How to treat hands/wrists pain due to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?

@naturalcranberry Thank you so much for all of this information. It will be so helpful. I don’t have RA, or don’t think I do, but my hands and wrists have been hurting a lot the past couple of months. I really like your multifaceted approached to medications and treatments. Thank you again! Becky

@jimiwho
Hi! I haven't answered a lot of people but you sounded like maybe I could help a little. I have RA and PsA and the good ole osteo. I use Vitality Essential Oils on my hands and arms. Frankicense is the best but I also use Helichrysum which is amazing for bruising, cuts, scrapes and in the summer the nasty fly bites. Theres others that I have not tried, but the reviews are amazing. Give it a try???

I get infusions with simponi aria. It works. The pain subsides and I can move my joints. Do not let RA continue without treatment. It will damage your joints permanently. Taking nsaids is not enough. Eventually nsaids destroy your stomach lining . See a rheumatologist and get treatment to stop the damage.

@sueinmn
As of yesterday, Setpoint Medical has not released the secret list of those hospitals that are about to use it.

I stopped by the rheumatology dept at Mayo Fl 2 days ago and casually spoke to a wandering rheumatologist who said they were just talking about the device but that its use has to go through Mayo Minnesota first.

Here is a link to the Abstract and findings for the randomized trial from the Setpoint Medical web site:
https://setpointmedical.com/vagus-nerve-mediated-neuroimmune-modulation-for-rheumatoid-arthritis-a-pivotal-randomized-controlled-trial/

I have RA with considerable joint damage. I use compression gloves and a wrist brace when I have to vacuum or take out trash, etc. I have cold gel gloves and microwave heating mitts. These all help tremendously.
CBD balm also helps.
I started on Low Dose Naltrexone last August because I had no results with methotrexate and Humira. and in three months, most of my pain, swelling and stiffness was gone. Even my shoes became loose due to the diminished swelling.

I was in awful awful hand and wrist pain, prior to starting on Enbrel. I use the injections and it has been a miracle for me. Right now I am on a hold, since I had a rather bad infection the last 3 months. But I saw my RA yesterday and I will be resuming Enbrel within the next month. It looks like the infection has cleared (hopefully) so I will start out again, doing the injections every 2 weeks instead of 10 days, as prior. So far, pain is still gone but RA says it won't last without Enbrel. I have been off it for one month.

I have Psoriatic Arthritis in my hands , wrists Elbows . I have tried the 3 drugs the government requires use of before getting funding for the Biologivs
. In my case I tried 2 others until I did some research on how they work and switched to Taltz which was the game changer. It stops the degeneration of the joints , reduces swelling and pain . However I am never without pain , gets worse just before my injection due. The hand exs are 100% helpful in maintaining joint mobility and strength . My therapist was influential in telling me the positioning and pace to do the exercises which benefited me. I take Tylenol for pain and Voltaren as a hand cream ,I have Chronic Pain Syndrome type 2with nerve damage so am on Suboxone which is the best to keep the burning pain at bay . I take morphine 6 mg for severe pain where I can’t stand it but because of suboxone I only take as necessary . I use a red / blue light face mask I bought online which helps the face psoriasis but the creams do some good but the drugstore acne solution which is in a red small acne med box on drugstore shelves, It really works on face outbreaks.Protopic is the only cream prescribed that has actually worked on my face outbreaks i. It prevents reoccurrence but it’s stress that is my trigger
I have found that the Psoriasis burns itself out , as my front shin from ankle to knee was covered in psoriasis patches and eventually went away in 1.5 years leaving a dark brownish skin . Same for my forearms at the back side from elbow to wrists was covered in psoriasis but has gone leaving thick skin that is darker than my normal colour. I think it doesn’t go away so what helps is being positive and trying to forget that you have it but deal every day with the symptoms more than a disease. Take every day as a new beginning. Try what you like to do with adjusting levels if possible. Sometimes you can’t go back to your activity. Find s something you can do . Fatigue is my worst symptom because it keeps me down. You have to rest and not overdo it when you’re tired. Go on a trip and take every other day sitting or laying under a tree or wherever because you will overtired and not enjoy anything. Do things with friends or your family. Don’t be afraid to tell them it’s not good . You can’t bear it yourself. It is difficult. Find a counsellor, community support service, a community activity program like water ecs . It’s so hard to get out to do . Doing is hard and it never was before which causes frustration. Take some breath and try not to be hard on yourself. You deserve rest and sleep.
One amazingly item that I found so helpful is my automatic jar opener. Those tomato sauces jars, pickle jars et It’s $20 on Amazon and it’s an automatic jar opener. It really works for any size jar lid it’s safe and easy to use I’ll post it once I find its name as there is no name on the opener

I find hobbies help me and I have knitted, quilted, embroidered thousands of gifts. Although I have used your great suggestions it seems things dint wirk as used to. I have used lidocaine 4% patches, square knitting needles which helped wonderfully fir a few years (ordered fronUK suppliers), dipped my gands in paraffin i melted was in sliw cooker. Remember used by PT for my sons’ hands as a child. Compression socks from gabds over elbows. Limit myself to only so many needles full of thread and used needle threader. Some people do better w larger or smaller needles than I do. OXO makes many gadgets for the kitchen I use also for hobbies. I wrap my joints w the stuck to itself tapes which can be reused. Order in boxes on Amazon. The tapes work on individual fingers ir combos ir hands wrists etc. you r creative so try different ways and things. Chilled ceramic rolling pins are great exercises for hand in Center of pins. Or heat. Helps fir arms and shiukders and feet as well. I out a child’s neck brace on my neck to encourage my neck to set as it should. Ivwear them sometimes in public as people are more careful not to bump into me….more later. Have fun anyway you can! You deserve it!