Pain Management
In addition to following the advice of your medical team, there may be times when you need some extra help in managing the pain and inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.
On this page, I’m sharing a few med-free products that I now incorporate into my self-care plan to help me manage my chronic pain and inflammation.
Disclaimer: These products do not cure anything, I’m simply sharing my personal experience with them as part of my self-care routine.
I have had this particular heating pad by Thermotex for 15 years and I LOVE it! I literally use it every day. I can’t say enough good about it!
The model I have is the Platinum one which has 3 panels which makes it very versatile for use on a variety of joints. It’s easy to wrap it around joints such as the knee or shoulder.
Check it out here and use the coupon code RALIFEHACKS15 to save 15% Off your order.
**They offer a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee so there is no risk to trying their product out!**
Red light therapy is easy to fit into your day since you can combine it with other activities that you are doing. I like to use my red light while I read or while I do stretches.
Red light therapy increases circulation, speeds healing and can decrease pain and inflammation. It is also great for the skin and for promoting hair growth. (Definite perks for those of us who have experienced hair loss or for those with skin issues like psoriasis)
I purchased my light from Kala after doing a lot of research into what to look for in a light. Although the improvements were subtle and slow, I definitely noticed improvements after 2 weeks of using it twice daily. I noticed less pain and a slight decrease in swelling.
Use the coupon code RALIFEHACKS10 to save 10% off any product they offer.
**They offer a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee so there is no risk to trying their product out!**
They are a Canadian company that ships worldwide. They offer FREE shipping anywhere in North America.
These neurotech socks by Voxx Life have single-handedly changed my daily life by reducing my chronic pain in a substantial way.
You can check out the website and watch the short video that explains how it works. Hint: it’s based on neuroscience.
**Try the socks, if they don’t work for you, get your money back! They offer a 30-day satisfaction money-back guarantee! Order at: Spoonie Socks.com **
I’m on my feet all morning at work and so on my lunch break, I come home and have a foot massage to soothe my aching feet.
Having someone give me a foot massage is sometimes painful and I find I don’t enjoy it because I’m tense just expecting them to go a little too deep and to cause pain.
What I love about this foot massager is that I maintain control, and I enjoy it so much more 💖. There are three settings for the massage intensity (rollers under the feet) and for the air compression. I adjust the settings according to how tender my feet are that day. My feet always feel better after a massage and so I use it daily.
WBC Terminator – Roll-on Pain Cream
I have literally spent hundreds of dollars trying dozens of pain creams and lotions.
Some brought a measure of relief, but by far the one that I find brings the most relief, and the quickest relief, is the roll-on from World’s Best Cream.
A bonus of having it in a roll-on application is that it doesn’t get on your hands (and end up in your eye! I’ve done that before with some other pain creams!).
Check it out here and use the coupon code RALIFEHACKS to save 10%.
**They offer a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee so there is no risk to trying their product out!**
They are a Canadian company that ships worldwide.
When I was first diagnosed with RA I had compression gloves recommended to me by others who had more experience with living with RA.
I promptly bought a pair and after feeling the benefits of it I ended up buying another pair so I could have one for daytime and one for sleeping at night.
Compression gloves, as Grace and Able describe them, are like a “hug for your hands.”
Compression gloves can temporarily reduce swelling and can have an effect on our neurological system and our perception of pain.
I wear the gloves when my hands are sore or swollen and I have to type or write, prep work in the kitchen, or do any other hand-intensive work.
By wearing the gloves to bed at night when my hands are not doing well, I find my hands are less swollen and stiff in the morning. (I usually wear a bit looser fit at night since the swelling is usually worse at night and I don’t want it to be too restrictive since I’m not awake and alert to any changes).
I’ve had success with a few brands of compression gloves but since I’ve discovered Grace and Able, I prefer their gloves for a few reasons: they are well made, high quality, are available in a variety of colours (something I’ve NEVER seen from another company, they are almost always grey or black) and the founder of the company is an RA warrior as well so I love being able to support another warrior whenever I can.
I also love that they ask for input from their customers to vote on their new colours available etc. They truly are all about making products that not only are functional but also fun and don’t make you feel like an old lady. 😉
You can check out the variety of colours of compression gloves and wrist braces available here from Grace and Able. If you need shipping to Canada, email them before placing your order to get a better shipping rate.
I was first introduced to the company Active Releaf by a nurse practitioner. She said her mom has RA and was having success in using these products to help her manage the pain.
I was eager to try them for myself and I too found success and relief when using them. I’ve been using them for over a year now and enjoy having them as part of my self-care routine.
I currently use the Bath Salts a few times a week to soak my feet (I’m not a fan of baths so I just do a foot soak). I take daily the Wellness Tincture that is rich in cannabinoids and thc free. I definitely notice a difference in the pain and stiffness in my hands if I miss a day of taking the tincture. The roll-on relief stick I use as required.
You can use code : REF2SYVEQYEGE to save $25 off your purchase of $50 or more. Currently only available in Canada.
My mother, who also has RA, bought me my Spoonk mat as a gift. She suffers from back and shoulder pain and she uses her Spoonk mat every night for 30-40 minutes before bed. It brings her a lot of pain relief and helps her to have a better night’s sleep.
It’s amazing how quickly just laying on this mat increases circulation. I notice it right away when I use it. I like to lay down on the mat and do deep breathing exercises or listen to an audiobook, podcast, or relaxing music.
I found it interesting what Dr. Mark Hyman said about these mats: “Acupressure mats provide natural and powerful back-pain relief and body and mind relaxation. Using a Spoonk acupressure mat helps to increase your parasympathetic nervous system and get you into deep relaxation before sleep.”
The nice thing about these mats is that they are portable and easily roll up into the carrying case so you can bring them just about anywhere you go.
Visit Spoonk here to learn more about them.