Carpal tunnel - confusing advice

paul2louise

I am 37 weeks pregnant expecting my first child. I have been experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms for over a month now starting quite mild with pins at needles at night but now numbness and pain in hands most of the day. I have told midwife on last few app who suggests rest, not too much computer work and support bandages. I went to the doctor who gave me an injection in right wrist on friday. No improvment here. I have phoned hospital for physio app but cant see anyone till next wednesday.

I have looked on the web at suggestions to relieve symptoms as i cant go on like this. Some websites suggest stretching excercises. When I booked the hospital physio i asked about exercises but the lady said "no exercises they would give me spilts for support".

Am I going to make things worse by trying exercises. i have over a week before I can get the support splints and I think I will go mad.

thanks

julie03

i found splints the only thing that worked, but please be careful as i have a huge scar on my leg from dropping a teapot as i had no grip

you could get some support bandages and cut mount board and put inside, palm side
as this has worked for me, wear them all night while you are asleep as well

Savvy_Sue

Since none of us have seen your wrists or taken a full history from you about this problem, and you wouldn't know whether we were qualified to do so even if we did, you really should follow the advice given you by a qualified professional physiotherapist. especially as you are pregnant and that changes your body (yes even your wrist muscles, I believe!)

you could phone the receptionist and say you could take a short notice cancellation.

JoJoB

Ask the physio if massage would be ok. I had these symptoms while pregnant and massaged my hands and wrists daily which helped a lot. Starting at the wrist press all around the wrist bones, then down the channels of the hand.

gazebo

well, having suffered from carpal tunnel in both wrists, but with no known cause (not pregnant, under age of 30), I would say physio is very helpful.

I have no idea about how it affects people during pregnancy.

What I would say is the excercises I was given I couldn't actually do as they inflammed the tennis elbow I was also suffering from at the time. I was given the splints as well as the excercises, never offered the injections.

Ask for a second opinion on the physio.

I ended up getting both hands operated on, and whilst I'm no longer in pain, I can't say I'm completely happy with the results, but that's another story.

Violetta_2

Is it worth ringing hospital again to see if physio has any cancellations, I know mine do say to ring back. TBH while the DR & midwife are great they are not specialised like the physio is . Totally different but my gp thought I might have plantar fascitis the other gp though it was a sprained ankle when I finally got to see physio turns out I have derangement of the ankle joint & was given exercises. I'm not saying don't follow your Dr's advice obviously, just chase up the physio.

paul2louise

I asked for any appointments at the hospital as I have now finished work. I suppose giving them a ring in another day or so wouldnt hurt. I understand that many people are not qualified physios but some advice for carpal tunnel relates to competitive strain and over use of computers. This must surely be different to that experienced quite commonly by pregnant women. If other pregnant women have experienced it and are reading this thread they may have found something that works for them that is worth trying and wouldnt cause any harm.

i welcome any comments that may have helped any other ladies with this condition.

thanks

thebaileys

Hi,

You have my sympathy I suffered badly when pregnant with my son, it did go though few weeks after I had him, I didn't have any treatment.

I am pregnant again, and worried incase this returns, I found it was worse on a night in bed I could hardly sleep.

Hope you get it sorted, and good luck with your baby.

Counting_Pennies_2

I had this with my first pregnancy and it is quite debilitating.

What I would say is try to bend your hands back. i.e. finger nails pointing upwards and lift hands up. This will ease the symptoms.

Also as another poster has said massage around where you see the veins on your wrist and over the palm of your hand (especially by your thumb) with the thumb (or thumb knuckle) This will greatly ease your symptoms. Your OH could help you with this in the evening.

I had physio in the last few weeks of pregnancy and then for a few months after and I had ultra sound massage on the same areas.

In the end after 2 years I had the operation done on one hand. It stopped the pain, but the numbness has never quite gone away.

Definitely get a second opinion if all they do is give you a splint.

Also, you can go into your local pharmacy and be fitted with a hand splint if you need one before your appointment. This will help ease your symptoms, but do remember not to drive with it, I was told it would invalidate my insurance.

In general everything is getting squeezed towards the end of pregnancy, including the tunnels which I understand hold the nerves (might be wrong) and mostly this will ease after pregnancy.

hth