Post partum carpal tunnel

[Anonymous]

I had some occasional numbness or tingling in my hands at night during pregnancy -- no big deal, shake it out, gone in a minute or two. But now post partum (literally since the day after delivery) I seem to have developed classic carpal tunnel symptoms in my right hand. No pain, but numbness in my middle finger and partial numbness and tingling in my index and ring fingers. We're now 4 weeks out with no real lessening of the symptoms. Back after delivery my OB mentioned possibly getting a brace -- is this something I can just get in the drugstore? And if I'm wearing a brace does mean I can't pick up or hold the baby? Do I have to wear it full time? What's the downside of doing nothing and living with the numbness? Any advice or tips from someone who has BTDT would be much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, BTDT here!! 10 years of numbness and tinglies that started with my first pregnancies. It only got worse over the years, even while seeing chiropracters, although it did give me temporary relief. What you are dealing with is NOT localized to the arms, but a symptom of compression on your spine into the nerves that extend into your arms.

I have 2 suggestions for you.

1. Find someone who does either Craniosacral therapy or Osteopathic Manipulative Movement. This will be the gentle manipulation that you need in the structure itself.

2. Go to a local healthfood store and get a homeopathic called Ruta graveolens 30C. Take 1 pellet per week. This homeopathic remedy acts on the tendons and ligaments to strengthen them to better hold your spine in place.

I spent 1.5 years with my craniosacral therapist. She did wonders for me and my chronic back pain, as well as the tinglies in my arm. But in the end, the homoepathic remedy made her manipulations stick. I am no longer a chronic patient and only go to see her now on a maintenance schedule.

Good luck. I hope this information helps.

[Anonymous]

This happened to me too.

I used a brace from CVS and regular advil (I think I may have waited until done nursing for the advil, I can't remember! Check with your ped.)

The brace helped a lot, and it was important to sleep with it on.

For me it gradually went away.

[Anonymous]

Brace from CVS also worked for me. Get the jumbo one with the metal in it. Look like 3 weeks of sleeping with that on and I was OK after that.