Left arm pain during pregnancy

6 weird things that may happen to your body during pregnancy

Heartburn is a common condition during pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a very exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming when your body starts changing and suddenly you don’t feel or look like yourself anymore. You might even find yourself googling strange symptoms in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep.

Morning sickness, extreme tiredness and stretch marks are more widely known discomforts and signs of pregnancy, but there are also some lesser known symptoms and conditions that can occur in pregnancy that you might not know about.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that causes pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm. It can develop during pregnancy thanks to hormonal changes – an increase in fluids during pregnancy compresses the median nerve in the wrist causing a sense of weakness in the hand and the tingling feeling.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can range from mild discomfort, sporadically painful, or severe. Symptoms of carpal tunnel are tingling and numbness in the hands, which usually resolve on their own soon after birth. Splinting and resting the wrist, physiotherapy or anti-inflammatory medication may be helpful for some women experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you are experiencing tingling and numbness in your hands make sure you let your maternity care provider know.

Skin tags

You may have been told that you’ll be glowing during pregnancy but unfortunately skin conditions like acne, stretch marks, rashes and skin tags are also common.

Skin tags are a type of skin lesion that not uncommon and are non-cancerous. They are hormonally related and can increase in number during pregnancy. Skin tags are caused by the hyperactive growth of your skin and is most likely brought on by hormonal changes and increased blood flow. They usually appear in areas that are often rubbed or hot, moist areas such as you neck, torso or breast folds.

Skin tags are not painful and there is nothing you can do to prevent them. When you give birth it’s possible they will disappear. Your GP or dermatologist can easily remove them by scalpel, or by freezing or burning them off.

Restless leg syndrome

Restless leg syndrome is exactly what it sounds like: you become restless and it often can prevent women from sleeping during pregnancy. It is a condition of the nervous system which presents as an urge to move your legs due to a burning, tingling or itching feeling. You may also experience symptoms such as uncontrolled jerky movements or have similar sensations in the arms. Treatment includes having hot baths, leg massages, reducing caffeine and managing your stress levels.

Discoloured vagina

During your pregnancy, you may have noticed your skin darkening in certain body parts such as your nipples, scars and/or face but did you know your vagina can also darken in colour? This is known as Chadwick’s Sign and can be an early sign of pregnancy.

The cervix and/or vagina can turn a deep bluish-purple colour during pregnancy, due to increased blood flow. So, if you look downstairs and notice things are looking a little unusual, don’t panic!

Cramping legs

Up to half of pregnant women will experience leg cramps. These are more likely to occur in the second and third trimester. Cramps occur when a build-up of acids cause a contraction in the muscle and will most likely happen at night.

During a cramping episode you can walk around, stretch and massage the affected muscles to disperse the build-up of acids or try applying a warm pack to the muscle. Speak to your maternity care provider if you’re thinking about taking any new supplements during pregnancy to help ease symptoms.

Heart burn

Heart burn, also known as acid reflux, occurs when the contents of the stomach backs up into the oesophagus, the tube connecting you stomach to your mouth. This can cause an unpleasant burning feeling. It can happen to anyone, but is more common in pregnancy because of the hormone progesterone.

Progesterone relaxes the muscles in the body and affects the entire digestive system. It is also likely to occur in the latter stages of pregnancy as your uterus places pressure on the stomach. It’s best to avoid big fatty meals, caffeinated drinks and spicy foods if you are experiencing heart burn.

You can find out more about treating heartburn here.

Worried about pregnancy symptoms?

It’s normal to be concerned when you notice a change in your body, especially during pregnancy when changes seem to happen daily! If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms or you’ve noticed anything else new, make sure you let your maternity care provider know or call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for more information.

Shoulder Pain in Pregnancy: Ectopic or Normal?

If you’re pregnant you know that all the new, exciting changes in your body come with a few hiccups. Some of these include being tired a lot of the time and feeling aches, butterflies, and tingles in your belly and back.

Pregnancy can also cause pain in parts of the body that seem pretty far removed from where all the action is taking place. You might be surprised to learn that your new shoulder pain may be directly linked to your pregnancy.

Shoulder pain (like other aches) can be normal in pregnancy. But, in some cases, shoulder pain — along with other symptoms — might be a sign that something’s not quite right. When in your pregnancy you have shoulder pain is important.

Here’s what to know and what to do if you have shoulder pain during pregnancy.

Shoulder pain during pregnancy can happen at any time, and for many reasons. Most of the time, it’s normal.

It happens due to changes to your muscles and joints. Causes can include straining your back, sleeping in a funny position, not having good posture, and standing for too long.

Typical (and non-worrisome) shoulder pain during pregnancy might feel like stiffness or achiness. It shouldn’t feel like severe or stabbing pain.

First trimester

Your body makes a hormone called relaxin even before you get pregnant. This hormone also has lots of different jobs from the beginning of pregnancy to the birth of your baby. Relaxin helps your body grow and change for your developing little one.

Essentially, relaxin does this by loosening your connective tissue, which can cause aches and pains in various places — including your shoulders.

Second trimester

As your baby grows, so does your body in order to nourish this new blossoming life. In the second trimester, your baby bump begins to show and your body shape and weight changes for a healthy pregnancy.

The changes in your body impact how you’re sleeping, sitting, standing and even walking. In fact, one small medical study found that those in their second trimester had a slower gait (walking speed) than people who weren’t pregnant.

This means that even though you may not look very pregnant yet, the changes in your body are affecting your muscles and how you carry yourself. This can lead to muscles aches, including shoulder pain.

Third trimester

In the third trimester, you obviously have lots of changes in your body as your little one gets ready to make their entrance. Your body adapts to carrying around a baby and a mini portable nursery in many ways — including literally curving your spine!

In the same 2015 study as above, researchers compared the spines of 19 pregnant women in their third trimester to women who weren’t pregnant. They found that the lumbar (lower end) of the spine in the pregnant women in their third trimester was more curved.

This means that your spine looks more like an “S” later in pregnancy to help handle the extra pounds of baby, food, blood, and more. The changes in your spine can lead to changes in your back and shoulder muscles. This may lead to normal shoulder pain and aches during pregnancy.

Also in the third trimester, relaxin continues to help relax your ligaments so that your pelvic bone joints can loosen up and open to better deliver your baby. Other joints in your body also loosen up, including your shoulder joints.

Relaxing the shoulder joint, along with changes to your posture, sleep position, how you walk, and everything else can lead to normal shoulder pain during the third trimester.

More serious causes of shoulder pain can happen at any time during your pregnancy, too. That’s why you should let your doctor know if you have shoulder pain or any other unusual symptoms.

First trimester

If you feel pain in your shoulder very early in your first trimester, the cause might be an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. This is when the embryo implant outside the uterus — usually in the Fallopian tube.

People with an ectopic pregnancy typically have symptoms between weeks 4 and 12 of pregnancy. You might have symptoms before you even know you’re pregnant or before you’ve seen your doctor.

An ectopic pregnancy may cause shoulder tip pain. This may feel like a sudden, strange pain just between your shoulder and arm.

This serious cause of shoulder pain in pregnancy actually happens because there is bleeding in the abdomen. This bleeding can’t be seen, but it can irritate the nerve responsible for the involuntary muscles that move the diaphragm.

In turn, the nerve transmits sensory information from the diaphragm and the shoulder region, creating the perception of pain — referred pain — in the shoulder.

You’ll likely have other symptoms along with the shoulder pain, like:

stomach pain
faintness
nausea or vomiting
vaginal bleeding
stomach bloating or fullness
pain during bowel movements
diarrhea
cramping or pain on one side

An ectopic pregnancy requires immediate medical attention.

Second and third trimesters

Gallstones

The hormones that help you get and stay pregnant can also cause side effects — including, in rare instances, gallstones. You might not know you have gallstones at all, but if a gallstone gets stuck in a duct or tube, it can cause serious symptoms.

Pain in your right shoulder during pregnancy might mean that you have gallstones. Other symptoms include:

nausea and vomiting
severe pain in your upper right abdomen that gets worse
sudden pain in the middle of your abdomen that gets worse
back pain between your shoulder blades

Pain from gallstones can last for minutes or even hours. In serious cases, you may have a high fever and even jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

You might need surgery to remove the gallstones if you have a serious blockage or other complications. But in most cases, gallstones can be treated with lifestyle changes, like:

eating regular meals
adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet
avoiding fried foods
avoiding sugary foods
avoiding simple carbs
getting light exercise every day

Preeclampsia

In the second or third trimester, shoulder pain may be one of the symptoms of preeclampsia. This serious condition happens when you have high blood pressure (hypertension) and other complications during pregnancy or after your delivery.

Symptoms usually happen after week 20 of pregnancy, but they can happen earlier. Aside from shoulder pain, other signs of preeclampsia include:

face swelling
swelling of the hands
headache pain
changes in vision
blurred vision or seeing spots
sensitivity to light
pain when breathing in deeply
pain in the upper abdomen
pain on the upper right side
nausea and vomiting
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Treatment for preeclampsia includes checking your blood pressure several times a day and seeing your doctor for regular checkups. You may need medication, a low-sodium diet, and bed rest to help control your blood pressure.

If your preeclampsia symptoms don’t improve, your doctor may recommend delivering your baby early. You’ll typically recover shortly after having your baby.

You should be able to treat standard pregnancy aches and pains — including shoulder pain — with a few tips and tricks. You should feel better with:

stretches
massages — just try to see a practitioner who’s knowledgeable about pregnancy
a warm (not hot) bath
warm or cold compresses
posture support
sleeping support pillow — here are some good options

Ask your doctor about which pain medication is safe during pregnancy and right for you. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is normally OK to take occasionally.

For more serious causes of shoulder pain — ectopic, gallstones, and preeclampsia — you’ll need more specific medical treatment from your doctor.

Always reach out to your doctor if you have any unusual, new, or strange symptoms during pregnancy — including severe shoulder pain or pain that doesn’t get better.

Call your doctor and get urgent medical care if you think you might have an ectopic pregnancy or if you feel any kind of severe, sharp pain. You may need emergency treatment or even surgery to help prevent harmful complications from an ectopic pregnancy.

Call your doctor right away if you have nausea and vomiting or other symptoms of preeclampsia during your second or third trimester.

You won’t be able to prevent most aches and pains during pregnancy. Occasional shoulder pain is a normal part of pregnancy.

But you may be able to help prevent serious complications like preeclampsia. Talk to your doctor about the best ways for you to control your blood pressure during pregnancy.

Tips to balance your blood pressure during pregnancy include:

drinking plenty of water every day
reducing salt in your diet
adding more protein to your diet
putting your feet up when you can
avoiding standing for too long
getting light exercise everyday
avoiding fast food
avoiding fried food

It’s not uncommon to have shoulder pain while you’re pregnant — and it can happen for several, mild reasons throughout your pregnancy.

There are a few rare causes of shoulder pain that can be harmful. These include an ectopic pregnancy early in the first trimester and preeclampsia during your second or third trimester.

Always check with your healthcare provider right away if you have sudden, strange, or severe pain. Tell your doctor about any symptoms that don’t feel “normal.” You know your body better than anyone else — even when pregnant!

Hands hurt during pregnancy

Carpal tunnel syndrome: characteristic symptoms

Pain occurs, as already mentioned, due to compression of the median nerve, so the most innervation is carried out not by the median nerve, but by the outgoing branches of the ulnar nerve), wrist, palmar surface of the hand.

The period characteristic for the manifestation of this disease, when the wrist of the left hand most often hurts, is the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

The nature of the discomfort is determined by the fact that the hands and wrists hurt, swell and go numb during pregnancy, sometimes trembling of the fingers may be present.

In addition to the above, vasoconstriction, increased sensitivity of the hands to cold, and pallor of the skin are added. Most often, the disease manifests itself at night, but symptoms can also be observed during the day.

If pain occurs in the little finger or on the back of the hand, then this indicates the presence of another disease, since these parts of the hand have a different innervation.

Often the syndrome resolves after labor. A woman's normal, prenatal metabolism is restored. . However, if the disease persists, then you need to contact a hematologist (nephrologist, neuropathologist, cardiologist) to prescribe drug therapy. Physiotherapy also helps to avoid the frequent occurrence of pain.

If the situation does not improve, then surgical treatment must be applied.

Cause of pain

So, why do hands hurt during pregnancy? As a rule, during this period, a woman begins to gain weight, which is the physiological norm for this condition. However, after weight gain, edema may appear, indicating a violation of the water-salt metabolism in the body. Here, a woman may complain that her joints of the hands hurt during pregnancy. Along with the violation of water-salt metabolism, there is a decrease in blood flow.

Innervation changes due to nerve compression. Due to the current situation, the nerve cannot conduct nerve impulses normally, and this, in turn, leads to a lack of impulses in the wrist and hand area.

Most often, women who suffer from kidney and heart problems, as well as overweight, rheumatic diseases, and fractures in the area of the hands suffer from diseases. Pregnant women also have reduced immunity, so most often they have exacerbated chronic diseases.

The hands are the most painful, since everything has to be done with the hands. In addition to numbness, pain, in the hands there may be sensations such as: hand tremor; the appearance of heaviness in the hands; feeling of weakness in the fingers; itching in the palms.

Many women are forced to remove jewelry from their fingers and hands due to severe discomfort and pain.

How to get rid of the disease

If you are still overtaken by this disease, first you need to adjust your lifestyle and diet.

Taking into account the fact that the body of a pregnant woman is undergoing restructuring, she needs the so-called "building materials". These include vitamins (especially vitamins K, B12, B6, C, E - they are all involved in hematopoiesis). Therefore, you should eat meat products (poultry), vegetables (peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers), fruits (oranges, lemons, apples, bananas, kiwi), berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), also legumes, dairy products. Flour products and foods rich in starch should be excluded from the diet.

After adjusting the diet, physical activity should be put in order. So, if you are busy with one thing, during which the woman does not particularly move, you need to periodically perform exercises for the hands: shake, make circular movements with the hands, squeeze and unclench your fingers several times, bringing them into a fist.

If possible, try to avoid unnecessary stress on the hands (lean less on the hands, use special splints during a night's sleep). Do not forget that some pain sensations are a sign of the presence of severe or chronic diseases, so you need to tell your doctor about these sensations, who observes you throughout your pregnancy. Compliance with all these rules will help you reduce pain, or even completely get rid of them. And also spend your difficult, but very happy nine months in a good mood.

what to do about it and how not to miss the body's signals about the presence of the disease

Table of contents

Causes and symptoms of hand numbness during pregnancy
The dangers of hand numbness and possible consequences
Numbness Prevention
Folk remedies for numbness
Cucumber tincture
Milk Trays
Pumpkin Puree Wraps
Lemon and garlic tincture
Camphor ointment for the morning
Hand shower
Copper bracelets
Drawing conclusions

Pregnancy makes its own adjustments to the usual rhythm of life. Sometimes, a woman's body leads unexpectedly, and gives out symptoms that have never happened before. It arouses interest, and disturbs. One of these symptoms is that during pregnancy, hands become numb during sleep. Let's look into this issue, and understand whether the symptom is dangerous, and how to remove it.

Causes and symptoms of hand numbness during pregnancy

Do your hands go numb during sleep during pregnancy? The most common cause is circulatory problems. Nerve impulses transmit a signal of a lack of blood, and save the limbs by minimizing possible movements. However, during pregnancy, a few more are added to the characteristic cause:

Hormonal changes in the body.

A woman's body receives a powerful charge of hormones, which, on the one hand, makes bearing a fetus possible in principle, and on the other hand, makes adjustments to well-being, processes occurring in the body, appearance, mood, etc. Including hormones can cause hands to go numb during sleep during pregnancy.

Severe swelling.

A rare woman can avoid swelling during pregnancy, numb hands during sleep due to swelling. The accumulation of water leads to increased pressure on the vessels, which complicates blood circulation.

Weight set.

Another common cause of sleep numbness during pregnancy. All mothers already know that it is important to control their weight throughout pregnancy. This is not so much an aesthetic issue as a health issue. The load on the body is already increased, and if obesity of any degree occurs, the vessels reduce their ability to conduct blood correctly.

Tunnel syndrome.

Tunnel syndrome is characterized by compression of the median nerve. Because of this, nerve conduction is disturbed, and you feel that your hands go numb during pregnancy, in particular fingers and hands. Along with numbness comes a burning sensation, tingling, redness and swelling.

Vitamin deficiency.

Iron deficiency is also a common cause. This is one of the main trace elements that mothers need to replenish from the first days of pregnancy. Its lack is characterized by weakness, fatigue, and a decrease in hemoglobin. This leads to the fact that the hands go numb during sleep during pregnancy.

Less commonly, osteochondrosis and chronic pathologies of various types can be added to the causes. In contrast, you can note the reason that lies on the surface - you sleep in an uncomfortable position, because of which the tissues do not receive enough blood. Therefore, if the numbness of the hands occurred for the first time, do not panic. If possible, contact a gynecologist with this question, and most importantly, follow the dynamics of the onset of symptoms.

The danger of hand numbness and possible consequences

The mere fact that hands go numb during pregnancy is not dangerous. This is an uncomfortable symptom that can be accompanied by both a slight tingling sensation and quite noticeable pain. However, what is behind this symptom can bring serious consequences.

We have already mentioned above that if your hands go numb during sleep during pregnancy once or from time to time, do not worry, this may be due to an incorrect posture during sleep. Constant and recurrent pain can signal the presence of a disease that needs to be treated.

Leaving your arm numb during sleep unattended during pregnancy, you run the risk of exacerbating a particular disease that will lead to pregnancy complications, negatively affect the baby or negatively affect the birth process.

Prevention of numbness

If hands become numb during pregnancy, preventive measures can help. Moreover, these recommendations are useful for pregnant women in general. By introducing some changes in your usual diet and lifestyle, you can achieve significant results in the regulation of your health.

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Meals.

First of all, it is necessary to remove spicy and salty foods from the diet. It is also worth completely abandoning sausages and canned food. Other products, on the contrary, should be introduced into the diet:

Protein products. They act as a building material for the circulatory system, muscles, improve the functionality of cells. In addition, the protein is simply necessary for the baby for proper development.
Foods rich in calcium. With all the benefits of dairy products, make sure that what you eat is actually made from milk. It is also worth monitoring the reaction of your body. He should be comfortable digesting glucose.
Also on a regular basis in the diet should be foods rich in magnesium and potassium.

Drinking.

Not only what you eat is important, but also what you drink. The diet should contain exclusively purified mineral water and herbal teas. Everything else should be left for later. At the same time, it is important to keep the water balance. Drink the correct amount of liquid, calculated according to your individual needs.

Physical activity.

The reason that hands go numb during pregnancy can be physical activity. Both their excess and their shortcomings negatively affect. So, you need to completely refuse to carry heavy objects, bags on one shoulder, and minimize the time spent sitting. What is worth doing?

Wear a support brace.
Walk outdoors more often.
Do pregnancy exercises before bed, go to yoga or go swimming.

Additional tips for preventing numb hands during pregnancy.

Also introduce into your life a few good habits that will help relieve unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy:

Completely give up uncomfortable clothes that squeeze. Of course, pregnancy is not a reason to look sloppy, but still, during this quivering period, the main thing is your comfort and the health of the baby.
If your hands go numb during pregnancy, choose an orthopedic mattress and pillow that is comfortable for you, purchase a special pillow for pregnant women (especially in the later stages).
Try to avoid hypothermia.
Get a massage.

But, the most important advice if your hands go numb during pregnancy is to consult a doctor. Perhaps the numbness of the hands is just a discomfort that will accompany you during one trimester, or even the entire pregnancy. Perhaps this is a signal from the body about a disease that needs to be treated today.

Folk remedies to combat numbness

To speed up the process of getting rid of an unpleasant symptom, or remove it "here and now", you can supplement the doctor's recommendations with folk methods. However, it is worth remembering that this is only an auxiliary part of the treatment. Traditional medicine offers safe and effective methods to relieve hand numbness during pregnancy, but with constant numbness, it is important to find and eliminate the cause.

Cucumber tincture

The tincture will help relieve the numbness syndrome and eliminate unpleasant indications. Its disadvantage is long preparation. The tincture is prepared for 10 days. You need to chop a few pickles and a couple of red pepper pods. All this is done with vodka and stored in glass containers for 10 days. Infusion should take place in a cold place, so it is worth placing the jar in the refrigerator. As time passes, use the tincture to rub your hands before going to bed.

Milk baths

If your hands go numb during pregnancy, an effective and pleasant treatment is milk baths. To do this, take about a liter of milk, water in equal amounts, 50 grams of honey and 400 grams of salt. Mix all this in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for half an hour. After the mixture has cooled, dip your hands in it for 15 minutes. The full course consists of 14 procedures at bedtime.

Pumpkin Puree Wraps

Helps prevent nighttime numbness and pumpkin. To do this, boiled pumpkin porridge should be put on your hands in a thick layer, put on cellophane gloves. So it is necessary to spend half an hour before going to bed. After half an hour, wash your hands in warm running water.

Lemon-garlic tincture

In four days you can prepare an effective non-alcoholic tincture for oral consumption. Lemon zest + an equal share of garlic are poured into half a liter of water and left for 4 days. After you need to drink 50 ml. potions before bed.

Camphor ointment for the morning

If your hands go numb during pregnancy, and in the morning you feel unpleasant consequences, such as tingling, redness, take camphor ointment, eucalyptus essential oil and rub well on your hands with soft massage movements.

Contrast hand shower

An immediate and simple method to relieve the symptoms of numb hands during pregnancy is a contrast hand shower. One has only to hold hands under hot-cold-hot water. However, it is worth remembering the ongoing pregnancy.