Hand Arthritis

Flute Maker

Mike
User
I’ve had hand issues a long time. Grew up on farm, ,worked in warehouses, been a mechanic
In industrial environment…Both hands were broken yrs ago. Hands have had a lot of use and abuse just like a lot of you guys hands have had. I’m not complaining one bit… I’ve always enjoyed being as active as I can be.
Anyhow my hands have arthritis in them. Had a surgery on my right thumb…was losing my grip.. After a yr right hand (thumb)is doing great but left hand is bothering me now but I don’t want any more surgery .(plus during recovery time last yr back started bothering me…3 bulging disks.)
Anyhow what do you guys that have arthritis do? Any gloves or anything that helps?
I am retired now but I can’t just stop….I love being active but I know I have to be more careful what to. In my shop I try to do things the best way to not be hard on my hands …somewhat
Only meds I take is flexeril for my back. It does help.And some Voltaire’s cream which may help a little sometimes. Thanks in advance
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User

ScottM

Scott
Staff member
Corporate Member
Bone on bone in both thumbs. Wear braces at night. I have had shots in both thumbs which helps some but does not last more than a month or two. Tried Voltaire cream and Hemp Oil. Surgery will be in my future too.
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Bone on bone in both thumbs. Wear braces at night. I have had shots in both thumbs which helps some but does not last more than a month or two. Tried Voltaire cream and Hemp Oil. Surgery will be in my future too.
I had the surgery on my right thumb ..cmc anthroplasty with ligament transposition…It was a huge success…I probably wouldn’t have had it done but I had a friend that had it done and it worked great for him too…. It was exactly a yr ago today…Now my left hand is bothering me but I don’t want another surgery right now….Hadn’t really had any shots or anything for left hand…. I figured since I was retired I could watch what I do and rest it some.
 

Strom

New User
Strom
Both hands and thumbs are painful for me and also full of arthritis in spine. Moving and woodworking are good for it. When the pain gets bad, I use Voltaren cream.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
What I have noticed is cramping in my index or pinky finger,
(they will "stick" in a curled or hyper-extended position...) especially when sharpening or holding something against an opposing force for a period of time - someone told me that is a form or pre-cursor of arthritis... but I wonder if that is true - anyone else have this
 

ScottM

Scott
Staff member
Corporate Member
I had the surgery on my right thumb ..cmc anthroplasty with ligament transposition…It was a huge success…I probably wouldn’t have had it done but I had a friend that had it done and it worked great for him too…. It was exactly a yr ago today…Now my left hand is bothering me but I don’t want another surgery right now….Hadn’t really had any shots or anything for left hand…. I figured since I was retired I could watch what I do and rest it some.
That is the say procedure my doctor is suggesting down the road. I just have to say when I have had enough.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
I have some arthritis in both hands, as well as the "trigger finger" (although mine is the middle finger on both hands) and cramping doing fine work. Mine has come from years of abuse, the most notable being using a pneumatic sander for many hours a week for years. When mine cramp, is the whole hand or 2 or 3 fingers, and it has been occurring for at least a couple decades, so Hank, it may be a precursor, but I do not know. The arthritis stiffness has been noticeable for only the last 5 years or so.

As for solutions:

1. I have oversized (diameter) the handles on most of my hand tools. This makes them easier to grip. I shape them as an oval or rounded triangular in shape using a draw knife and spokeshave for wood handles. Baseball bat or tennis racket grip tape helps for the factory handles.
2. Cloth gloves that have the latex grip layer on the palm and fingers. This really helps a lot. I get the cheap ones. The cloth ones reduce the hand sweating, and I get cheap ones that i usually find in the gardening section of Lowe's. The biggest problem with that is that most are women's sizes, so it is hard to find ones wide enough for my men's-large size width.
3. Started taking Osteo BiFlex a couple months ago. It has helped with the pain aspect, but does little to nothing on muscle strength or flexibility.

First I have heard of Voltaren, so may try that. Thanks
 

gritz

New User
Robert
Voltaren is a cream form of NSAID. NSAIDs can severely damage your kidneys, especially if you drink alcohol.
 

riggsp

Phil
Corporate Member
DW and I both use CBD ointment that has camphor and eucalyptus in it...both of us have arthritis in our hands and wrists, and I have a trigger finger in my right hand (caused by a ligament injury near the palm...as in hitting things like wrenches with your hand)...it works better than anything we've tried, including pain pills.
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
I have some arthritis in both hands, as well as the "trigger finger" (although mine is the middle finger on both hands) and cramping doing fine work. Mine has come from years of abuse, the most notable being using a pneumatic sander for many hours a week for years. When mine cramp, is the whole hand or 2 or 3 fingers, and it has been occurring for at least a couple decades, so Hank, it may be a precursor, but I do not know. The arthritis stiffness has been noticeable for only the last 5 years or so.

As for solutions:

1. I have oversized (diameter) the handles on most of my hand tools. This makes them easier to grip. I shape them as an oval or rounded triangular in shape using a draw knife and spokeshave for wood handles. Baseball bat or tennis racket grip tape helps for the factory handles.
2. Cloth gloves that have the latex grip layer on the palm and fingers. This really helps a lot. I get the cheap ones. The cloth ones reduce the hand sweating, and I get cheap ones that i usually find in the gardening section of Lowe's. The biggest problem with that is that most are women's sizes, so it is hard to find ones wide enough for my men's-large size width.
3. Started taking Osteo BiFlex a couple months ago. It has helped with the pain aspect, but does little to nothing on muscle strength or flexibility.

First I have heard of Voltaren, so may try that. Thanks
The voltaren helps a little. It was by prescription at first but now is otc.My neighbor uses it and it helps him and his wife.. I had trigger thumb...both thumb.A orthopedic dr on a website told me it was the easiest fix to have. He was right .I had both of mine done yrs ago..No problem since and not a lot of down time at all. I didnt have a lot of cramping and the pain I have from the arthritis in my grip area from the thumb. We use our hands a lot and when we get older it shows. I havent done much in a couple of days so I am rested up somewhat. The right hand is good as far as my surgery a yr ago but arthritis doesnt like this colder weather. On the oversized handles..I have to do that. I am a flutemaker. I make small ones and large ones. I have noticed when I tried to play the smaller diameter ones it is hard....The middle size ones are easiest and then the really bigger dia ones are hard also.But on the making of them I do have some ways around some of that.
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
DW and I both use CBD ointment that has camphor and eucalyptus in it...both of us have arthritis in our hands and wrists, and I have a trigger finger in my right hand (caused by a ligament injury near the palm...as in hitting things like wrenches with your hand)...it works better than anything we've tried, including pain pills.
I was wondering about CBD. I did have some before I retired. I was afraid of using it while working ..one lady was using it on her hands and they did a drug test and they said it showed up ...She didnt look like the typical CBD person they would have been targeting. How do I know the best brand of CBD to use?
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Voltaren is a cream form of NSAID. NSAIDs can severely damage your kidneys, especially if you drink alcohol.
I had asked about that and the Drs. said it is the easiest on your kidneys cause you arent taking it like you would a pill. I dont use any of it a lot cause I know they can come back yrs from now and change what they are saying. Im not a big pill taker either of any kind.
 

riggsp

Phil
Corporate Member
CBD products (ointments, tinctures, oils, etc) that are legal in NC don't have the THC compound that causes the highs from CBD products derived from marijuana. So using them is not a problem or a danger of getting high.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
go to amazon this is for all buy a bottle of BIOFREEZE topical smells a little bit but dissipates, works great. This is from my Doctor. Aslo buy a set of thermoskin compression gloves, when my hands get bad i wear them when sleeping, a few days of them and it lowers the swelling and things get better
 
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