Carpal tunnel, owie!
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Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12696
Printed Date: 21 August 2025 at 2:23pm
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Topic: Carpal tunnel, owie!
Posted By: emz
Subject: Carpal tunnel, owie!
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 10:58am
Please tell me there's a miracle cure for this 
I've tried all the normal suggestions, shaking the numbness away, propping up my arms at night etc. But still I can only sleep about 5 hours until I'm woken by this excruciating pain. Typing is getting harder, and I'm struggling to do my job which involves handwriting for 10 hours a week. It's been getting gradually worse over the last 3 weeks. Any cheap (or preferably free) remedies for this? Help please, it's really sore! 
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Replies:
Posted By: mummy_dee
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 11:15am
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oh hun, I wish I had a magic cure! I had CT at the end of my last pregnancy (and can feel it starting up again with this one). My midwife referred me to the hospital physio. She took me through some stretches and gave me wrist straps which helped keep my hands in the right position overnight, however if I'm honest I found them more annoying than anything as I had to keep taking them off to wash my hands and the sound of ripping velcro took me out of the half asleep doze I had managed to perfect!
I did find that it went really quickly after having Ollie though (but the I developed de Quervains - whole nother story). Yours sounds more painful than mine, I would talk to your midwife and see if she can refer you to see someone (the hospital was free). ------------- Daphne Married Stuart: 19/03/05 Oliver: 9/06/06 Lilia due: 19/03/08 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 11:21am
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Yeah I thought a wrist strap would be more annoying, especially now that I'm getting up to pee 4-5 times a night. That would drive me bonkers.
I see the m/w on Wednesday so might hold off until then. Until then I may have to find an activity that doesn't involve me using my hands at all. Hmmm... 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 11:44am
| It does go away pretty quickly. I remember it being really annoying during my pregnancy but like a lot of these preggy things they appear to stop literally at the moment you give birth (I'm sure it isnt that quick but it sure felt like it) |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 1:36pm
oh I have that too. Its not as painful as yours sounds, but still really really annoying. Let me know if you find that miracle cure  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 3:34pm
| My dad had it (though not pregnancy related naturally lol), he ended up needing surgery for it.. but before he had that done he use to just strap his wrist. It was really the only thing that helped. He was too stubborn to do physio |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 4:38pm
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I had this for a little while when I was about 20 weeks pg with Kryssi. Googled it, found out it would probably be around until 40 weeks, and panicked! But it cleared away about a week later. Hopefully yours does too but give the mw a call. -------------  |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 5:11pm
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My m/w said that acupunture can help but I never tried it cos like busymum mine just suddenly righted itself. Is to do with the extra blood flow crushing the nerves so it will def disappear as soon as bubs arrives.
At least you don't have too much longer to go now ------------- 
 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 10:23pm
So the miracle cure is... getting my wee guy outta me?!  I'm trying, honestly!
I'm going to talk to my m/w about it on Wednesday I think, it was *just* manageable until it started creeping up my arms too. It's quite impossible to sleep with elbows and wrists straight and propped up with a DH and a cat in bed, and not being able to lie on my back... |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 03 December 2007 at 10:38pm
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there isnt much you can do... but i found that once it woke me up if i lay my arms down my body (hope this makes sense) the pain would ease and let me go back to sleep. shaking them, running them under water, waving them over my head... none of that worked for me. it seems to have eased off a bit and i am wondering if that is due to the aquarobics i do but i have no idea... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 04 December 2007 at 10:13am
| Thanks for the suggestion GandT. I tried it last night but nope, a no go for me. Oh well, 4 1/2 weeks! Just got to hold out that long! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 04 December 2007 at 3:56pm
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The only miricle cure for me was having the baby in me. Sorry probably not what you want to hear. I found the physio did help with the exercises I was given to do. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 05 December 2007 at 12:49pm
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Just got back from the m/w - ice 'may' help but otherwise, I just have to count down the days. She said there's no point giving me splints for it as it usually does nothing, so I've just gotta get this wee one out sooner rather than later But that's OK, cos more than likely he'll be getting whipped out by 39 weeks so that's not too long to wait!
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Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 1:15pm
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**bump**
I thought I was going crazy!
The last two nights I have woken with bad pins and needles in my hands, still slightly feeling it now...At least I know what it is! and it is somewhat common! Will try and sleep with my hands/arms down my body like Bizzy suggested! Any other pregnant ladies experiencing this at the moment? ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: TaylasMum
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 1:49pm
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I had it right through my pregnancy and it never went away, just has both my wrists done 6 weeks ago bliss now no more waking !!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: cat007
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 1:52pm
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Wrist straps are the only thing that I know that does work, they are awkward tho.
One thing I found that eased the pain during my first pregnancy was falling asleep with my hands flat open with fingers outstretched. In order to do so, I used to slide my hands under my pillows as I fell asleep to keep them there. At least post-labour I found mine disappeared the same time I delivered my boy. Had forgotten about it until now. Havent had it yet in this pregnancy. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  [/url http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 3:16pm
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forgot all about this.. mine just one day stopped...possibly about half way thru my pregnancy ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 5:36pm
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Oh Tammy no! This was one of the worst things about being pg for me (and I hated being pg!). I still have slight carpal tunnel.
I tried: sleeping with my arms by my body, then alternate to above my head, then right up in the air (no sleeping involved with that one though!), bag of frozen peas, freezing cold hand-baths in the sink to numb them (don't know how good for you that is though) and none of it worked. Coupled with the anxiety about possible heart defects, I got a grand total of 3-4 hours sleep a night on a good day. So I hope for your sake that it doesn't get much worse, but everything is worth a try once at least. And remember that something that doesn't work one night might work the next, anything for 5 minutes relief I reckon. The annoying thing is I couldn't get up when I woke and read a book or do puzzles cos I couldn't hold a book or a pen! |
Posted By: Kelpa
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 9:12am
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Yep...I have this is in my left hand ..not nice.
I have to start moving it and shaking it and getting the blood in there before it starts to go. -------------  
 
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Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 9:55am
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Well last night - nothing! Yay I slept straight from 11 - 7, which I havent done for a LONG time ( no toilet stops either)
Lets hope its gone now! ooh Kelpa, hope it goes for you too...not too much longer for you till your bub is here ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 10:25am
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I was going to suggest icing them until I read emz post above, would have thought that it might have offered some temporary relief seeing that it is caused by inflammation of the median nerve in the hand/arms. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: scribe
Date Posted: 17 June 2008 at 9:53pm
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I recommend getting some splints - the velcro may be a little annoying, but I've found them fantastic - I'm finally sleeping through the night again (aside from toilet visits!), instead of being woken by the crushing pain and struggling to get back to sleep.
Before I saw a physio I tried to go to sleep with my hands out, but obviously I was still scrunching them up after I fell asleep... it's still painful (bring on baby!), but at least I am getting some sleep now. |