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Wrist Pain and Pregnancy | Dr Brutus

Pregnancy can affect the body in many different ways, including the wrist. Approximately 35% to 62% of women report having wrist pain during their pregnancy (mainly in the 3rd trimester) whereas around 50% of women report developing wrist pain post pregnancy. Inflammation and muscle weakness resulting from hormonal changes, as well as the reduction in physical activity are mainly to blame.

Many women find that their symptoms disappear within a few months of delivery. However, certain diagnosis may require professional attention and treatment.  In severe cases, symptoms may worsen over time and result in the need for surgery to prevent permanent nerve damage.

During Pregnancy

Carpal tunnel syndrome is common during  pregnancy. Hormonal changes are believed to contribute to the development of the condition. Fluid retention can also be a factor as it creates more pressure on the median nerve.

There are several other risk factors that may lead a pregnant woman to develop carpal tunnel during her pregnancy:

Being Overweight or Obese Prior to Pregnancy

• While it is unclear if weight specifically causes carpal tunnel, more women who were overweight prior to pregnancy report developing CTS.

Pregnancy Related Diabetes or Hypertension

• Both conditions can lead to increased fluid retention which is a cause of carpal tunnel

Prior Pregnancies 

• Relaxin, a hormone which helps the pelvis and cervix expand during pregnancy, may be seen in higher doses in subsequent pregnancies. The hormone may also lead to inflammation which can cause carpal tunnel.

In most cases, the condition will resolve itself within a few months of the baby’s birth. If you begin to experience tingling and numbness, or pain traveling up the arm into your shoulder, you should call your physician.

You should make your OBGYN aware of carpal tunnel symptoms as soon as they arrive. While they may recommend you see a hand  specialist, there are several ways women can find relief at home:

• Wear a wrist splint at night
• Perform wrist stretches and strengthening exercises
• Rest as much as possible

A decrease in physical activity may exacerbate wrist pain. Keeping up with exercise and stretches will prevent wrist weakness and help prevent discomfort.

In mild cases of carpal tunnel, rest and a short-term wrist splint should be enough to get you through until after your baby is born. However, if your symptoms persist or become more severe , you may need to see a hand specialist .

If you choose to see a hand specialist, there are several options they may recommend:

Occupational Therapy

• The occupational therapist will create a treatment plan specifically designed to treat each woman’s individual pain.

Cortisone Injections

• Typically avoided during pregnancy.
• OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatories should only be taken when directed by a doctor.

In severe cases, if symptoms don’t resolve on their own post pregnancy, surgery may be necessary. It is recommended to wait until after delivery to undergo any type of invasive procedure, but in severe cases it is possible to have surgery prior to delivery. Consult with your doctor if this is a concern.

Many women may shy away from surgery because they believe it will have a long downtime period which is not conducive to having a newborn. Thankfully, Dr. Brutus performs a newer, less invasive kind of surgery called “endoscopic decompression. ” The surgery has an average recovery time of 14 days, which is about four times faster than with the open surgery method. Endoscopic decompression provides instant relief from pain and numbness with a smaller incision.

 

Post Pregnancy Wrist Pain

Women who experience wrist pain post pregnancy may have developed what’s called De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis also known as “Mommy’s Wrist.” While it is common, it can make caring for a newborn difficult for mothers.

The two most common symptoms are:

• Pain and swelling in the thumb, extending into the forearm
• Pain with the use of the thumb and wrist when performing pinching, twisting, or pulling motions.

The condition is thought to develop from the repeated motion of lifting and holding one’s baby, particularly when nursing. A physician should be seen if your pain interferes with your ability to hold your child or do other simple daily tasks.

 

Treatment Options

The easiest way to treat De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is to rest as much as possible. While this is easier said than done with a newborn, there are other options in addition to rest. Your physician may recommend that you wear a wrist splint. This can be a generic store bought splint or a custom orthotic. Modifying breastfeeding position can also help.

If your symptoms last longer than six months without improvement, your physician may recommend you for surgery. Surgical treatment does come with more downtime, but it’s the only way to permanently cure the condition.

Surgery for De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, aka “De Quervain’s release,”  is an outpatient procedure performed with a local anesthetic. The surgeon will create a small incision in the wrist and locate the inflamed tendon. Once the tendon is cut, pressure is released allowing you to move your hand without pain again.

After one to two weeks, your surgeon will remove your stitches. Your splint may still need to be worn for up to four weeks after surgery. Most patients find their hand will be fully healed in six to twelve weeks.

 

Final Thoughts

The hormonal changes a woman experiences during and post pregnancy are a common cause for wrist pain. While most cases end up being mild and resolve themselves, more severe cases may require a visit to a hand surgeon.

The best way an expecting or new mother can best improve her symptoms is to take care of herself. While it’s easier said than done, rest, proper nutrition and hydration, physical activity and appropriate medical care are key to staying healthy.

 

 

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.

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy

02/26/2020

At the end of the second trimester of pregnancy many women suffer from hand numbness. Around the 26th week there is tingling, numbness and pain in the fingers, sometimes extending to the shoulder. This is carpal tunnel syndrome, which in pregnant women is associated with hormonal changes and water retention in the body.

As a result of stagnant fluid, compression of the nerves in the wrist reaches the fingers. The symptoms are worse especially at night. The pain can be so severe that it can wake the woman up or prevent her from getting a good night's sleep. Although carpal tunnel syndrome is a problem and usually resolves spontaneously 2-3 weeks after delivery .

How to deal with hand numbness in pregnant women?

A woman with carpal tunnel syndrome should avoid positions that cause pressure on her arm. Sometimes symptoms come from shaking the numb limb or placing it below the heart line (eg on the knee) or loosely lowering the arm (also during sleep).

People who have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome should stop tasks that require repeating the same finger and hand movements. They include working on a computer (writing, graphic design), working on a production line, as well as embroidery, crocheting, or even peeling fruits and vegetables.

If it is not possible to completely eliminate these responsibilities, you should schedule frequent breaks. When working on a computer, you can take care of special pillows and ergonomic keyboards that will facilitate the correct positioning of the hand. The position of our body is also important for proper circulation. Avoid Crossbreeding feet and cross-legged position for prolonged sitting. It is better to rest with legs up .

Proper Diet

Diet , rich in magnesium and vitamin B6, is useful in preventing and relieving symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. It is worth taking care of a variety of dishes based on poultry, fish, potatoes and milk. Other sources of vitamin B6 include nuts, beans, soybeans, avocados, sunflower seeds, eggs, and bananas.

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