Carpal Tunnel After Pregnancy (Definition, Symptoms & Solutions)
The existence of humanity, from the moment it began to the moment it will end, is fraught with many obstacles that might confront its lifespan. Women are subject to many challenges at specific phases of their lives, including pregnancy and its aftermath. In this post, we would like to discuss one of these circumstances, one of the worries of moms after pregnancy: carpal tunnel after pregnancy.
According to research, between 31 to 62 percent of pregnant women suffer from it, and generally, carpal tunnel syndrome after pregnancy is more widespread in the community of pregnant women. This common problem happens during and after pregnancy.
However, medical professionals do not yet fully understand what triggers this condition during and after pregnancy; however, they do feel that swelling brought on by hormones may be one of the primary factors in developing this condition.
Carpal tunnel syndrome after pregnancy syndrome is a condition that may be caused by swelling in the fingers and wrist, which can be caused by fluid retention during pregnancy, which causes edema. Stay with Hipregnancy if you are one of the pregnant women who struggle with this problem to get the most out of the information offered in this article.
Before we can go on with anything, we need to have a definition of carpal tunnel syndrome after pregnancy so that you can better grasp the information that will be provided later on.
What is the Carpal tunnel after pregnancy?
As was said in the previous section, women have difficulties not only during their pregnancies but also after the birth of their children, which may sometimes become a source of problems for them. Carpal tunnel syndrome after pregnancy syndrome is one of them.
This ailment causes the state of the wrist and arm to become uncomfortable and numb, and a tingling sensation is felt in the hand, wrist, and arm. In addition, the condition causes discomfort. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms during pregnancy are frequent and can sometimes remain after the baby has been delivered.
It is possible to say that it is still present because of swelling after delivery, which is regarded as a factor that might compress the hand’s median nerve and excite the symptoms.
In any case, up to this point in the essay, we have determined what Carpal tunnel syndrome after pregnancy is and obtained some information on it.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s have a look at some of the typical Carpal tunnel after pregnancy symptoms:
Carpal tunnel syndrome: The specific symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Numbness, tingling, burning, and pain in the thumbs and fingers.
- Feelings resemble shocks running down your arms to your thumbs and fingers.
- A burning sensation or tingling sensation that travels up your forearm.
NOTE: The discomfort is often severe at night, so it may prevent you from sleeping.
- Hand weakness that makes it challenging to accomplish activities, such as buttoning garments, may be pretty frustrating. You can also discover that you lose items more often than usual.
As was previously said, the signs and symptoms that have been described above are the ones that indicate that you are suffering from the carpal tunnel after pregnancy.
Be aware that you should see a medical professional as soon as possible if you have abrupt swelling in your hands or wrists along with other symptoms such as severe headache, vision changes, upper abdomen discomfort, nausea or vomiting, or shortness of breath.
Now that we have examined carpal tunnel after pregnancy, we know the possible symptoms. We are also familiar with many crucial and pressing notes about it.
Now that we’ve arrived at the most crucial phase, the question is: How to get rid of the carpal tunnel after pregnancy?!
We know how eagerly you are waiting to find out the answer to this question.
So, let’s go!
How to get rid of the carpal tunnel after pregnancy? (+ 4 practical solutions)
The good news for you!
Thankfully, several therapies can help alleviate some of the discomfort associated with carpal tunnel after pregnancy.
It is sufficient that you can discover the potential techniques at the health facilities in your area or by seeing your doctor and using those things to solve the problem you are having.
However, we shall discuss the following ways of the carpal tunnel after pregnancy below:
- The first possible option is to wear a brace or splint.
When a splint or a brace is worn, the wrist is moved into a flat and neutral position. The pressure imposed on the median nerve is relieved when the wrist is forced into this position. As a consequence, the pain that is produced by the carpal tunnel after pregnancy is also alleviated.
- The second approach is to do hand exercises (postpartum carpal tunnel exercises)
In this stage, you need to visit a specialist doctor. With special postpartum carpal tunnel exercises and stretches that assist the median nerve to move freely within the carpal tunnel and enhance the range of motion, you can fix the issue caused by the carpal tunnel after pregnancy with a short time of physical therapy.
- Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication is the third possible treatment (NSAIDs).
At this point, you can use anti-inflammatory pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen, which are helpful for the pain caused by the carpal tunnel after pregnancy and reduce inflammation.
However, you should note that using them during pregnancy is not recommended, so you should avoid doing this if possible.
You must remember that it is advisable to check your doctor before taking any pain medication, particularly if you are nursing.
This is especially essential to keep in mind if you are experiencing carpal tunnel after pregnancy.
- Injections of steroids are the fourth possible option.
A short-term reduction in inflammation caused by the carpal tunnel after pregnancy can be achieved with Injections of steroids. Thankfully, these treatments are safe even for breastfeeding mothers.
The last word,
As indicated throughout this article, pregnant women and new moms encounter various challenges, some of which continue to impact their life long after the baby is born.
One of these was carpal tunnel after pregnancy, which we discussed in depth along with its symptoms and suggested some remedies.
But as a final note of warning, use extreme caution to emphasize the significance of maintaining a nutritious and well-balanced diet, with an emphasis on consuming the necessary nutrients and vitamins after giving birth.
At last, if you have tried all of the above and are still experiencing nerve damage, surgery may be the only option to correct the carpal tunnel after pregnancy.
We hope that you have found the information offered in this article to be helpful and that you can resolve the carpal tunnel after pregnancy to the greatest extent possible by putting it into practice; if this is not the case, you should make an appointment with a medical professional as soon as possible.
We would be grateful if you could contact us via the comments area and tell us about what you’ve experienced about carpal tunnel after pregnancy.