Feb 08 2012

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during Pregnancy: What You Can Do to Relieve the Pain

Do you regularly experience insensibility or feel a tingling sensation in your fingers, arms and wrists? Do you feel burning discomfort or a dull ache in your forearms, especially in the 2nd half your pregnancy? Do you experience loss of strength in your hands and arms? Do these symptoms keep you up at night? Are you worrying about your pregnancy health?If you do, you may be afflicted by what is often known as carpal tunnel syndrome. While this condition is more common in people with jobs that require repetitive hand movements, carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS is also common in pregnant ladies.

Understanding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during Pregnancy

It is interesting to notice that almost 20% of all expecting women suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. The hormonally-based changes that happen in a pregnant woman’s body joined with water retention and weight gain all make a contribution to the development of this condition. And while your dominant hand is more at the mercy of the condition, it is pretty much possible that both hands can be influenced with CTS.

CTS can happen at any point however it is more common during the later months or the second 1/2 your pregnancy.

Looking After CTS Symptoms

Since these symptoms can be quite discomforting, here are some things you can do to alleviate the agony or numbness brought about by CTS:

1.Avoid forceful, incessant hand movements. This can only make your symptoms worse.

2.Wear a wrist support. If your job comprises incessant hand movements, wearing a wrist support or hand braces can help to reduce the scale of the symptoms.

3.Keep yourself comfortable as you're employed. Think about using an ergonomic keyboard to keep your wrists from bending downward as you type. You can also adjust the height of your chair to keep your wrists at the most comfortable position.

4.Take frequent breaks. Permit your hands to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes for each hour you spend working. Flexing and bending your hands and wrists could also help.

5.Avoid sleeping on your hands. If your symptoms tend to get worse at night, consider shifting your sleeping position.

6.Practice yoga. It can help buttress and tone the joints of your upper body and provide you with the much needed respite from CTS agony.

While the leading indications of CTS can go on its own after delivery, leaving it untreated may result in permanent damage to the nerves and muscles of your wrists, hands and thumb. Therefore do the right thing. Take care of your CTS symptoms before it is going way out of control.

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