CTS during Pregnancy

It’s interesting the things you take for granted when you have full use of them. I am about 37 weeks pregnant and a week a half ago I started having pain in my arms and hands; at times it becomes unbearable and I have to fight back the tears and its nice when your along and can just let it out. I have not been able to sleep more then a few hours a night I researched online and my signs and symptoms go right along with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is something that can occur in the final months of pregnancy and most of the time will subside after the baby is born.

There are times where I cannot use my hands at all, I cannot brush my hair or put a hair tie in, I cannot hold a pen, and there is severe pain in my hand joints that progresses to a shooting pain or numbness all the way up my arm…whenever I lie down to rest/sleep my entire hands/arms to the shoulder burn and go numb. I try and sleep at night but its nearly impossible most of the time.

A sweet lady I know gave me some splints/wrist braces that have helped some but even at the loosest setting my hands are still numb and painful all the time. The only relief is water; if my hands could be submersed in hot or cold water 24/7 I would be in good shape. I am not one to complain but I am just not sure what to do; my doctors said that there is nothing they can do to help either; Tylenol does not work like my good old ibuprofen and even though my hands are super swollen and legs and feet are the size of elephants they say its normal pregnancy edema and I am just going to have to make due until this little guy arrives. Which I hope will be sooner then later, I am not sure how much more I can take with only a few hours of sleep at night and being in pain all day long.

Ok, now I am off my soap box. I know this is nothing compared to what some people out there face. I live in modern times with technology and medical advances. I wonder what the people in the pioneer days did. They must have been programmed to be stronger then me. I thought I had a high tolerance of pain but maybe I was wrong; or maybe the hands and arms are just so sensitive. Whatever the case; I can do anything for three weeks even being uncomfortable and in pain. And I am grateful for the uncomplicated pregnancy I have had

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during Pregnancy Articles Pregnancy Today