Nails Your Way

Safe Nail Care For Arthritis Sufferers

For years, physicians and therapists have prescribed paraffin treatments for pain relief, primarily to treat arthritis sufferers. Because the lightweight, flexible wax provides heat and softens skin, it's also ideal for use in manicures, pedicures, and facials. Many women over the age of 40 are dealing with some degree of arthritis in their hands and feet. Arthritis affects some 40 million Americans, and that number is expected to double in the next 20 years.

Arthritis is a joint disorder characterized by inflammation and the most common chronic illness in the United States, striking men, women and children. Although most people associate arthritis with aching joints, the illness consists of other symptoms as well. More than 100 different types of arthritis exists, ranging from forms resulting from wear and tear, such as osteoarthritis, to forms resulting from immune system disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause pain throughout the body. Conditions and illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease, fibromyalgia, lupus, Lyme disease and tendonitis are all related to arthritis.

For many people, arthritis is simply an annoyance that brings some local pain, stiffness, tenderness and swelling that over-the-counter analgesics and creams usually relieve. For others, it's much more severe, causing swelling, deformed joints and crippling pain that seriously affect their everyday lives.

Any disease or condition that restricts circulation in the hands and feet will have an effect on the nails. If a person's hands and fingers are swollen or twisted because of arthritis, that can cause changes in the nails as well. Arthritis treatment medications can often cause nail pitting or the formation of horizontal lines across the nail bed.

Many arthritis sufferers enjoy having manicures and pedicures under the care of a professional licensed manicurist and onyxologist. Arthritis can leave hands disfigured so having attractive nails can help offset this effect. Also, the person may be dealing with a lot of pain so providing an improved self-image is of great benefit. A dip into this warm, soothing solution leaves skin feeling rejuvenated, soft, and healthy. Paraffin surrounds the skin with a healing heat, which serves to increase circulation and open skin pores; wrinkles and age lines melt away, and dry skin is brought back to life.

Client comfort is always a top priority at Nails Your Way and for clients with arthritis this takes on an even greater importance. One of the main things I do for arthritic clients is to schedule their appointments for later in the day. They're often stiff and sore in the morning, and an afternoon appointment gives them time to loosen up. I now also offer relaxed Sunday afternoon appointments from 2-6pm, a convenience for those who prefer weekend appointments.

I'm here to help make my clients feel calm and relaxed, so anything I can do to assist them in releasing tension helps. Gentle massage of course, is a proven tension releaser. I offer multiple therapies, including warm wax treatments, gentle body, hand and foot massage and muscle stretching. These are temporary pain relievers but they are very effective in providing comfort to arthritic clients. These treatments can reduce stress, improve joint movement, relax tense muscles and stimulate blood flow. Nails Your Way offers safe therapeutic manicures and pedicures that are especially good for people with stiff hands, fingers and feet. Let Nails Your Way provide you with help in your struggle to find comfort and relief from the affects of arthritis.

Read Jeanne's Latest Monthly Article In Chapel Hill News & Views.

Nails Your Way
Jeanne Grace Curtis
5900 Orchard Road
Douglasville GA 30135-4726

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(All the way at the end of Orchard Road)

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By Appointment Only

770-949-3113