{"id":4030,"date":"2017-08-28T04:02:19","date_gmt":"2017-08-28T04:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/?p=4030"},"modified":"2017-08-28T04:02:19","modified_gmt":"2017-08-28T04:02:19","slug":"do-you-have-wrist-pain-during-your-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2017\/08\/28\/do-you-have-wrist-pain-during-your-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you have wrist pain during your pregnancy?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right;\">by Jodie Isle | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merakaitherapies.com.au\/\">Merakai Massage<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-4037\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Wrist pain\" width=\"321\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 321px) 100vw, 321px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>With the increased fluid and changes to your body posture most women experience new aches and pains during pregnancy.\u00a0 Some women will develop pain in their wrist(s), which may radiate down to their thumb\/fingers and be accompanied by numbness, or pins and needles.\u00a0 If you are experiencing this you <em><strong>may*<\/strong>\u00a0 <\/em>have symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>What is the Carpal Tunnel?<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The Carpal Tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist made up of bones and ligaments. The tunnel has a fibrous band arching over your bones, called the <strong><em>Flexor Retinaculim<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0The median nerve, which controls sensation and movement in your wrist, runs through this passageway, or \u2018tunnel\u2019, along with blood vessels and tendons to the fingers and thumb.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>What is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Carpal Tunnel Syndrome<\/span>?<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful condition of the hand caused by pressure to your Median Nerve.\u00a0 Symptoms begin when the pressure in the tunnel becomes too high, resulting in the median nerve being compressed.\u00a0 It will be compressed because the space becomes restricted; or because the nerve, blood vessels and tendons enlarge within the space.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><em>What are the symptoms?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Quite often the pain is worse at night, and the strength of your grip will weaken as the condition progresses.\u00a0 Typically, you may experience pain in the thumb, index and middle fingers and the associated path in the palm to the wrist from these fingers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">You may experience the following symptoms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Hand pain or aching<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Pins and needles to your hand and fingers<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Numbness<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Burning sensation<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Weakness or cramping to wrist and fingers<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Swelling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Can I only get this during Pregnancy?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No.\u00a0 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may be experienced by men or women of any age.\u00a0 There may an increased chance during pregnancy due to the nature of the increased fluid and pressure to the passageway.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>What causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You may experience Carpal Tunnel Syndrome due to a number of reasons such as long term, or high strain to the arms, hands or wrist; repetitive movements; arthritis; Pregnancy or any condition which causes increased fluid to occur in the body.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Is this pain always from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No.\u00a0 The symptoms are not always Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, so you should not be quick to self-diagnose this condition.\u00a0 The Median nerve originates from your neck, and runs down the bicep side of your arm to your thumb\/fingers as mentioned above.\u00a0 Symptoms similar to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may occur where the nerve is compressed along its path.\u00a0 Most often the compression occurs in your neck.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Why is it worse during pregnancy?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Approximately <strong>30-50% of women may experience Carpal Tunnel Syndrome<\/strong> during their pregnancy.\u00a0 During pregnancy the hormones cause retention of fluid, and the hormone relaxin causes softening of the ligaments that form the root of the tunnel.\u00a0 When this happens, the median nerve is &#8216;squashed&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>Postural changes during pregnancy where your shoulders rotate forward and your head is sitting forward may also cause compression where the median nerve originates.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>What can you do to manage the symptoms?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid any positions or activities that make the symptoms worse<\/li>\n<li>Avoid heavy lifting<\/li>\n<li>Avoid repetitive tasks<\/li>\n<li>Elevate hand, or hands.<\/li>\n<li>Sit on chairs with arm rests that enable you to keep your wrist(s) flat and elevated<\/li>\n<li>Avoid sleeping on the side of the most affected hand<\/li>\n<li>Try to keep your wrist in a neutral position<\/li>\n<li>Avoid movements that cause full extension or flexion of your wrist<\/li>\n<li>Apply ice (wrapped in a cloth) over wrist for 10-15 min every couple of hours<\/li>\n<li>Wear a compression bandage<\/li>\n<li>Wear a wrist splint or brace, especially at night, to keep your wrist straight<\/li>\n<li>Perform regular fluid drainage massage and gentle exercises as directed by your physiotherapist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Will it go away when I have had my baby?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Quite often once the increased fluid reduces, and the ligaments are not as soft the pain will ease.\u00a0 However, a number of women may continue to have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome postnatally, or some who have had no pain during their pregnancy may develop symptoms postnatally.\u00a0 This is often due to combination of oedema still being present, poor biomechanics of holding the baby, or your hand position whilst feeding.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>Exercises, stretches and tips to prevent CTS<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>During pregnancy try raising your arms above heart level a few times a day to encourage excess fluid to pump back through the lymphatic system. \u00a0Massage, physiotherapy and exercises can all assist during pregnancy. \u00a0Postnatally try to keep your wrist and fingers in line with your forearm when lifting your baby.\u00a0 Avoid letting your wrist flex forward or to the side when lifting your baby or small child.<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Acupuncture may also assist in alleviating the symptoms and pain.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>NECK RETRACTION \u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I talk a lot about this with my clients.\u00a0 A lot of clients come in with a \u201cprotruded chin\u201d (i.e. their chins\/head poke forward like a chicken), mainly due to posture.\u00a0 Try to tuck your chin in and down to lengthen your neck, hold this position for a count of ten.&#8217;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4038\" style=\"width: 282px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4038\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-4038\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-300x262.jpg\" alt=\"Neck Retraction\" width=\"272\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-300x262.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Common posture of protruded chin<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_4039\" style=\"width: 283px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-correct.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4039\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-4039\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-correct-300x261.jpg\" alt=\"Neck Retraction correct\" width=\"273\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-correct-300x261.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Neck-Retraction-correct.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 273px) 100vw, 273px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4039\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tuck chin in and down to stretch your neck<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>CHICKEN STRETCH &#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Tuck your chin in, lengthening out your neck, then with your elbows bent and wrists straight, open up your chest (like you are holding onto a doorway).\u00a0 Hold for a count of 10.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/chicken-stretch.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4040\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/chicken-stretch-300x290.jpg\" alt=\"chicken stretch\" width=\"300\" height=\"290\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/chicken-stretch-300x290.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/chicken-stretch.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u201cREVERSE\u201d CHICKEN STRETCH &#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This is the same position as the chicken stretch but tilt your head to the ceiling and hold for a count of 10.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/reverse-chicken-stretch.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4041\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/reverse-chicken-stretch-300x250.jpg\" alt=\"reverse chicken stretch\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/reverse-chicken-stretch-300x250.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/reverse-chicken-stretch.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>MEDIAN NERVE GLIDE &#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Sit on a fitball or chair with your back straight, raise both arms to shoulder level with palms facing forward.\u00a0 The hands are extended backwards as far as possible and released.\u00a0 Repeat 10 times.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Median-Nerve-glide.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4042\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Median-Nerve-glide-300x193.jpg\" alt=\"Merakai+Therapies+Carpal+Tunnel+Median+Nerve+glide\" width=\"300\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Median-Nerve-glide-300x193.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-Median-Nerve-glide.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-median-nerve-glide-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4043\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-median-nerve-glide-2-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"Merakai+Therapies+Carpal+Tunnel++median+nerve+glide+2\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-median-nerve-glide-2-300x202.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-median-nerve-glide-2.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>RADIAL NERVE GLIDE &#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Sit on a fitball or chair with your back straight, raise both arms to shoulder level with palms now facing backwards.\u00a0 Grasp your fingers around both thumbs to form a fist.\u00a0 Flex the wrist back and forth 10 times.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4044\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-300x157.jpg\" alt=\"Merakai+Therapies+Carpal+Tunnel++radial+nerve+glide\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-300x157.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4045\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-2-300x171.jpg\" alt=\"Merakai+Therapies+Carpal+Tunnel+radial+nerve+glide+2\" width=\"300\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-2-300x171.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Merakai-Therapies-Carpal-Tunnel-radial-nerve-glide-2.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>ULNAR NERVE GLIDE &#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Remember making those \u201cfinger\u201d glasses as a child?\u00a0 Make the ok sign with thumbs and index finger.\u00a0 Now flip the OK sign upside down so your fingers rest on your cheeks and ok circles are placed over your eyes.\u00a0 Push elbows as far back as possible.\u00a0 Hold for a count of ten.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/merakai-therapies-carpal-tunnel-ulnar-nerve-glide.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4046\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/merakai-therapies-carpal-tunnel-ulnar-nerve-glide-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"merakai+therapies+carpal+tunnel+ulnar+nerve+glide\" width=\"300\" height=\"232\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/merakai-therapies-carpal-tunnel-ulnar-nerve-glide-300x232.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/merakai-therapies-carpal-tunnel-ulnar-nerve-glide.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Proper Assessment *<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">If you are experiencing symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome you should be assessed properly by your Physiotherapist, Osteopath or Chiropractor and ensure you perform the correct exercises under their guidance.\u00a0 See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merakaitherapies.com.au\/merakai-useful-links\/\">Useful Links<\/a> page to find specialists we recommend.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>INFORMATION SOURCES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Prenatal Massage, Elaine Sillerman.\u00a0 New York: Mosby Elsevier 2008<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Pregnancy and Childbirth, Suzanne Yates.\u00a0 Sydney: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2013<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Pregnancy Massage Australia \u2013 NurtureLife\u00ae Practitioner training<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Jodie Isle | Merakai Massage &nbsp; With the increased fluid and changes to your body posture most women experience new aches and pains during pregnancy.\u00a0 Some women will develop pain in their wrist(s), which may radiate down to their &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2017\/08\/28\/do-you-have-wrist-pain-during-your-pregnancy\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[61,3,1135,1,6,4,433],"tags":[1133,1131,1065,1129,1138,1136,1130,1140,1139,1086,1127,427,1128,1132,1137,713],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4030"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4030"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4109,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4030\/revisions\/4109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}