Natural Pain Relief for Arthritis in the Wrist

Arthritis is a very common condition among American adults, and is constituted by painful, inflamed joints.  The most common medical treatment for the condition is taking non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); however, these medications do not always completely relieve the pain associated with arthritis.  Additionally, some individuals may not tolerate these medications well.  A new study shows that individuals suffering from wrist arthritis may relieve their pain naturally by wearing a wrist splint during the day.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a leading cause of disability for American adults, and is second only to heart disease.  Arthritis causes pain, swelling, and loss of movement in the joints.  Commonly affected joints include, but are not limited to, the knees, hips, ankles, elbows, and wrists. 

Wrist Splints for Wrist Arthritis

Dr. Martine M. Veehof, at the University of Twente in Enschede, and his colleagues have conducted the first randomized trial with wrist splints for individuals with wrist arthritis.  Veehof asserts that approximately 75% of all individuals who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis possess arthritis in the wrist. 

Thirty-three participants took part in this study.  The researchers randomly assigned 17 participants to wear a wrist splint, which allowed the fingers and thumb to move freely to allow for the completion of most daily activities.  These participants were asked to wear the splint as much as possible during the daytime.  The remaining 16 participants acted as a control group and did not wear wrist splints. 

Participants rated their pain levels both before the study began and four weeks later.  After four weeks of wearing the wrist splints, participants rated their pain as 32% less than it had been at the beginning of the study.  This is a significant reduction in pain.  On the contrary, individuals who did not wear the wrist splints rated their pain as increasing by 17 percent. 

Additionally, participants’ average grip score increased by 5% after wearing the wrist splints for four weeks; however this result was not found to be statistically significant.  It is important to note, though, that individuals who did not wear the wrist splints had their grip strength decrease by 8 percent. 

This study appears to indicate that wearing a wrist splint may help you reduce your pain naturally if you are suffering from arthritis in the wrist. 

Sources:

Arthritis Foundation: Learn About Arthritis

My RA Central: Working Splints Helpful for Wrist Arthritis