Hawaii Babies

Any mommas had carpal tunnel during pregnancy?

I've been pretty lucky so far with this pregnancy and haven't had any discomfort but recently developed carpal tunnel and it has not been pleasant. I haven't even been able to write my thank you cards from the last 2 baby showers because its hurts too much to hold a pen. For those who had CT, what did you do to help ease the pain? Did it go away after pregnancy? TIA!!

Re: Any mommas had carpal tunnel during pregnancy?

  • I didn't have CT during pregnancy, but I have it big time now from picking baby up.  It's worse in my left hand because that's usually the one I use to support his head.  I also have pain in my elbow on that side as well.

    I had CT in college and the doctor gave me a brace to wear -- it holds the wrist straight.  So when it gets bad, I wear the brace to sleep.  It usually helps minimize the pain.  In your case, you might try wearing it all day since your pain seems to be really bad.

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  • lelekaylelekay member
    I (interestingly) don't have it now, but I did several years ago, when I was playing marimba more seriously and more often.  I wore a stiff brace (the kind with rods in it to keep your wrist stable) at night and throughout much of the day, too.  When I would wear it consistently for about a week or so, it seemed to help a lot.
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  • I had it pretty bad, the 3 middle fingers in my right hand went numb and then I had the other type, joint/muscle aches in my left.

    I wore braces at night, but near the end nothing helped.  I often iced my aching wrist and tried wearing the brace when I typed but eventually had to stop writing, knitting, and do very limited typing.  You can take tylenol but I didn't think it helped much (an advil probably would have been better but you can't take that when PG), I basically just counted down the days until I had the baby b/c people said that would make it better.

    It took about 1.5 months for the feeling to completely return and my left wrist joint pain has gotten better but is still very stiff in the mornings and painful off and on.  I can take ibuprofen now and that helps, but I think it also has a lot to do with picking up and holding the baby - now that I'm back at work it has been getting a little better.

  • I had it for about the last trimester.  I did exercises where I made fists and rotated my wrists in circles, one way and then the other.  Also, massaging the wrists (usually DH did that).  That helped relieve some of the pain.  You might want to google carpal tunnel exercises and see what you get. 

    If it got bad, I took Tylenol.  It did go away after I delivered - or maybe the other pains just took over.

    Good luck, I feel your pain!

  • imageMauiWedding08:

    I can take ibuprofen now and that helps, but I think it also has a lot to do with picking up and holding the baby -

    I didn't think about this part. I was hoping it will go away completely after pregnancy. I read that yoga helps. I haven't been to prenatal yoga in a few weeks...so I'll be starting that up again until I have the baby. Thanks!

  • I probably had a mild case but never went to the doctor for it.  I did have a weaker grip in my hands and would wake with tingling fingers, hands and forearms in the second and third tris.  I have no issues whatsoever pp.
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