Hand and wrist pain is often due to arthritis, particularly if it occurs later in life, after the age of fifty. Your hands play an all-important part in every activity you engage in during every day, whether it be at work, at home or in a sport or hobby. Whether it is at your job, in the home or a favorite interest, your hands will be central to everything that you do.

Household tasks such as cooking, cleaning or even eating, can be a real problem if you have pain and stiffness in your hands and fingers. If you work in a kitchen, whether it is at home, or in a restaurant or cafe, there is enough danger without the added risk of weak or clumsy hands.

INFLAMMATION: is described as a localized reaction of tissue to injury, infection or irritation,and that is the cause of the pain in your joints. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, swelling, red coloration to the area, and sometimes loss of movement or function. We commonly think of inflammation as the painful part of arthritis.

TREATMENT: is designed to relieve pain and restore function. Various anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and diclofenac are taken to treat arthritis, although many everyday foods and supplements provide useful anti-inflammatory benefits.

You must take care not to over-use anti-inflammatory drugs. Arthritis sufferers with other medical conditions may find these drugs can have adverse reactions and exacerbate these other conditions, resulting in heart attacks, strokes or intestinal bleeding. An alternative way to get the anti-inflammatory effects is to use a cream or lotion to massage into the joint and therefore avoid ingesting the drug. It is probably onvenient to apply the cream before going to bed, as you don't have to handle anything.

Heat treatment, either in the form of warm wax or paraffin baths, or by heat from a radiant health lamp might provide relief from the pain but it won't cure the condition. It is important to maintain motion in the fingers and use the hand as successfully as possible. Alternating hot and cold treatment will help to improve the circulation and reduce the pain and stiffness.

Sometimes a cortisone injection will bring relief for a short period. Surgery is usually not advised unless these more conservative treatments fail.

Surgery to the hand is normally considered as a last resort, when all other treatments have failed to bring enough relief and freedom of movement. Sometimes the surgeon will decide to fuse the joint, by inserting a screw or a plate, which will unfortunately limit the movement in that joint.

The recovery period can be quite lengthy. I had this operation on my right wrist and it was six months before I could hit a golf ball.

DIET: Many foods are very good for arthritis and you should try to include some in your daily diet. There are many foods in your larder that provide anti-inflammatory relief for the pain and swelling and stiffness. Ginger and turmeric are particularly good.

Fish oils, which contain two Omega 3 fatty acids, called EPA and DHA, are crucial in keeping us in top form, particularly when it comes to heart and joints. Oily fish, such as sardines, tuna, mackerel and salmon are an important part of your diet, to provide Omega 3 oils, or an alternative to fish is cold pressed flax seed oil. Foods containing a lot of animal fats are best avoided, together with preservatives and sugar.

Highly processed foods, such as hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with an increase in inflammation and severe disease.

Reduce smoking, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the tissues.

Maintain the proper body weight, preferably within the parameters of the Body Mass Index, which are usually between 20-25.

Minerals, vitamins and antioxidants are vitally important. Vitamin E combined with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids has been shown to reduce the severity of the arthritis and reduce the pain. Vegetables and fruit are rich in antioxidants, a vital ingredient in a healthy diet.

Vitamin D is not present in many foods. It is an important factor in the absorption of calcium, because reduced bone density can even lead to osteoporosis. So, it's a good idea to take vitamin D supplements, but an even better idea is expose your skin to sunlight daily (always with caution), in order to force your body to produce more vitamin D.

EXERCISE: When your hands are tired and painful, the last thing you want to think about is more work but you must keep your joints moving. Joints which are not moved regularly during the day will just get stiffer and more painful. The many jobs you have to do every day will give you some degree of movement but if you can add in a few gentle exercises, say when watching TV, this will help strengthen the joints. Soak your hands in reasonably hot water and wash them gently, to boost the circulation and ease the pain and stiffness.

EXTERNAL AIDS: There are many aids available on the market, designed specifically for particular household tasks.

One small tool removes pills from various pill packs and collects them in the handle.

Difficult locks can be overcome with the aid of a key turning tool which will handle both mortice and yale keys.

You can buy a tool, with a long handle, which fits over most types of tap and will give you much stronger leverage with minimum effort.

Special Pencil and Pen Grips make writing more controllable.

Branded oedema gloves are ideal for use while at rest or during the night. They provide gentle compression which acts to reduce swelling and the pain of arthritis in the wrists and hands.

A handiplug consists of a standard three pin plug base with a looped handle to facilitate removal.

Mounted table scissors can be operated by the pressure of one hand depressing the "T" shaped handle. Once pressure is released, the scissors open automatically.

Most telephone companies supply phones designed specifically for customers with weak or stiff fingers and easy-to-operate light switches are also available.