Frozen joints

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AngelaRenee

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Along with many other symotoms of ALS/PLS/MND my mother is experiencing weak legs and hands. When she is cold it seems her hands especially freeze. I massage them and try to loosen them up she wants me to. Does anyone have the same issue? I have thought about getting her some heat activated hand warmer packets.
 
Angela,

Yes cold affects my joints and muscles. Legs get stiffer, hands get stiffer and both get cold. Icy cold. I use a heating pad.
It's my best friend. Never though of hand warmers. Think I will try that too!
 
If I get chilled,my right hand which is affected more Is like ice.Getting in cold bed seem to have same affect on my legs, bought mattress heating pad,much better.
 
You can rest your hands on microwavable heating pads (available unscented or herbal) from comfortbags.com (these hold the heat the longest of those we have tried). We also use them in bed against the ribs, hip or whatever hurts. Of course, you can use electric ones but these work best for us.

The low voltage heated mattress pad is also indispensable. We preheat it before bed and I turn it down later.
 
Be careful with any heating pad that they don't get too hot for your cold limbs... I have such frozen feet I've used the heating pad, warm water,, massage, microwavable aromatherapy pads (wonderful!), heating pad and electric blanket...
 
My husband's feet sometimes were ice cold, even with socks. Massage really helped. Doesn't have to be for long periods. Just to get the blood circulating for a while.
 
I'm using so many heating devices to keep my husband warm. I have an electric blanket on top and did have one underneath, but the wires that run thru it were bothering him. With the mattress heaters is this a concern? I may try one if they don't have the wires.
 
microwavable beaded pillows work great for my stiff muscles. my neck gets sore and tight and my legs and hands cramp when it is cold.
be careful to follow directions to avoid burns especially with PALS with limited communiction
 
Thank you all, I will try a few different things for her.
 
I have Raynauds disease along with ALS so I use the chemical hand warmers and toe warmers all the time and wear Smartwool socks even in the house. It's a challenge to keep my right hand and foot warm and have thought about getting rechargeable foot/hand warmers.
 
You don't want to have an electric blanket underneath anyone -- they are not made for that and the wires could bend/break and cause a fire. But with a low voltage mattress pad, the wires are not felt under the fitted sheet and they are designed for that use.

All electric blankets are not created equal in terms of feeling the wires, either -- the one we have that works well and is very warm is called "soft heat."

We use massage/RoM exercises as well.
 
I'm using so many heating devices to keep my husband warm. I have an electric blanket on top and did have one underneath, but the wires that run thru it were bothering him. With the mattress heaters is this a concern? I may try one if they don't have the wires.
The wiring in heated mattress pads vary. Some have coarse wires and some are so fine that you can't detect them. I have one of the latter but was not able to find one in Canada. I had to buy it in the US. The brand is Soft Heat and I bought it through Amazon. I would recommend getting a low voltage type for safety and avoid anything from Sunbeam. My feet and legs sometimes get icy cold and they take a long time to warm in bed, even with the mattress pad heater although it certainly helps. I blame it on having poor circulation because i am on getting no exercise at all. I spend my waking time in a scooter and although can stand, I'm not able to walk.

I think the combination of an electric blanket on top and a mattress pad heater below would solve most cold feet and leg problems.
 
Also gentle slow Range Of Motion exercises help keep joints moving. Does she have a physical therapist that can show you how?
 
I would suggest wearing a pair of light, cotton or leather gloves in the house if her hands are always cold. Works wonders for me.
 
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