Geriatric joints - feels like I have arthritis in my hands

[CaringForPod]

Hello,

Any fellow premature geriatrics out there? Over the last couple of weeks, my hands have got really stiff and it's getting painful to even hold a pen and write. I also get pins and needles in my hands throughout the day and night.

The lovely midwife standing in for the regular one told me I just needed to have the baby. Very helpful.

I've read about Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, is there anything that can be done to ease the pain?

Not sure how I'll cope with another 10 weeks of this...Well, obviously I'll cope, because it'll all be worth it, but it's really starting to get me down.

[Oneof4]

Hi

Same as me. Keeping your hands cool rather than hot is the only thing I've found that eases it a little, but no cure. Frozen peas!

[CaringForPod]

Yeah, cold plunges help slightly but arrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhh is all I can say really!

[MummyWilliams]

Hi! Yes it definately sounds like carpal tunnel. I have it and have had it in previous pregnancies from around 17 weeks, currently 29 weeks. You can get splints for each wrist which are supplied from the physio department at your hospital. Your midwife or GP will need to make these arrangements for you. You wear the splints at night time to alleviate the very irritating symptoms. Sometimes I keep my splints on in the morning for a few hours, just til I get going. It will go away completely within a couple of weeks of birth

I hope this helps.

[CaringForPod]

Thanks MummyWilliams. I'm seeing the midwife on Wednesday and will talk to her about it then. The pain is pretty much unbearable this morning - am typing one fingered like a bit of a numpty! Just bending my fingers slightly hurts...

[ecuse]

Oh I have just the same thing. The wrist splints don't seem to help me at all. I have booked another appointment with the physio who gave me them to see if there's anything else I can do, but it's not for 2 weeks (!!).

I was getting used to the numbness, but the cumulative effect of 15-odd weeks of it is 'geriatric hands'. Stiff joints, no strentgh of grip. My fingers are starting to get 'clicky' - when I wake up its as though the joints are on a ratchet and I can only (painfully) move them in notches rather than in a smooth movement. My thumb is particularly weak and painful. Sleeping is the worst, though. On Saturday night I had to get up and stay up for an hour or so to get enough blood back into my hands to stop them aching.

As far as I know there isn't anything we can do, but I'll be watching this thread with interest to see if anyone has any good tips. Frozen peas is a good idea, as I've been running my hands under a cold tap a lot. Doesn't help with the symptoms much in the long term, but just feels lovely at the time I'm doing it. My MIL has arthritis in her hands and says her doctor told her to soak them in warm water several times a day and/or to rest them on a hot water bottle as often as possible to relieve pain, so I'm going to try that.

[ecuse]

Oh great I killed the thread with my whingeing!

[Bucharest]

Keep away from tomatoes and oranges as well.

I am ancient and creaky and really notice a difference in my wrists and fingers if I eat a lot of that sort of thing. Aubergines as well.

[CaringForPod]

Nothing personal ecuse!

I'm off to the midwife tomorrow so will see what she says. Hands are still bloody painful, so will give wrist splints a go even if they don't do anything really. I'm getting pretty desperate!

Thanks for the tips Bucharest. I'll give it a go, although I love oranges and tomatoes. Oh, and aubergines.

[MummyWilliams]

ecuse I find anything cold on them makes them worse, especially when I have the numbness/pins & needles - it almost feels like its burning if I run the cold water on them.

caringfor good luck for tomorrow. Let us know how you get on.

[CaringForPod]

Midwife has referred me to phsyio, so fingers crossed. Well, I would cross them if they didn't hurt so much...