How to Alleviate Hand Pain With a Hot Wax Treatment
Hand pain can come from a variety of causes, but arthritis is one of the most common. According to MedicineNet, this pain can often be relieved by coating the hands in hot wax each morning and letting them take in the heat for up to 20 minutes before you remove them. You can perform this treatment at home using a crock pot and a block of wax by following these simple steps.
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Instructions
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Purchase a block of paraffin wax. You can normally find it at pharmacies or medical supply stores or in the canning section of your local grocery store. It should have a minimum melting point of 125 degrees F.
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Heat the wax in a crock pot until it melts and reaches a comfortable temperature. Then turn off the crock pot. The wax should feel very warm on your skin, but it shouldn't be hot enough to burn you. According to Arthritis Insight, this is usually around 125 degrees F. You can also use a special heating unit that is made especially for home hot wax treatments.
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Dip each hand into the heated wax until it is immersed up to the wrist. Keep your fingers spread out so they can be completely coated. Remove your hand(s) and wait until they stops dripping, then submerge them again. Repeat this procedure up to ten times for each hand to ensure you get a thick coat of wax.
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Wrap each hand in plastic wrap or cover it with a plastic bag to retain the heat as long as possible. After the wax cools, remove it from your hand. This will usually happen within 15 to 20 minutes. Peel off the wax and then return it to the crock pot so you can remelt it and reuse it the following day. Simply cover the pot and store it with the solid wax inside until you are ready to use it again.
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Tips & Warnings
Besides treating hand pain, hot wax treatments are beneficial for your skin. You will notice increased softness after each hot wax treatment.
Make sure the wax is not too hot or you can burn yourself.
