6 Ways Self-Love Will Help You Crush Your Goals
From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
Under the Microscope: Arthritis
Arthritis is a painful inflammation of the joints that limits everyday activities.
by Staff
March 20, 2013
3 min to read
What is it? Arthritis is characterized by painful, inflamed joints. While there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, the most common form is osteoarthritis, which is due to either damage caused by trauma or general wear and tear. Other forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are a result of an overactive immune system. For many, arthritis is a painful condition that severely limits simple, everyday activities, such as putting on socks, climbing stairs, or cutting food. Over time, arthritis can severely disfigure the joints.
How do you get it? Arthritis occurs when the cartilage that surrounds a joint is damaged. Damage can come from trauma, such as an injury, or it can be degenerative, which nearly always comes with age. Cartilage surrounds each of our joints, and it acts as a shock absorber to keep the joint mobile and give it a smooth range of motion. When the cartilage begins to wear away, the mobility of the joint is compromised. The body tries to compensate by producing a substance called “synovial fluid” that lubricates the joint. The problem is that the area surrounding the joint becomes swollen with fluid, which can restrict motion.
How is it treated? There’s no cure for arthritis, though treatment exists to help sufferers compensate for the pain and maintain or resume normal daily activities. Treatment can come from over-the-counter medications or from prescriptions, such as cortisone creams, or in the form of natural supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin. Oral, over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), and Aleve (naproxen) are often a client’s first line of attack. Topical treatments can also relieve arthritis pain. Bengay, Biofreeze, and many other over-the-counter creams, gels, and lotions are available. Exercise is also recommended to help sufferers maintain and possibly even expand their range of motion.
What can a tech do? A tech can provide a service that offers comfort to those suffering with arthritis pain. Offer to wrap clients’ hands in warm, wet towels or dip their hands in a paraffin bath. Gently massage the hands, focusing on the joints of the fingers and wrist. If your client is open to it, use a moisturizing lotion that contains ingredients that provide natural relief for aches and pain. Artificial nail services may eventually cause pain to clients with progressive arthritis, as techs hold the fingers near the joint and rotate the digit back and forth during shaping. If a tech suspects she is causing discomfort, she may want to suggest the client opt for natural nail services, which still leave hands and nails looking beautiful, but are more gentle during maintenance visits.
What else? Clients who suffer from arthritis may want to meet with a physical therapist to create a personalized plan that will take into account such things as job functions and the level of degeneration and loss of mobility. The therapist may even suggest orthotics to help support joints. Recommended exercise routines begin with stretching exercises and add strength-building techniques as the client’s pain and mobility improve. Exercises in the pool seem to help, since the resistance is gentle, and the warmth of the water provides soothing relief.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Wellness
The Invisible Hazard in Every Nail Salon and How to Fight It
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Nail Safety Council Warns Holiday Shoppers About Toxic 'Magic' Gel Polish Removers
Products marketed as 'magic' or 'burst' gel removers may contain methylene chloride, a federally banned, highly toxic chemical.
How Beauty Pros Can Prevent Pain: Somatic Movement for Career Longevity
Working in beauty doesn’t have to hurt. Learn how Somatic Movement helps hairstylists, lash artists, and other beauty pros release tension, improve posture, and extend their careers.
Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks
As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.
Federal Research on Nail Salon Safety Concludes Due to Budget Reductions
A federal initiative aimed at studying chemical exposure in nail salons has ended due to staffing and budget changes. Here’s what the project set out to do—and what its conclusion means for salon professionals.
by Anne Moratto
Opinion: What You Need to Know About Pedicure Safety
For many people, a pedicure is a relaxing beauty ritual. But what most don’t realize is that this simple service, if done without proper hygiene and sanitation, can cause serious infections and long-term health issues.
Onycholysis: What Nail Pros Should Know About Nail Separation
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. While it may look painful, it typically isn’t—at least not at first. But without proper care, this common nail disorder can lead to infections, deformities, and long-term damage.
What to Say--or Not Say--to Someone Grieving
Mckenzie Kool, Psychologist, MC, RPsych provides us with guidance on what may or not be helpful in speaking with someone who has suffered a significant loss.
Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections
Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).
Beauty Professionals, It's Time to Take the Green Pledge
As Earth Day approaches, The Green Beauty Community Foundation and the Green Spa Network invite beauty pros to step forward and embrace sustainability through the Green Pledge--a powerful initiative designed by and for beauty industry leaders.
How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine's Day
Don’t cancel Valentine’s Day altogether, urges Jill Palmquist. Instead, think of it as a (frilly, flowery, Champagne-bubbly) wake-up call to fall deeply in love with your own life.
Temporary Burnout or Time to Hang Up the Shears?
Life coach and Culture Ambassador of Sam Villa, Andrew Carruthers, outlines how to tell if your burnout is temporary - or if it's time to make a bigger career change.
Nail Care and Cancer Treatment: 6 Tips for a Safe Nail Service
Cancer treatment can create very specific challenges for your guest when it comes to hair, skin, and also nails. Here are some tips for working with your salon client who is going through cancer treatment to help you provide a relaxing, enjoyable, and also safe experience.
Sun Patch Protects Hands from Sun Damage
For those clients concerned about exposure from UV lamps, the Sun Patch might be a solution. Sun Patches are waterproof, reusable (up to 10 wears) block 98% of UVA/UVB rays, and maintain their UPF 50+ rating all day long.
by Anne Moratto
The Nail Doctor: Onycholysis, or Nail Separation, Has Different Varieties
One of the most common conditions that affects the nail is onycholysis, which is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. Onycholysis occurs as a result of or along with a great variety of nail traumas and disorders. Probably the most common cause of onycholysis is a fungal infection of the nail.
Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity
Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.