There are times when a good heating pad or ice pack can be your best friend. A successful medication regimen is my primary coping mechanism for psoriatic arthritis, but there are times when medicine isn't enough, or when you're still working on getting the perfect mix of drugs and lifestyle changes for you. Perhaps you're trying to get by without any medication at all. Whatever the case, heat and ice can both feel good on inflamed joints!
Heating Pads
It's not uncommon to see me walking down the hall at work with a microwaveable heating pad strapped onto my back or hips. I think it's better to make that questionable fashion statement than to skip a day of work! Other folks prefer ice packs for their inflammation, but I find heat works best for me in most cases. This Carex Bed Buddy is my heating pad of choice, but many people prefer ones that plug in. Yes, a microwaveable heating pad like this one loses its heat within about 45 minutes, and it does have a bit of an odor of buckwheat, but I love the moist heat it provides. When it cools down, that just gives me a reason to get up and moving again (as far as the microwave, anyhow), which is probably just as helpful as the heat itself.Hot Showers
I also begin everyday with a very hot shower to help work out the kinks. After all, with an inflammatory arthritis like psoriatic arthritis, it's normal to feel worst after long periods of rest. Sleeping definitely falls into that category. I'm not particularly human in the mornings before my hot shower and my morning medications!Hot Baths
After a long day on my feet, nothing beats a hot bath. I never have time for one in the morning, but once I'm through with my commitments for the day, a bath is just the thing for cranky joints.Ice Packs
The one time I do bust out the ice pack is for visible inflammation. When my ankles swell, I elevate those suckers and ice them. When my fingers swell? Ice again! There are fancier methods (some of which I own, including the aforementioned dual purpose Bed Buddy), but my favorite ice pack is just a frozen bag of peas. I can simply hobble to the freezer and grab a package rather than fiddling with ice cubes and bags and other such nonsense. Though in theory any frozen item would work, peas or corn are ideal, since they shape nicely to the area you're trying to ice.How do you use ice and heat to help you cope?
These are great tips for dealing with pain! I love using heat packs to soothe aches, but I don't have one at my current residence.. I really want to try making one like these: http://www.dreadlockgirl.com/2010/01/rice-socks/
ReplyDeleteThat's a great tip, Elle. My local support group recently made flax seed sock heating pads. I haven't tried mine yet, but these DIY options are great on a budget. I want to try making one with lavender and buckwheat too!
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