Carpal tunnel

[FebBabyNo1]

Is anyone else suffering?

I had mild symptoms pre-pregnancy anyway, but WOW has it really ramped up in the third trimester.

I was referred to physio who gave me splints to wear. I do wear them but the velcro is so itchy and irritates the skin on my wrists.

It's getting to the point now where my thumbs go completely numb while doing daily activities and the constant pain in my wrists is really getting me down and massively affecting sleep.

Physio will re-refer once baby is born (I'm nearly 36 weeks) as I'm likely to continue with some symptoms.

I'm just hoping someone can offer some positive support that it does get better after birth!

Look up de quervain's tenosynovitis. I thought I had carpal tunnel but turned out to be this. Got it around 32 weeks pregnant. I’m now 22 weeks pp and still not fantastic. I’ve had a steroid injection in to one of my wrists and due to get the other one soon. Just incase it matches your symptoms better. It’s very painful!

So sorry to hear that OP- I also had issues with carpal tunnel during pregnancy (although I didn’t have any symptoms pre-pregnancy). It completely disappeared after my baby was born (I completely forgot about it in the newborn haze until I saw my unused splints sitting around). I also got some not expensive splints online which weren’t itchy at all if you’re able to try some others? Maybe speak to your physio but my Pilates teacher recommended still putting some weight on my wrists and a few exercises. Congratulations on your pregnancy and hope you feel better soon

@BabyC21 I've never heard of that - thank you for sharing - and sorry to hear you're still suffering.

I love that it, along with CT, both become more severe in pregnancy and then say that lifting babies can affect it. How kind mother nature is, ha!

I will mention this to my physio and see what they say.

Thanks again and I hope yours is sorted for you soon!

@MsSquishy thank you so much for your reply and I'm so glad you were relieved of symptoms once your beautiful baby was born.

Are you able to recommend the splints you ordered? They are definitely helping but the ones from the physio aren't particularly rigid and definitely causing itchiness and irritations!

Thank you again

I sympathise OP. It’s grim. My carpal tunnel largely disappeared within 24 hours of giving birth if that helps. I found the splints they gave me impossible to wear so I made my own out of curtain rail of all things which were much lighter but kept my hands straight in my sleep

@Fiftythreepercent oh I'm so glad to hear that yours mostly disappeared once your baby was here!

The splints aren't fantastic, if I'm honest. I completely understand they have to keep costs down and go for a 'one size fits all' approach, but I think I'll be looking elsewhere for some. I just wish I was as creative as you are at making them!

It wasn’t really that creative. You’re just looking for something to keep your hands and fingers straight. Thinking back a short ruler would probably do it just taped to your hand then held in place with a bandage or whatever

Or will just buy an actual working product from the internet

Hi OP, I bought mine a couple of years ago but these look the same, from the same brand: actesso.co.uk/product/breathable-wrist-support
Good luck!

I had carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy - one day it was so bad I had to ask my OH to brush my hair as I could barely move my hands! Totally went away post birth - hopefully yours will too!

Can you wear long sleeves under the wrist supports? I and it in my last pregnancy, but didn't know about the supports at the time, it went though as soon as I gave birth

I wish I had some advice for you, however I was only diagnosed with this a few days ago at 26 weeks. I wake up every morning with such fat swollen fingers and painful hands. My midwife said it should go away once I've had the baby.
In the meantime I'm still trying to find the best splints to wear overnight, although my wrists and hands are now feeling incredibly weak when I try to lift anything

@MsSquishy that's brilliant, thank you. Will definitely get ordering!

@Fleur405 oh it's just gross, isn't it? So glad yours cleared up so quickly!

@annlee3817 I tried wearing sleeves the other night but the night sweats got me, haha! Ouch, can't have been fun going through that without splints, though!

@Lauren0902 haha the chubby fingers are not the one! It's horrible how weak they make you but hopefully you can find some good supports.

argh I suffered so badly with this in my pregnancy with my little girl and NOTHING helped at all. I cried with the pain sometimes and the lack of sleep... oh man the lack of sleep 😂😂 literally all stopped as soon as she was born though. hope you get some relief

Quick tip for splints. Buy some stretchy tubular bandage such as that used for ankles and cut to size and put under splints with a hole cut out for your thumb. It stops the sweating and itching in my experience. I used to end up with v sore red skin because of the material in the splints but this stopped it completely. It is the only way I can tolerate them at night and they really do make a massive difference so worth persevering. Good luck

@santaclawzz just back from a midwife app and she said much the same - sadly, you just have to get through it.

Still, good preparation for being up all night with baby!

@flapjackfairy that is SUCH a good idea! Thank you thank you thank you! I'm trying this tonight

Like a previous poster has said, I thought I had this but it’s De Quervains. It’s awful. Im 39 weeks and been in agony since around 32. Some days worse than others, the cold makes it worse. You might find if it’s concentrated on your thumb that’s what it is, instead of Carpal. I sympathise though as regardless both are awful. Take some paracetamol and try to rest as much as possible. Not easy I know though!