5 Home Remedies to Treat Stiffness in Your Hands

Although these remedies could be a huge help to alleviate stiffness in your hands, it's very important that you complement them with other healthy habits that help calm your pain.

Reviewed and approved by the pharmacist Lourdes Martínez.

Written by Carolina Betancourth

Last update: 09 October, 2022

Stiffness in your hands is a condition that arises from the fatigue that occurs in your joints over time.

It usually comes about as a product of arthritis, an inflammatory problem that is characterized by the progressive wearing away of the cartilage that joins one bone with another.

It can also appear as a consequence of sedentariness, nutrient deficiencies or trauma from an accident.

This ailment can appear in a mild form, but can also be so severe that the affected person feels incapable of doing many of their daily duties.

Fortunately, there are various natural remedies that, because of their properties, reduce its severity to calm pain and reestablish your hand movement.

Keep reading because we’re going to share in detail the 5 best remedies so that you don’t hesitate to try them the next time you have this problem.

Take note!

1. Willow Bark

Willow bark tea is an anti-inflammatory remedy and antioxidant that can improve your circulation to reduce the stiffness and tension in your hands.

Consuming it every day relaxes your joints and can help prevent cartilage deterioration, which protects your joints.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of willow bark (5 g)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

Preparation

• Add the willow bark to a cup of boiling water.
• Cover it and let it cool down for 10 minutes.
• Strait it with a strainer and throw out the rest of the willow bark.

Method of Consumption

• Drink one cup of this tea per day, preferably mid-morning.

Note: Avoid this drink if you’re allergic to aspirin or if you’re taking blood thinners.

2. Celery Seeds

The diuretic properties in celery seeds help eliminate the liquids your body retains, a factor related to pain and stiffness in your hands.

Their essential nutrients regulate the levels of electrolytes and help control inflammatory processes. 

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of celery seeds (5 g)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

Preparation

• Add the celery seeds to a cup of boiling water and cover it.
• Let it sit for 10 minutes and filter it with a strainer.

Method of Consumption

• Drink two or tree cups of this tea per day.

3. Apple Vinegar and Salt

Apple vinegar and salt baths are an external remedy that can help reduce inflammation that causes stiffness in your hands and wrists.

Applying it relaxes your muscles, improves circulation and calms feelings of tension. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar (30 ml)
• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g)
• 2 cups of water (500 ml)

Preparation

• Pour the apple vinegar and salt in a bowl.
• Heat the water and, without bringing it to a boil, add it hot on top of the vinegar and salt.
• Stir it all so that it’s mixed well.

Method of Application

• Test the temperature and submerge your hands for 10 or 15 minutes.
• Move your hands as if you were grabbing and releasing a ball.
• Repeat this at least 3 times a week.

4. Fenugreek Seeds

Fenugreek seeds contain essential fatty acids, vitamin E and amino acids that help strengthen your joints to prevent and treat stiffness.

These nutrients, as well as their anti-inflammatory effects, calm the difficulty from moving your hand and prevent inflammation.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds (5 g)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

Preparation

• Add the fenugreek seeds to a cup of boiling water.
• Cover it and let it cool for a few hours.
• After the few hours have passed, when it’s cold, filter it with a strainer.

Method of Consumption

• Drink the tea mid-morning and, if it’s necessary, repeat it in the afternoon.
• Drink it for at least 2 months.

5. Honey and Cinnamon

The anti-inflammatory remedy of honey and cinnamon helps combat the symptoms of arthritis, including tension and stiffness in your hands.

Their antioxidant properties protect your joints from deterioration caused by free radicals, particularly those that speed up the aging process.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of honey (25 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (2 g)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml) (optional)

Preparation

• Combine the honey with the ground cinnamon until you have a uniform paste.

Method of Consumption

• Drink it in the morning before breakfast, alone or diluted in a cup of water.
• Repeat this remedy every day until your symptom is relieved.

So you feel stiffness in your hands and can’t move them very well? Don’t hesitate, try these natural remedies as a compliment to your routine and treatments to alleviate your ailment.