Thumbs up: Removing truly invasive, non-native plants (japanse honeysuckle for instance.) Thumbs up: Using plants that (once established) can get by (most years) on whatever rain falls. Thumbs up: Plants that provide food and shelter for birds--and realizing that snakes and hawks gotta eat too. (One of my neighbors asked me if I'd figured out a way to keep the resident hawk from eating the birds who came to my feeders (I've never seen this happen.) Same neighbor was horrified when she learned that Fred the Black Snake had gotten the second round of cardinal nestlings that were in my Rose bush. Nature at it's finest! Thumbs down: Rubber mulch (except in a playground situation)and synthetic pinestraw. Thumbs down: Neighbors who ask me to design THEIR gardens...just becasue mine "looks so good." I could be flattered, but-- 1) I garden by "feel"--my designs are the product of trial, error, plant obsession, plantwalking, and some great guidance from THIS group. 2) I actually TAKE CARE of my garden. Neighbors in question will not. 3) My garden is built around serious hardscape--it provides the structure for what I plunk in place. The yards in question have little-to-no hardscape. melanie

http://abbottcenter.com/bostonpaintherapy/2009/06/05/thumb-and-wrist-pain-6-self-treatment-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-580 If you can afford it, PLEASE try massage with a good therapist. Look for someone who does "myofascial release" (although other techniques may worse) and has some years of experience under their belt. You can ask them on the phone straight out what their success had been with this kind of pain. The brachialis (and neighboring muscles) may be a source of your pain: http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14093 You might also check out: http://www.triggerpointbook.com (not a cure all but a helpful and very clearly written resource)! I know it sounds weird, but make sure your shoulders are not rounded too far forward--in other words, do some exercises to help bring your shoulders back (if they need to be) such as the wall angel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMb2jOE3t_Y (This will look easy, but---gently!---try to bring the full scapula, elbows, wrists, head, and bottom against the wall.) Also: do make sure you drink lots of water and consider an "anti-inflammatory" diet if you're not already on one (reduce sugar and white flour). Most of all, please keep looking for possible answers. I have a client who had migraines for 20 years. He tried everything under the sun, from western doctors to eastern to massage to homeopathy to gluten-free to etc; finally, just for "fun," he cut out refined sugar and flour and hasn't had a migraine since. As a massage therapist I hear stories like this all the time. Please don't give up!

I can't tolerate this because it gives me GI problems, but lots of docs recommend Glucosamine/chondroitin tablets or liquid. People on it say it makes their joints feel better.........but it takes a couple months to really make a difference. You're probably dealing with some osteoarthritis. Try an ice pack on it several times a day. If that doesn't help, try a heating pad. I have intermittant really bad pain in my one thumb base, and it seems to happen from the way I'm sleeping. If this is your case, you can buy a little hand/wrist splint and sleep with it on, so you can't bend your thumb during sleep. Also, my joint pains flare up when I eat too much salt or too much sugar, so you could try limiting those things.

normally no...but this week has been a killer...my lips are chapped and hurting...and my thumbs both have splits...I usually lather on Lanolin grease I got thru Amazon and sleep in gloves...that clears it up in a couple of days...Hubby ordered four huge bottles of Amlactin for Christmas...he uses it and we sent a bottle to his Mother and gave the other ones to the kids...it doesn't work for me...I got a bottle subscribed a few years ago and hubster ended up using it...Now that its on Amazon he loves it! There is a lanolin grease called Lansinoh you can find at some drugstores and also back in the baby department at Walmart...its sold for nursing mothers...lather some of that on your hands and sleep in gloves...you'll be amazed at the results! I think every one of our bodies are different and you just have to keep searching till you find what works for you!!