a little extra spending money, consider investing in a stand mixer, which does most of the work for you.
Stick A Tennis Ball On Your Toothbrush
If you do not have a specially made grip for your toothbrush, no need to fret. You can slice open a tennis ball and insert the handle end inside. That will give you a larger surface area to grip the toothbrush while brushing your teeth. You can also try to wrap the handle in rubber bands to make it easier to grip. The Arthritis Foundation commonly recommends people with RA to buy toothbrushes that come with larger handles.
Use Headbands To Pull Things Closed
Pulling things with your forearms, instead of your fingers, is much easier on your joints. Wrap headbands with Velcro closures around the refrigerator and oven doors to close them easily. Loop your arm into the headband and pull the door closed when ready. This exact concept applies to any item that you have to grip to close, such as kitchen drawers, a purse zipper, or cabinets below the sink. If there is a handle, you can attach a strap to make it easier to close.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
