Aching Hands from Over Work

[KarenBC]

At this time of year, with all the harden harvesting and picking/processing hundreds of pounds of apples, my hands really take a beating. They ache something fierce at night. Other than taking an Ibuprofen at bedtime, I haven't found any home cures.

I go through this every year, it's not carpal tunnel.

Anyone have any suggestions?

thanks much!

[Doninalaska]

My wife uses Arnica montana cream (crème). It seems to help her achy hands feel better, and it is better than using NSAIDs all the time. I don't know if it is available in Canada over the counter.

[doc]

Warm soaks and massage offer temporary relief of aching hands. If your stomach tolerates naproxen or ibuprofen, then 200mg once or twice a day may get you thru the harvest season.

Wearing elastic wrist supports while you work may lessen the strain on the hands.

"Arthritis" that seems to be confined to the hands &/or feet may represent the not uncommon problem of hyperparathyroidism, screened for by a simple blood Calcium level test.

Painful hands could also be from neuropathy, but that probably wouldn't be helped by ibuprofen.

[MissouriFree]

My missus says use Blue EMU

[MotherCharlotte]

A hot bath with epsom salts?

[CountryMom22]

Not sure what you should do, but this week I've had the same problem.

I've been grooming a lot more dogs the last few weeks than I usually do, and although I have had arthritis in my fingers for years, my hands have just started to bother me this week. I haven't taken/done anything other than live with it so far, but I would love some alternatives for when it gets to be more than I can ignore.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Doninalaska]

Originally Posted by doc

Warm soaks and massage offer temporary relief of aching hands. If your stomach tolerates naproxen or ibuprofen, then 200mg once or twice a day may get you thru the harvest season.

Wearing elastic wrist supports while you work may lessen the strain on the hands.

"Arthritis" that seems to be confined to the hands &/or feet may represent the not uncommon problem of hyperparathyroidism, screened for by a simple blood Calcium level test.

Painful hands could also be from neuropathy, but that probably wouldn't be helped by ibuprofen.

Interesting that you mention hyperparathyroidism. I had a friend who was absolutely miserable. When examined, she had a nodule on one of her parathyroid glands; once it was removed, her entire life turned around.

[doc]

I had it myself 20 y/a: I suspected the problem when my hands & feet started hurting-- feet got so bad I had to sit on the stairs and scooch down like a little kid each AM. Hi Ca also causes excess stomach acid and I delayed doing the blood test because I couldn't stand to go without breakfast for a fasting sample.

I was playing a lot a baseball in those days. Hi Ca also slows your reflexes. I finally gave in and did the test when I couldn't turn on an inside fastball anymore.

I did the bone density scans and my back & hips were well calcified-- 95th percentile, but my hands and feet had the Ca content of an eighty y/o lady.

[Doninalaska]

Originally Posted by doc

I had it myself 20 y/a: I suspected the problem when my hands & feet started hurting-- feet got so bad I had to sit on the stairs and scooch down like a little kid each AM. Hi Ca also causes excess stomach acid and I delayed doing the blood test because I couldn't stand to go without breakfast for a fasting sample.

I was playing a lot a baseball in those days. Hi Ca also slows your reflexes. I finally gave in and did the test when I couldn't turn on an inside fastball anymore.

I did the bone density scans and my back & hips were well calcified-- 95th percentile, but my hands and feet had the Ca content of an eighty y/o lady.

How was it treated? Did you just have a surgical removal?

[KarenBC]

It still takes me awhile to get my hands going in the morning. Doing dishes in hot water gets them working.,

At night I'm taking a night time Tylenol and an ibuprofen to get to sleep if I'm not settled within an hour of goihng to bed.
It's just in the hands, not feet.

[backlash]

My neighbor made hot sauce twice a year.
He said it was the only times his hands didn't hurt.
Said it was the hot peppers he handled.
His hot sauce was really hot but it had a good flavor.
My doctor prescribed a capsaicin cream for my knee.
It was like a bad sun burn so I stopped using it.
I still have 2 unopened tubes if anyone would like to try it.

[doc]

Originally Posted by Doninalaska

How was it treated? Did you just have a surgical removal?

Sorry for the delayed reply-- I lost track of this thread.

Yes, surgery. We have four parathyroid glands, each the size of a dehydrated pea, embedded in the thyroid gland tissue. Delicate surgery (3-4 hrs) to expose each and yet avoid injuring the nerve to the vocal chords that runs in there too. My affected gland was 4cm. The surgery went well- I stayed the night in hosp, got up in the AM and did my rounds on my own pts before going home. No big deal.

But two days later, we got the pathology report-- cancer-- only 200 cases reported in the literature. So back to a 5 hr surgery on the third day to remove the entire thyroid (left just enough to cover one of the remaining parathyroids) and "skeletonized" the tissues of the right side of the neck. I was wiped out for about ten days after that- not because the surgery was hard on me, but the effects of so much anesthesia in a short time.

The next spring at our first batting practice, I swung and missed the first 5 pitches before the ball was half-way to the plate. I had unconsciously been compensating for slow reflexes by swinging early. We all had a good laugh. It took me a few more pitches to get my timing back.

[doc]

Originally Posted by backlash

My neighbor made hot sauce twice a year.
He said it was the only times his hands didn't hurt.
Said it was the hot peppers he handled.
His hot sauce was really hot but it had a good flavor.
My doctor prescribed a capsaicin cream for my knee.
It was like a bad sun burn so I stopped using it.
I still have 2 unopened tubes if anyone would like to try it.

Capsaicin is made from hot pepper seeds.

It and things like Ben Gay (menthol) work by irritating the pain fibers and diverting attention from the old pain to the new pain. It's like the old Vaudeville routine where one guy complains of a sore tooth, so the other guy stomps on his foot and then the first guy hops around complaining of a sore foot instead of the sore tooth.

[doc]

Originally Posted by KarenBC

It still takes me awhile to get my hands going in the morning. Doing dishes in hot water gets them working.,

At night I'm taking a night time Tylenol and an ibuprofen to get to sleep if I'm not settled within an hour of goihng to bed.
It's just in the hands, not feet.

High mileage problems. If you hadn't gotten this old, it wouldn't be a problem now

The cartilage in our joints is made of "complex polysaccharides." So is pasta. And just like pasta, getting it warm makes it loosey-goosey; cold and it gets stiff and brittle.

Try wearing gloves to bed. It may work.

[Txanne]

The bottom of my back is slow getting started---each norning--degenative spine--3-4-5 disk.
I am learning what Not to do----getting old isnt for sissies lol.

[KarenBC]

Sorry to hear you are having back troubles though.