The carpal tunnel is a canal in the wrist that contains connective tissue, muscle tendons, and the median nerve. The median nerve provides sensation and motor movement for most of the fingers and part of the hand. A compressed or pinched median nerve will cause pain, tingling, and difficulty controlling muscles. Symptoms will worsen at night and may result in difficulty sleeping. The fluid buildup and swelling associated with pregnancy can cause the median nerve to be compressed or pinched. This condition causes all of the symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome and makes your sleep problems worse.
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Part 1 of 3: Get a Good Night's Sleep
Step 1. Sleep on your side
Sleeping on your side allows for good blood circulation for you and your baby, and helps prevent unwanted problems from developing. Sleeping on your left side is the recommended position, but it's okay if you want to turn to the other side.
- Bend your knees and tuck a pillow between your legs.
- As your pregnancy progresses, you may find it more comfortable to place a pillow behind your back.
- Try using an extra pillow to support your head if you have digestive problems or heartburn at night.
- In addition to a pillow between your knees, try tucking a small pillow under your stomach if you have back pain.
Step 2. Let your hands relax
Place your hands in a neutral position once you get a comfortable position to sleep. Keep your hands relaxed and make sure your wrists don't bend at all. If possible, place your hands and wrists on a pillow slightly higher than your chest. Make sure this position is comfortable for you.
- An elevated wrist position will help reduce the amount of fluid and swelling pressing on the nerves.
- Some women find it helpful to place their hands on a small pillow and tuck it into the pillowcase. This move helps maintain a neutral hand position throughout the night.
Step 3. You should not sleep on your back or stomach
As your pregnancy progresses, you will experience weight gain and changes in your body and sleeping position can lead to the development of unwanted symptoms. In addition, you may develop new problems that can make it difficult for you to sleep on your side.
- Complications that may occur from sleeping on your back include back pain, hemorrhoids, breathing problems, heartburn and digestive problems, changes in blood pressure, and decreased blood circulation for the heart and baby.
- Sleeping on your back causes the stomach to experience prolonged pressure. This position can put pressure on the large blood vessels and arteries thereby interfering with the blood supply. In addition, this position is very uncomfortable when the stomach is getting bigger.
Step 4. Avoid sleeping on your hands
It's best not to sleep with your hands under your cheeks or neck, or any other part of your body. This action adds pressure to the area of the wrist that is already under stress. In addition, the possibility of wrist flexing increases when you sleep.
- Avoid sleeping positions that put pressure on the wrist or cause the wrist to bend in all directions.
- When changing sleeping positions at night, make sure your wrists don't end up under your body. Obviously you can't lie on your side and raise both wrists on the pillow, at the same time.
- If you have symptoms in both wrists, consider placing a small, thick pillow on each side of your body. When you change positions to the other side, the extra pillow is within easy reach to place the other wrist in a neutral position.
- Find a comfortable, but neutral position for the hands that are down. You may still be able to tuck your hand and wrist under a small pillow without causing additional pressure and without bending your wrist.
Step 5. Ice the wrist before going to bed
The chill from an ice pack, frozen gel bag, or even a bag of frozen vegetables can help reduce swelling and reduce pain. Wrap an ice pack in a thin towel and place it on your wrist for 10-15 minutes. The pain will only go away temporarily, but it should be enough to make you fall asleep.
Never apply ice or something frozen directly to the skin, it's best to wrap the ice first, for example with a towel or t-shirt. Otherwise you will be at risk of developing frostbite
Step 6. Use a wrist splint or brace
Use a splint or splint while sleeping. This method is fairly effective in preventing the palms from bending towards the wrists while sleeping. Bending the wrist in any direction restricts blood flow and increases pressure on nerves that are already pinched or compressed.
- Many women find that most symptoms subside after they use a wrist splint while sleeping.
- Splints and splints can help keep your wrist and hand in a neutral position so you can avoid pain at night and prevent more pressure on the nerves.
- You can buy splints and splints at your nearest pharmacy.
- You can also bandage your wrist. To find out how to bandage a wrist with carpal tunnel syndrome, read this article. Be careful that the tool or splint you use is not too tight.
Part 2 of 3: Reducing Discomfort
Step 1. Make the grip of the hand slightly relaxed
Exercise is an important part of maintaining good health during pregnancy, but some exercises can worsen carpal tunnel symptoms.
- The exercises in question include gripping the handle of a treadmill, stair climber, or elliptical machine tightly.
- Consider replacing the exercise above with cycling on a recumbent bicycle or another activity that doesn't encourage you to grip tightly.
- Arrange for your muscle-building exercises to involve using equipment for strength training that doesn't put any stress on your wrists.
- You can choose between avoiding certain exercises or loosening your grip. If you choose to continue the exercise by loosening your grip, make sure the exercise can be performed safely.
Step 2. Do the exercises for the hands
Focus on working the tendons and ligaments found in your hands, wrists, and arms. The goal of this exercise is to increase strength, reduce swelling in the hand area, and try to increase range of motion.
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Extend and extend the wrist. Extend one hand forward with the wrist bent, fingers pointing up, and palm facing forward. Use the fingers of the other hand to push back the fingers pointing up, toward the chest, until you feel tension, but no pain.
Hold this position for 20 seconds, then repeat twice for each hand. Do this exercise three times a day
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Flex the wrist. Extend one hand forward with the palm facing the chest. Use the fingers of the other hand to push the fingers outstretched. Push your fingers toward your chest, allowing your wrists to bend. Stop when you feel tension, but not pain, and hold the position.
Hold this position for 20 seconds and repeat this stretch twice for each hand. Do this exercise three times a day
- Turn your wrist. Position your upper arms at your sides and bend your elbows so that your hands are extended forward, palms facing each other. Rotate your hands up while focusing on bending your wrists while keeping your elbows or shoulders static. Rotate your hand up 15 times, then down 15 times. Repeat this exercise three times a day.
Step 3. Pamper your hands
In addition to stretching exercises, consider massaging your hands. Contact a physical therapist to find out the best massage techniques that can relieve pressure on the nerves.
- In addition to a hand massage, consider getting regular massages of your upper back and neck. This massage can help relieve tension in the area and help improve upper body posture.
- Neck cramps and pulled shoulder muscles may play a role in causing stress and pressure from the upper body muscles, which radiate up the arm and down the wrist and hand.
- Join a prenatal yoga class or stretching program designed to strengthen and balance the joints in the arms, wrists, hands, and upper body joints such as the shoulders.
- Make sure your hands are warm to increase blood flow and reduce pain in the wrist area.
Step 4. Use acupressure techniques
Applying pressure to specific points can help relieve some discomfort. If you can't put enough pressure on yourself, for example because both hands have carpal tunnel pain, ask someone to help you do it. Apply pressure to a point known as the pericardial point 6.
- To find this point, let your arm and hand relax, and place your wrist with your palm facing up. Measure three finger widths from the point where the wrist naturally bends, and the measurement is taken toward the elbow or shoulder.
- This point is located in a small indentation in the skin, in the center of the arm that lies flat, and within the tendons, bones, and ligaments in the area. This area may be around where the watch's clasp or buckle would normally be.
- Apply firm pressure to that point. You will feel as if the spot is bruised.
- Hold this pressure for ten seconds then repeat three times. Do the same on the other wrist. Repeat this procedure several times a day.
Step 5. Try reflexology
Although scientific research in the field of reflexology is somewhat limited, research shows that reflexology may be helpful. Relieving pain is one goal that may have a positive outcome. This technique can be helpful if you experience pain from carpal tunnel syndrome at night.
- To relieve pain and discomfort from carpal tunnel symptoms, massage is targeted at points on the feet. Massage the foot on the same side as the affected ankle.
- Find that point by finding the base of the fourth toe. Imagine a straight line drawn from the finger to the ankle. You may need someone's help to do this.
- The softest point is found about 2 cm from the base of the fourth toe along a straight line drawn to the ankle.
- Press the center of the softest point as hard as you can with your thumb. Try to apply steady pressure until the tenderness subsides.
- Repeat pressing four to five times. The pressed point should begin to soften. The pain in the ankle should subside once the reflex point on the foot is pressed.
Step 6. Consider cortisone injections
If your symptoms persist, get worse, and don't show any signs of improving after you take other treatment steps, a wrist steroid injection may be helpful. Consider this step only for extreme cases.
- Cortisone injections use technology to direct drug delivery to the carpal tunnel area.
- The benefits of injections can often last for several months.
- In extreme cases, minor surgical procedures may be performed. You should try all other treatment methods before considering a surgical procedure during pregnancy.
Part 3 of 3: Developing Healthy Sleep Habits
Step 1. Improve your sleep habits
During pregnancy, you may have trouble sleeping for reasons you can't control. Your sleep habits and routines may need attention during this time of pregnancy to help you sleep undisturbed for a longer period of time.
- Should not eat snacks or heavy meals before bedtime, and reduce fluid intake in the afternoon and evening. Stay away from caffeinated drinks during the day and night, and throughout the day, unless your doctor allows a certain amount of caffeine that is considered safe.
- Limit naps. You just need to take a short nap and don't sleep four hours before bedtime.
- Make sure your sleep schedule is regular. Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning.
Step 2. Take control of your environment
Try to make your room and bed as comfortable as possible. Take steps to add pillows, curtains, or adjust the temperature so you can fall asleep more easily and stay asleep as long as possible.
- Make the room as dark as possible. A dark atmosphere will tell the brain that it is time to sleep.
- Lower the temperature so the room feels cool.
- If you experience nasal congestion or sinus problems at night, there's nothing wrong with adding a humidifier in your room.
- Don't watch television, play video games, use laptops, or devices with screens, in your bedroom or at bedtime. Make the room as a place to sleep and have sex only.
- Stop tossing and turning on the bed. If you can't sleep, get out of bed, go to another room, and relax until sleepiness sets in.
Step 3. Consider herbal teas
Consult a doctor every time you want to try something new, including herbal tea products.
- Herbal teas that can help include chamomile, catnip, and oatstraw.
- Drink the tea while it is still warm and about an hour before bedtime.
- You can have a few healthy snacks with tea. Choose a snack that is high in protein, such as a variety of nuts or turkey.
- Avoid or limit caffeine intake. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends 2 cups of coffee per day (about 200 mg per day).
Step 4. Take supplements to help you sleep
Be sure to check with your doctor before trying anything new, including over-the-counter sleeping pills or supplements, before you start taking them.
- Talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking low doses of magnesium. Magnesium is known to help with muscle pain that sometimes makes it difficult to sleep.
- Melatonin is a supplement that works to induce drowsiness, but there is some controversy about the use of melatonin during pregnancy.
- Make sure you consult with your doctor before adding melatonin, or changing anything about any medications, herbal products, or supplements you are taking.
