It’s well known that carpal tunnel syndrome is generally caused by repetitive actions and overuse, whether by a job or even sport. But even pregnancy affects carpal tunnel syndrome also, often due to hormonal changes that can lead to inflammation in the wrist.
A study conducted in 2019 observed some 382 women who were pregnant. Significantly, it looked at those who were in their third trimester and it was found that just under a quarter of them had signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. Interestingly, those women who were left handed and older were shown to be more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Following another study, it looked at those women who had given birth and looked to see if their carpal tunnel syndrome had improved. Amazingly only 40% of this study said yes, with the majority experiencing the same pain and discomfort and some even suggested it had got worse after birth.
This was a long term study and over the course of three years, an improvement was seen, but only to the extent that half were better.
So it’s reasonably safe to assume that pregnancy affects carpal tunnel syndrome and that the best course of action is to get it looked at sooner rather than later. Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to help and treat the condition. If it is caught in the earliest stages, then normally treatment is minimal and we hope to see it gone, but if left, it can stick around for some time and in some cases worsen.
It is important to treat it as it does impair function and can be a big contributor to loss of sleep. And of course sleep is crucial particularly after baby has been born as it can be hard to come by and you need all your focus on those early days rather than dealing with pain or numbness in your wrist.
At Warwick Chiropractic, carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the many conditions we treat and help with. If you are suffering from pain or tingling in your hand, even if you’re not pregnant, drop in and see us, we’d love to help.
Getting patients out of pain and back to a full life is why we do what we do. We are walk in friendly, but if you want to make an appointment, we can help you there as well. Call today 360-951-4504.
