Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[FlyOnTheWall89]

I'm over 33 weeks now and recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Any advice on how to relieve it? I have tried a splint type support but find it disturbs my sleep even more tbh. Also worried that if it doesn't go immediately after birth, I won't be able to pick up the baby at night because at the moment, I can't even lift a pillow or move the duvet without real pain down my thumbs and inner wrists. Any experience of this? Thank you.

Hi,

I really struggled with carpal tunnel syndrome but more after pregnancy. I had steroid injections which relieved the symptoms - I don’t know if they are possible when pregnant.

Ultimately I had the surgery which for me was life changing.

33 weeks here too with carpal tunnel in both wrists. My midwife said that it will go back to normal after delivery and I sincerely hope she's right!

She told me to do hand stretches and to try hang in there 😐 so it doesn't sound like too much we can do tbh. It's rubbish

I'm sorry you have this troubling you.
I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during my second pregnancy.
It resolved completely when I had my baby.
Love and best wishes to you.

I had this during my first pregnancy. It resolved as soon as I gave birth and didn't recur in subsequent pregnancies. I did find the splints helped but I agree they're not very comfortable.

A few sessions with a good physical therapist might help.

I've got this too. I'm 22 weeks and had it in all 5 pregnancies. I keep waking up with both hands completely numb. They randomly go numb at other times too. Mine resolves after pregnancy pretty much. My wrists and hands are a bit weak sometimes but nothing like this. So hopefully it will be ok after you have the baby.

Same

I had this for the first time in my first pregnancy and it went after birth, although it did take a couple of months. However, with my second it didn’t go. I lost a lost of weight a couple of years after giving birth and it went with that but then returned. I had to have carpal tunnel release surgery on my right hand back in March last year (almost 6 years after my second child) and was waiting 6 weeks for my left hand. I then found out I was pregnant again so put off having the surgery. This time it has been pretty bad but it’s my left hand so can make do at the moment but will need the surgery at some point.

It’s worth booking with a GP if it’s really bothering you but honestly a splint really does help at night. Splints can take a couple of weeks before you start to feel the benefit so it is worth preserving, you’ll get used to it soon (mine drove me crazy for a while at first).

I had this in the later stages of pregnancy and genuinely feel your pain, it’s honestly the worst! I gave birth to DD yesterday (currently sat in hospital waiting for DH to arrive and discharge later this morning) and am pleased to find it’s seemingly completely disappeared, despite having a cannula in my worst wrist during labour which I fully expected would mean it’d take a while to notice if it’d gone.

Same