Agh Carpal Tunnel syndrome help!

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

I am 38 weeks and have had carpal tunnel for a few weeks, it's more annoying than painful. The doctor said there wasn't much they could do as there was no time to refer me to a physio.

At night now though I keep waking up with numb hands and pins and needles whichever side I lie on. Last night I woke up with one numb hand and I couldn't shift it, I tried moving my hand around, holding it up in the air, but it wouldn't go. In the end I had to give up and get up for a bit and then it shifted. I NEED my sleep!

Has anyone got any self-help tips? I can cope with it in the day but I am getting pretty fed up of waking up every hour or so with it.

All I can offer is sympathy. I had it when pregnant with DD. It went as soon as she was born, so you don't have long to wait. I am now 9 week pg so waiting for it all to start again.

Iv just started getting this in the last week or so (im 40+4) - night time i know exactly what you mean, pins and needles in the hand of the side im sleeping on, so annoying and just another thing to add onto the list of things to stop us sleeping!

I keep getting it in the day as well - like when im eating, holding the fork in my right hand always ends up making my hand go all weak and then pins and needles start. strange. but i think were just stuck with it until baby arrives which for me looks like never! :(

When I had it with my last pregnancy I wore a splint at night which helped a lot.

A local chemist should stock one..

running it under cold water for a few minutes helps a bit though when I have to do it at 6am it does have the effect of waking me up so getting back to sleep is hard.

I agree with the splint idea - have had this for ages (before pregnant too). A splint that holds your wrist rigid might really help, if you have it in both wrists it does mean you look a bit like a robot so it's sexy sexy all the way!!!

I only had it for the last few weeks of pregnancy. That and heart burn kept me awake most nights.

I got splints from the GP's which did help. But as soon as DS was born it disappeared.
x

I've developed this over the past few eeks (am 38 weeks too!) and my mum has had it for years (don't know how she copes now I've felt what it is like). She has advised me to wear the splints all night and it is a massive help. Mine can be quite painful and sometimes mean I can't do things - DH had to cut up my dinner for me last night! Boots sell the splints at 17 quid each. They are awful to wear all night but will stop waking you up.

Another thing you can do is to plunge your hands into cold water in order to reduce the swelling as that is what causes it.

You could also try these exercises.

Just hope it goes soon after the baby is here!

Thanks everyone and thanks for the link to the exercises. I am too cheap to buy the splints! I know the day I give in and buy them will be the day I go in to labour .

I will try the cold water thing too.

If you can afford it (as opposed to not wanted to spend the money) I would strongly advise buying the splits. They might stop it getting worse, and aid recover afterwards.

You might be able to get them free from you midwife (you could in our area, only not in my size :(

I know how horrid this is....

Katy

Do you think doctor could prescribe them - if so we'd get them free.

I had this with DD and still get it now and then.

I used to have to get up and iron in the middle of the night.

What helped? You can get splints from yr Gp which did help me, should be able to get those in a few days surely?

Putting hands in hot and cold water; sleeping with hands outside bed so I didn't lie on them; errrrmm

You need the splints really. I am sure I got mine for free

I still use them if it gets bad again.

I got free splints from the physio at our GP surgery - didn't even need to see her, she just left them at receiptoin for me.

Just posted a CTS question. Didn't read this far down the list. Had a look at those exercises so will give them a go. Also will prob have a word with my gp

Hello, I had carpal tunnel syndome with dd1 from about 32 weeks, referred to physio but was almost too late to do a lot about it. I was offered splints but didn't use them, I found them awkward. My physio recommended heat/cold pads, obviously you can freeze them or warm them up in microwave, I found that heating them up really helped.

Just a quick word of warning, my midwife told me pain would get better almost immediately after babys birth, it took 3-4 months for it to competely go, on a more positive note it didn't reoccur in two subsequent pregnancies, well it hasn't as yet in this one Good luck