Joint pain is a terrible thing to have all year long, but it gets exponentially worse during the winter months.
When it's winter outside, everything feels tighter - especially our joints! We're all accustomed enough to have an occasional ache or tightness in these areas. Still, when they occur constantly, then there may be something wrong that needs attention before things go from uncomfortable-to unbearable.
The cold air can make your chronic joint pain even more unbearable to deal with. Everything is stiff, tender and achy during this season.
Over the last 24 years of battling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pain, we have developed our tool kit to get you through winter with less discomfort and more ease. The right tips can be hidden in your daily life so that even if it's cold outside or rainy day-to-day - these simple adjustments will make all the difference!
Soothing baths
When you wake up each morning and feel stiff, it’s not just because of your old age. Instead, the truth is that there are some pretty heavy joints in our bodies- especially if they haven't been moving all night while we slept!
To release this buildup daily (and soothe those nagging aches), try soaking one's self with hot water before getting out of bed; add Epsom salt for extra benefits like relief from inflammation or pain management alongside other natural ingredients such as lavender oil, which helps relax muscles tightly clenched during sleep stress disorder sufferers can find great comfort by taking these steps at first light.
If you don't have access to hot bathing facilities, try taking an early-morning shower instead!
The shower is a great way to wake up with the morning bath. The warm water and steam can help clear your head, as well as get rid of any coldness that has accumulated overnight.
Apply Heat
Painful bones, sore muscles and joints - a herbal heating pad is an excellent alternative to hot baths for people who have pain.
Using moist heat and heating pads can effectively ease stiff and aching joints; however, you should exercise great caution. It is advised to apply a heating pad limited to no more than 20 minutes per session and to check the skin for reactions every five minutes. While it may be tempting to sleep with a heating pad, this can be dangerous and may result in burns.
The soothing warmth helps relieve tension by absorbing into your skin or clothing; it reaches the deeper layers of muscle tissue where inflammation lies.
How to Use Heat for Joint Pain
Limiting heat therapy to a maximum of 20 minutes is recommended to avoid skin burns. When using a heated object, placing a barrier, such as a cloth or a towel, between the object and the skin is best. Moreover, heat therapy can be used further after ice's initial application to reduce swelling and inflammation, per Dr. Torres-Panchame.
Be careful and attentive when using a cold therapy pack to prevent injury. Dr. Bose says, "If something feels too hot, it can cause skin burns. Therefore, ensuring that the temperature is comfortable and not too hot is important."
Types of Heat Therapy
Simple, do-it-yourself methods work well, like using a microwaved moist towel or a warm bath or shower. Hot water bottles and reusable and disposable heating pads are easily purchased; some are specially designed for moist heat. Paraffin wax baths may be especially soothing if you have hand or wrists pain. Eddie A. swears by his paraffin wax machine. "It's a great way to keep the heat on you for a little while — and then your hands are lovely and smooth afterward," he says.
Self-care methods such as applying heat, Applying a microwaveable heating pad, and taking a warm bath or shower are effective and efficient. You can buy some Heating pads easily, designed explicitly for moist heat. If you suffer from pain in your hands or wrists, an everywhere herbal heating pad can provide relief.
Safety with Heat Therapy
Dr. Torres-Panchame recommends that individuals check their skin after five minutes and several times during the use of heat. She asserts that if blisters form, the temperature is too high, and heat must be removed to avoid skin damage. This is especially pertinent for those with neuropathy or other conditions that diminish sensitivity to touch and temperature.
Patients not responding to heat therapy should discuss this with their doctor, who may recommend seeing a physical therapist. The physical therapist can provide more intense heat through professional-grade equipment while ensuring safe and effective use in a monitored environment.
Our Sacksy Thyme all natural aromatherapy heat & cold pack is a great purchase for anyone. It only takes about 45 seconds to warm up, and then you can easily place it wherever you need without needing an outlet to plug it in.
Essential oils
The aromatic compounds of essential oils are known for their powerful scent. However, their effect on mental and physical well-being is more than a pleasant aroma. When applied topically or used in aromatherapy, these compounds enter the bloodstream and can positively impact the mind and body.
Lavender essential oil
Lavender essential oil is widely used in households and other environments to create a calming and pleasant atmosphere. This is because lavender essential oil can help reduce tention and stress levels and its anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. As such, it is an excellent choice for maintaining physical and mental well-being. Furthermore, the lavender essential oil can reduce inflammation around joints when used with a Sacksythyme hot therapy relief lavender heating pad, making it highly beneficial.
Eucalyptus essential oil
According to Dr. Deshmukh, eucalyptus essential oil has therapeutic characteristics that can relieve joint and muscular discomfort. Its soothing and cooling properties are known to have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic capabilities, which can help to reduce tension and offer pain relief.
Stretching
When a person wakes up in the winter, their body can be so stiff that they cannot move. Walking around for a while, though, and stretching out your muscles with exercises such as yoga or Pilates-style stretching movements before sitting down again will help you feel better after waking up early on these cold mornings!
The American College of Rheumatology recommends doing three to five sets a week of stretching exercises if you have been diagnosed with arthritis or another condition that affects your joints.
Flexibility is essential to helping prevent pain, improving the quality of life and reducing medications needed by patients!
Green tea
The soothing effects of warm drinks are not limited to the summer. Wintertime and cold weather can also be very stressful for people, so we must look at what might help us during these times in our lives when things seem darkest before they come alive again with new life!
Green tea is an especially good option for those with RA due to its anti-inflammatory benefits. It may help soothe painful joints and inflammation all at once!
The bottom line
Winter can be a difficult time for people who suffer from chronic pain. With these helpful tips, you'll find it easier to get through the winter months with fewer aches and injuries!