If you were on a remote island and could only have three pain management tools to manage your Rheumatoid Arthritis (not including meds or supplements) what would you bring?
I thought a lot about this question and the reasons behind each choice I would make. At first, it was just a fun mental exercise, but then I realized this could be something to help others in their decision-making process when it comes to purchasing pain management tools.
Pain management is one of the most important, as well as most difficult, aspects of managing a chronic illness like Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you are like me, you research and try out everything you possibly can, in search of to bring you SOME relief. The cost of experimenting, though, is high and it can be financially draining to seek these items out.
Today I’m sharing with you the top three items that I would choose to bring with me to help me manage my pain and the reasons behind each one. (Important to note, I’m assuming there is some power on this island for one of my pain management tools 😉 )
Versatility
So the first and most important factor that I considered in my choices was versatility.
I have a lot of different products to help me with specific joints (like compression gloves for my hands, and a foot massager for my feet) but since my RA tends to move around the body and affect different joints at a time (or all of them at once in the case of a big flare-up) if I only have 3 products to use…then I want to make sure that it can help me with as many joints as possible!
Durability
Since I don’t know how long I’m going to be on this proverbial remote island, I want to make sure that it is something that will last a long time. This rules out single-use items (like these patches that I wear every day) since that would be short-lived and I would run out after a short time (each patch lasts 48 hours). This also means I need to choose high-quality products that will last.
Ease Of Use
Since I don’t know what the conditions will be like on this “island” I need to choose products that are easy to use and don’t require a lot of effort or set up.
Effectiveness
It goes without saying that if I’ve only got three things to help me manage my pain…I’m going to choose the ones that give me the greatest relief! They need to be effective to make the list.
Without further ado…. Here are my top three picks for what pain management tools currently bring me the most pain relief and what I would pack for a remote island.
1- Thermotex Infrared Heating Pad
Hands down, my number one pain management tool is my Thermotex Infrared heating pad. This was a no-brainer for me, I didn’t even have to think about this one. It hits all the markers with flying colors.
In fact, ironically, I’ve already proven that this is an item I would take to a remote island because I’ve already done it! When we sold everything we owned (except for what fit in a few pieces of luggage) and moved to a remote Arctic Island…my Thermotex heating pad had prime real estate in my luggage and made the big move to the Arctic with us.
I have the platinum model and I’ve had it for over 15 years. It is super versatile, can be used on virtually any joint, and its three-panel design makes it perfect for wrapping around joints like knees and shoulders.
It is high quality and durable. I literally use it every day and some nights too…and it’s like the energizer bunny that just keeps on going.
It’s easy to use, no special clothing to wear, nothing to set up, no mess to make. All you need is to be able to plug it in and you are good to go.
Is it effective? Absolutely! Infrared heat penetrates 10 times deeper than typical heating pads. I find the heat extremely soothing and comforting, especially when my joints are stiff and sore. It’s also a great comfort for non-RA-related pain like period cramps or strained muscles.
For these reasons, this would hands-down be my top choice for pain management on a remote island (as long as there is electricity there I’m good).
(As a side note, to show the confidence they have in their product and the ability to bring relief, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all their products. So you can try it risk-free to make sure it works for you. If you would like to give it a try, use coupon code RALIFEHACKS15 to save 15% off your purchase.
2- Neurotech HPT Socks
Another item I didn’t have to think twice about was my neurotech HPT socks. These socks have literally changed my life by drastically reducing my overall pain (and not just for my feet!). I’ve been wearing these for over a year and without any exaggeration, the only time I’m not wearing them is when I’m in the shower. I wear them in the daytime, and I have a pair that I sleep in….and they have been a game-changer for me.
If you aren’t familiar with HPT socks, they are based on neuroscience and they have a tactile pattern built into the sock which causes a neurological response from the brain. I think of it as your phone scanning a QR code. Your brain responds to the pattern and it results in many benefits like improved balance, energy, and pain relief.
The person who designed the socks actually designed them for his mom who suffered from MS. When he saw the dramatic results she received from them, he knew he was on to something and thousands of people with a variety of health issues have experienced benefits from wearing them.
Back to the remote island…. Now, these socks make the cut because they hit all the markers. They are versatile because the benefits you receive from wearing them affect the entire body and not just one body part.
They are durable and well made. Although for every person it would be different based on their activity level, I used my socks for almost a year before I needed to replace them (granted I did have a couple of pairs that I would rotate). Nonetheless, I feel like these would be great for lasting a solid amount of time and therefore helping me to have substantial relief on this island.
They are easy to use (literally as simple as putting on a pair of socks) and they are effective at giving me relief. I will note, though, that the pain relief I have experienced from the socks was not something I felt instantly. While I know others experienced instant improvements with wearing the socks only a short while, my improvements were slow and subtle. It wasn’t until after 2 weeks of wearing them 24/7 that I began to notice my pain lessening each day.
If you haven’t tried these socks before they are definitely worth a try. They’re not a huge financial investment and they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on the socks. So you can try it risk-free to make sure it works for you. You can check it out at SpoonieSocks.com
3- WBC Terminator – Roll On Pain Relief
Choosing my last item was actually pretty hard. I have several pain management tools that I love but when I ran them by the deciding factors mentioned at the beginning of this post…well this roll-on pain relief got the green light.
It’s versatile because it can be used on almost any joint or muscle that’s causing pain. It’s easy to use – I love roll-ons the best since I’ve made the mistake of using a pain cream before and then touching my eye….not a good idea! So roll-on is the perfect application to get the cream only where it needs to be and save your eyes.
Is it effective? I think so! 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 this roll-on from World’s Best Cream.
They are obviously confident in their product’s effectiveness as well as they also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work for you. You can check it out here and use the coupon code RALIFEHACKS to save 10%.
So there you have it…my top three pain management tools for a remote island.
What would you bring with you to help you manage your pain?
If you liked this post, you might also be interested in my Pain Management page where I share a few more items that are part of my pain management routine.
