- Heat may be dry, such as a heating pad, or moist, such as moist hot packs, soaks or a hot shower.
If you find you're stiff in the morning, try sleeping under an electric blanket or on top of an electric mattress pad. Or use a hot water bottle. Don't sleep with a heating pad on--they aren't made to be on for long periods of time and you could risk a fire.
A paraffin bath can reduce pain in hands and fingers. This is a mixture of melted paraffin and mineral oil. You dip your hands in the mixture, then allow the paraffin to dry. The oil and paraffin help the heat penetrate. When the paraffin is dry, you can peel it off and melt it to use again. - To cool your joints, you can buy special gel packs to put in the freezer, use a bag of frozen vegetables or fill a zippered plastic bag with crushed ice. Place over the sore joint. Never apply ice directly to the skin--wrap the pack in a towel first.
You might also try alternating heat and cold. For aching feet or hands, try a contrast bath. Soak your hands or feet in warm water, then cold, then back to warm.
Use heat or cold packs for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Allow your skin to return to normal temperature before you switch from heat to cold. If you have poor circulation don't use cold, as it could further restrict circulation.