03-8-2009 - Carpal Tunnel Sydrome

My mood while writing this blog: tired

I have been having achy arms/fingers lately....My arms will feel like they go to sleep when I lie down on my side at night and when i do stuff with my fingers, like fixing the girls' hair, my fingers will either tingle or hurt...I got this weekly update in my email today and said "THATS IT!". So I am relieved to know that this was normal!

Week 24 of Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you're like many pregnant women (especially those who work at computers), you may have begun to notice an uncomfortable tingling and numbness in your wrists and fingers. Known as carpal tunnel syndrome, this numb feeling strikes during pregnancy for a different reason.
Feeling all a-tingle these days? Chances are it isn't romance, or even excitement about the baby — it's carpal tunnel syndrome. If you're like many pregnant women (especially those who work at computers), you may have begun to notice an uncomfortable tingling and numbness in your wrists and fingers. Though it's usually associated with work that requires repetitive motion such as typing, carpal tunnel strikes pregnant women for a different reason (though repetitive motion can definitely contribute). The swelling that's so common during pregnancy can put pressure on the nerve that runs through your wrist, causing numbness, tingling, pain, or a dull ache in the fingers, hand, or wrist. You might feel yourself wrestling with wrist pain more at night when you are around 24 weeks pregnant. That's because fluids that accumulate in your lower extremities during the day are redistributed to the rest of your body (including your hands) when you're lying down.

How can you find relief? Avoid sleeping on your hands, and if you feel numbness at night, prop your arms up with a pillow. Shaking your hands and wrists might also help. Be sure, too, that if you are doing repetitive motions such as piano playing or typing (which can aggravate your symptoms), take frequent hand-stretching breaks. If you're in a lot of pain, a wrist brace might be just the ticket to comfort. For more information, read here about coping with carpal tunnel syndrome while pregnant.

Luckily, when the regular swelling of pregnancy resolves after delivery, the carpal tunnel symptoms will diminish, too.