My husband (non-RA) has newly discovered doing a few minutes of cold after a hot shower. He says it takes away all his aches & pains. I wouldn't do it, because cold anything makes we hurt worse, but I have definitely seen an improvement in him after beginning to do it. He found several videos on Youtube about the subject.

I don't plunge my whole body but I do soak my hands and feet in ice water, usually only 1-3 mins when needed, maybe 1x per week. It does help alleviate my pain quickly. I am working on building up enough courage to do a whole-body plunge. I think that it would do wonders for my back and hip pain. I will say that it is very different than dealing with cold weather. I'm not sure how to describe it but I find that when the cold weather is here my joints are definitely stiffer and more painful but when I use the sauna for 30 mins and then soak my hands and feet for just a few mins and it's amazing.

The videos he watched said to start slow and build up. I believe he started with 10 seconds, he is now up to 1.5 minutes a day. The video (by a doctor) also said not to go over 11 minutes a week.

This has been suggested for me but I am finding it really difficult to turn off the hot water! Maybe I should try again 🤔

If I lived in a house I would have a sauna and an ice plunge. My acupuncturist has a teeny piece of property and he just got an ice plunge for $150. I use to do sweat lodges and/or saunas and jump into cold streams. I went wo hot water for about 6 months. I did a cold shower and washed my hair every day. I felt so much better, mentally and physically. I am trying to build up by slowly ending shower with turning hot water off little by little. It does help. Try it. Tony Robbins does an ice plunge every morning.