Postpartum Carpal Tunnel: What is it?
Your body goes through so much during pregnancy, childbirth and into postpartum. So, you can expect things to feel different, but how do you know if something isn’t quite right? In this article, we’re telling you about postpartum carpal tunnel.
This article includes:
- What is postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome?
- Postpartum carpal tunnel symptoms
- What causes postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome?
- How long does postpartum carpal tunnel last?
- When should you seek advice for postpartum numbness and tingling in hands?
- Postpartum carpal tunnel exercises
- Postpartum carpal tunnel breastfeeding mothers
What is postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel occurs due to pressure around the wrist area. This can cause a multitude of symptoms. Postpartum carpal tunnel is actually quite common and can be uncomfortable for women experiencing it.
Some women actually experience carpal tunnel during pregnancy too. It may also be referred to as gestational carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be responsible for postpartum numbness and tingling in the hands and postpartum stiff fingers.
Postpartum carpal tunnel symptoms
Carpal tunnel syndrome presents many symptoms after giving birth. For some pregnant women who experience it, it can go away after birth. Some women only start experiencing the symptoms one month after birth.
The symptoms associated with the syndrome can often be worse at night time. It’s common for the pains to start slowly and then come and go throughout the day.
- Hand numbness
- Arm numbness
- Stiff fingers
- Tingling sensation in hands
- Pins and needles
- Finding it difficult to grip
Dealing with these symptoms, as well as looking after a newborn baby, can be challenging. Therefore, it’s important to seek medical advice if you are struggling with the syndrome.
What causes postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome?
Postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome is actually relatively common. The carpal tunnel is a space within the wrist. During pregnancy, the area can be prone to swelling. This means there is additional pressure on the nerves, which causes carpal tunnel pain.
The symptoms may be difficult for you to treat when nursing your baby often. It’s not like you can rest your wrists very easily when feeding.
It’s common to have higher fluid retention during pregnancy and after. This can also contribute to swelling and cause more pressure on the nerve. If you’re experiencing postpartum hand numbness, this could be why.
How long does postpartum carpal tunnel last?
In most cases, it will go away on its own. However, it can take quite some time. For some people, the symptoms go away after a few weeks; for others, it can take a few months.
It’s definitely worth mentioning your symptoms to a healthcare provider. They will be able to offer the best advice. They may suggest ways to relieve the pain. In addition, the doctor may recommend keeping a diary of the symptoms you experience.
Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing how long your carpal tunnel syndrome will last. You could try some things at home to ease wrist pain.
- Wear a wrist support
- Use a pillow to support your wrist when feeding
- Avoid lifting heavy items
- Try to keep your wrist in a neutral position
- Look after yourself and rest when you need to
When should you seek advice for postpartum numbness and tingling in hands?
For some women, carpal tunnel syndrome may not go away on its own. This means you may need to seek medical advice. You may be referred to a physiotherapist. A physio can provide you with stretches and exercises to help you deal with the symptoms.
If exercises and a wrist support do not work, you may be invited for steroid injections in your wrist. If this doesn’t help, surgery may be required. The surgery usually only takes around 20 minutes. It will only be an option once you have tried other suggestions to ease the symptoms.
A doctor is the best person to discuss this with. They can assess which treatment will be the most beneficial for you.
You should seek immediate medical advice if you notice increased swelling in the hands. This can be a sign of postpartum preeclampsia. This can be dangerous and therefore requires fast medical attention.
Other signs include:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Abdominal pains
Postpartum carpal tunnel exercises
A physiotherapist will be the best person to advise you on exercises and physical therapy. They will conduct a thorough consultation with you. This will involve them assessing your range of movement so they can suggest the right exercises.
These simple exercises may include rotating the wrist and stretching out the fingers and thumb. It’s best to wait for expert advice on these before trying them out. You may cause more damage by over-exerting your wrists.
Postpartum carpal tunnel breastfeeding mothers
Continuing to breastfeed with the syndrome can be difficult. There are a few things you could try to make the process a little easier.
If you are bottle feeding, you could have someone else feed the baby. This takes the pressure off you and gives you a chance to let your wrists relax. Alternatively, you could use a supportive pillow to help prop the baby up. This will stop your wrist from maintaining extra pressure.
Some women also choose to feed the baby using a sling. This transfers the pressure from your wrist to your upper back. Try and ensure that you maintain a good posture when feeding in this position.
If you’re suffering from postpartum arm numbness and stiff fingers, it could be a sign of carpal tunnel. You should seek medical advice. Repeated carpal tunnel hand pain can cause nerve damage. If left untreated, it could leave you with further problems.
We hope this article has been helpful on carpal tunnel postpartum. Be sure to contact your doctor and keep a note of your symptoms of carpal tunnel if you experience any. It’s always better to get checked out than to leave things untreated.
Hey there, I’m Abigail!
In 2022, I graduated with a First Class Degree in Marketing and since then, I have been working as a blogger and Marketing Assistant. Before heading to university, I also achieved a BTEC in Children’s Play, Learning and Development.
I have been blogging for over four years and have covered many topics during this time. My focus has been on pregnancy, babies, sleep and baby name ideas.
I am passionate about learning new things and helping others. I hope that you find my blogs useful and informative. See you in the next article!