3 easy ways to reduce hand pain and swelling

Try reducing hand pain naturally, first

Hand pain and hand inflammation are conditions that many people deal with on a daily basis.  And before you take another medication that is supposed to "reduce" your hand pain or swelling (often with toxic side effects...to your body and wallet), try these easy, free, and natural tips on how to reduce your hand pain today.

1. Drink anti-inflammatory teas 

An easy hack to reduce hand pain and inflammation is to start drinking teas with anti-inflammatory properties.  These teas contain powerful plant compounds, known as phytochemicals, that can prevent or reduce oxidative damage to your cells and reduce inflammation in your body and joints.

Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, certain plants (and teas) may also relieve pain that is often caused by inflammation.  It's also believed that these teas can help manage certain diseases that are triggered by inflammation.

In addition to anti-inflammatory properties, these teas often include other health-boosting attributes, like anti-oxidants.  We included a detailed explanation about how each tea helps at the end of this blog.

Try an anti-inflammatory tea sampler set.

Anti-Inflammatory Teas:

• Ginger

• Green

• Rose Hip

• Nettle Leaf

• Turmeric

• Tulsi (Holy Basil)

• Fennel

2. Use an ergonomic cup. 

It can reduce hand strain, hand pain, and spills. And, lead to drinking more fluids!

Most people don't realize that holding a cup, especially a traditional teacup or coffee mug with a small handle, puts an extreme amount of pressure and strain on one's fingers, thumb, and wrist.  This leads to increased hand pain, which leads to our avoiding picking up the cup.  Hence, many people, especially people with hand pain, are chronically under-hydrated.  

This is an easy problem to solve. Just start using a comfortable or ergonomic cup.  

Try a ZenGrip Mug.  The ZenGrip Mug is an ergonomic mug designed to reduce hand strain and pressure from the thumb, wrist, and fingers.  It's been featured on the TODAY SHOW, in Forbes, and in the WSJ.  It's ceramic, is microwave- and dishwasher-safe, is made in USA, and comes with free returns.  Not surprised why we highly recommend it.

Learn more about ZenGrip Mug

3. Drink more water! (7-12 cups per day)

Staying properly hydrated is an easy and very effective way to reduce your hand pain.

Being properly hydrated does 2 things:

• Reduces inflammation in your joints and body

• Hydrates your synovial fluid, which is the joint lubricating fluid

Synovial fluid is the lubricating fluid of your hand joints that also delivers important nutrients to your joints.   When you're dehydrated, there is less water in synovial fluid, thus reducing its lubricating ability and its ability to deliver nutrients. 

In addition, being dehydrated leads to inflammation throughout your body and joints.  Inflammation directly leads to an increase in joint pain.

Did you know?  According to the National Council on Aging and UCLA, upwards of 40% of older adults are chronically dehydrated.

What makes the teas so great

Ginger: 
Over 50 different antioxidant compounds have been identified in ginger. Many of them minimize the production of cytokines, which are pro-inflammatory substances in your body.

In a 12-week study in people with diabetes, taking 1,600 mg of ginger each day reduced fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammatory blood markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), compared with a placebo.
Similarly, taking 1,000 mg of ginger daily for 3 months significantly lowered inflammatory markers in people with osteoarthritis.

Still, these studies used high doses of ginger — not ginger tea. Therefore, it’s unclear whether drinking ginger tea would have the same effects.

Green Tea:
The health-promoting compounds in green tea are called polyphenols, of which epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most potent.

EGCG has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve some of the flare-ups associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

In a 56-day study in people with ulcerative colitis who didn’t respond to conventional medication, treatment with an EGCG-based medication improved symptoms by 58.3%, compared with no improvements in the placebo group.
Green tea also seems to reduce inflammation-driven conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and even certain cancers

Rose Hips:
Packed with antioxidants, including beta carotene and vitamins C and E (14).  Rose hips contain phenolic compounds, which are powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants that protect your cells from damage.

Studies show that rosehip powder reduces pain and other symptoms related to rheumatoid arthritis by limiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine chemicals.

Rose hips also contain healthy fat compounds like triterpenoic acids, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and betulinic acid. These inhibit the cox-1 and cox-2 enzymes, which trigger inflammation and pain.

Nettle Leaf:
Nettle may help flush harmful bacteria from the urinary tract. This can benefit people who have urinary conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 
 
Nettle has historically been used to treat pain and sore muscles, especially related to arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation suggests that nettle tea may also reduce the inflammation and pain association with osteoarthritis.
 
Nettle has shown some promising effects on blood glucose levels. It may help the pancreas make or release more insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar.

In a 2013 study, nettle leaf extract lowered blood glucose and A1C in a group of people with type 2 diabetes who were taking insulin as well as oral diabetes medications.

Nettle is high in plant chemicals called polyphenols. A review of the research on polyphenols suggests that these powerful compounds may play a role in the prevention and management of chronic diseases related to inflammation, such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.

In particular, polyphenols from nettle extract have shown some exciting potential for treating breast cancer and prostate cancer. Plants like nettle also contain potent antioxidants, which are substances that protect the body from aging and cell damage.
 
Turmeric:
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, a yellow compound known for its many health benefits. It reduces inflammation and pain by interrupting some of the pathways that lead to this condition.

Turmeric and curcumin have been studied for their effects on chronic inflammatory illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and heart disease. They may also relieve arthritic joint pain and muscle soreness after exercise — both of which are caused by.

In a 6-day study in people with pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis, taking 1,500 mg of curcumin in divided doses 3 times daily significantly reduced pain and improved physical function, compared with a placebo.

Another study in 20 active men showed that taking 400 mg of curcumin reduced muscle soreness and muscle damage after exercise, compared with a placebo.  However, these studies used large doses of concentrated curcumin, so it’s unclear whether drinking turmeric tea would have the same effect.
 
Tulsi (Holy Basil):
Referred to as an adaptogenic herb in alternative medicine, holy basil is thought to help your body counter emotional, environmental, and metabolic stress. These are often the root causes of inflammation that lead to chronic disease.

Both animal and human studies have found that holy basil has anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels

Compounds in the leaves and seeds of the holy basil plant may also reduce uric acid levels, alleviating the pain that results from inflammatory conditions like gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Some of holy basil’s compounds fight inflammation by inhibiting the cox-1 and cox-2 enzymes, which produce inflammatory compounds and trigger pain, swelling, and inflammation.