Finding relief…

Someone recently asked me if I wrote an “advice blog”.

The answer is NOPE.

As My Joints turn is more of a journal of living with chronic illness and debilitating pain. I share my experience with doctors, medication, treatments, and daily life. I am not a medical professional, so any “advice” I give would be based on my own experience, and not a blanket statement. That said, I decided in 2023, that I would be making it a point to find ways to manage my pain better.

Before continuing, this is not a paid review. I purchase this product on my own and have not been asked to do a review for this product.

That said, I decided to take advantage of my flex spending bank account and invested in some devices to help alleviate my pain. The first item I got was heat and compression boots to help with circulation and pain relief. Years ago, I broke my leg and after physical therapy, my PT would put my legs in compression boots and it ended up being the best 20 minutes of my day. I still work full time and by the time I get home, my joints are painful and my calves and feet are horribly swollen. I did a bit of research and found an FSA (able to be purchased through my flex spending funds) eligible compression boot kit. I purchased the Shine Well Massager with Heat Compression from Amazon.

I admit, I was ridiculously excited when it arrived. The cost was $199 but I was able to get a $30 promo code from Amazon. Pricey, but after trying it today, totally worth it. I initially felt like the boots were too large, but once they fully engage for compression, they fit perfectly. The booths have three levels of intensity. My legs are in a lot of pain right now, so the max intensity was too intense. I felt a lot of relief with the mid levels of both compression and heat. The device automatically turns off at the 20 minute mark. Initially, I was regretting getting the full length boots in the beginning, but again, once the device fully inflated for compression, there was no issue. The best part, is the compression was even from my feet to my thighs. I still need to play around with the settings to find the perfect levels but my first experience was awesome. It is slightly noisy, but I could still watch TV without issue.

The device is easy to use, has a carrying bag for storage, and is fairly easy to put on and store. I’m calling this purchase a win. The only one who didn’t like it was my dog b/c I wouldn’t let her take a nap on my lap. ….don’t worry. I gave in. She seemed to enjoy the heat.

My experience was so good, that I invested in a back massager and a neck/shoulder massager. My goal is to begin walking again. Prior to medications failing, I was walking 5 miles at least 4 days a week….then my body fell apart. I’m determined to find some pain relief to make walking less painful. Wish me luck.