Carpal tunnel help

[ShinyWorthKeeping]

I'm currently 38 weeks pregnant and for a couple of weeks I've had a bit of pain in both hands and wrists.

Today my right hand has been so much worse and I've had pins and needles since I woke up today (I've had it on and off for the while time I've had the pain in both hands)

I was just wondering if it was worth contacting my gp tomorrow or if this was something to ride out until after baby arrives and wait for it to go back to normal?

I have my section booked for next Friday. Thank you.

I had this with all 3 of my pregnancies and it can really be excruciating at times so feel your pain. I called doctor at 38 weeks in agony and they advised there was nothing they could give as ibuprofen to bring down swelling can’t be taken during pregnancy and codeine was a risky option due to effects on baby. I just had to suffer unfortunately! Do you have a wrist splint? Can offer some relief at nighttime to keep the nerve from becoming inflamed.

Thank you for your advice!

I'm actually allergic to codeine so wouldn't be able to take that anyway, I'm pretty skint until the 2nd, do you know of a Dr would provide a splint or if I'd just jave to wait it out?

This is my second pregnancy (13 years apart!) and I didn't have this in my first, I did have horrific HG though so I feel guilty complaining about anything at all this time around!

I had it in pregnancy in just one hand. Worse at night. I found that holding my hand up on the pillow next to my head helped.
As soon as I gave birth it went away as if by magic!!

I'm barely sleeping ATM but I'll try that, thank you!

If you Google 'carpal tunnel exercises NHS' there will be some median nerve gliding exercises you can try.
Try to keep your hand flat and not bend your elbow or wrist too much in your sleep.
A splint starts at about 3.99 on amazon- they all do the same thing, it's just to stop you curling your wrist up in your sleep, nothing fancier than that. You want one ideally with a metal or plastic bar reinforcing across the wrist rather than just soft neoprene.
It should resolve pretty quickly once baby arrives. Best of luck.

I got my splint from physio team as I was referred because it was so bad 😫 but when I needed a replacement I got one from Amazon for about £4. As a PP said try to keep your wrist straight as much as possible. It’s awful but not long to go now. Hope all goes well 🥰

You might find that the warm weather makes it worse .

you might find wrist splints help with pain .

you might find that it all disappears once you have the baby.

I expected it to go away, but instead had a massive increase in the pain immediately after delivery, and was in blind pain for days.

with no support or treatment or understanding from midwives on the ward.

weeks later I was still unable to feel my fingers well enough to help the baby latch, and was in such all consuming pain that I had a mental breakdown that took 2 years to recover from

what helped was guided steroid injections

and then after 9 months I had wrist surgery.

so don’t let people fob you off.