DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a professional saxophonist. Music is both my vocation and my avocation so you can understand how disturbed I am by the onset of osteoarthritis in my hands. I’ve been advised to use hot paraffin baths to ward off this condition; however, no one seems able to tell me for how long or how often. The arthritis is clearly getting worse. It now affects more of my fingers and a wider area than before.
Can you please advise specifically how to use the paraffin bath and any other preventive measures of which you are aware? By the way, I am a male, 66 years old, in excellent health. I exercise every day and eat sensibly.
DEAR READER: Paraffin works to soothe dry skin and painful joints by warming and hydrating the [Read more...]