Treatments for Carpal Tunnel During Pregnancy

Pregnant women often develop symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome due to the swelling in the wrist caused by water retention. When your wrist is swollen, the median nerve is compressed, which results in pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and wrist. During pregnancy, it is important to find ways to alleviate the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome without affecting your baby. Resting your wrists, using ice and wearing supportive splints are all ways to reduce or eliminate pain and numbness without taking medications that might harm your baby.

Rest

• Carpal tunnel syndrome affects your wrists when repetitive motions that irritate the carpal tunnel are made. To lessen the pain and numbness that result from carpal tunnel syndrome, you should rest your wrists. Avoid the motions that are causing irritation, such as typing, as much as possible. Many pregnant women try to get as much accomplished as possible before their baby is born, but untreated carpal tunnel syndrome can cause permanent damage. To prevent long-term problems, it is best to rest your wrists or prevent flexing through the use of supportive splints.

Splints

• Carpal tunnel splints are used to support the wrists in a fixed position, preventing the flexing of the wrists which can result in irritation and inflammation. During pregnancy, if you are experiencing any degree of carpal tunnel symptoms, you should wear supportive splints during all activities that cause excessive wrist movement. It is also a good idea to wear your splints at night, since most people tend to flex their wrists in their sleep.

Ice

• Storing your splint in the freezer will provide additional relief from the coldness. When you begin to feel pain in your hand or wrist, put on your cold splint. If the coldness does not last, use an ice pack to provide more prolonged pain relief and alternate it with warmth by dipping your hand into a sink full of warm water.