Anyone Else Have Issues with Carpal Tunnel and Tenosynovitis?

Yup, carpal tunnel here too, I had it off and on but didn't do anything about it until I was preggo and it was so severe I couldn't even hold my silverware anymore. Mine is in both wrists. I had to wear braces on each hand, I was consistent with it. I had to keep using them for a while. I still have to use the brace if I am doing a lot with the computer and when storms move through I am more succeptable but it is something I can live with and I do the wrist exercises and use my brace when they start getting weak. I haven't had to wear the brace for 6 months now though...and I sell books so I am always carrying large boxes of books around--it's common yeah--and you will be able to still do the things you love.

I've had tendonitis in my wrists, but not d/t pregnancy - moreso keyboarding and metalsmithing. I'm managing it but my wrists haven't fully recovered. Physical therapy helped quite a bit but I would find someone who specializes in hands, there is a speciality for that.

I know surgery is the option of last resort, but that's the only thing that worked for me. My carpal tunnel didn't flare up until after I gave birth. I dealt with severe pain for 10-11 months and after trying wrist braces, steroid injections, and massage, I had surgery on each wrist about 4 weeks apart. The relief was almost instant, although the recovery took about a week. The recovery was the hardest part because my son was not quite one and it was tough to pump his breast work, although I made it work. I did my research and made sure I used one of the best hand surgeons. Just something else to think about.

Carpal tunnel- I was diagnosed with it when I was first pregnant with DS. It was too early in the pregnancy to have been cause by the pregnancy- they warned me about it flaring up and how common pregnancy carpal tunnel was.
With all my pregnancies at the end it has flared up. This last time it was HORRIABLE- retention of fluid in your shoulders, and wrist put pressure on to the nerves that cause carpal tunnel (or something along those lines). Well I had to have a C/S this time around and the extra fluid made it so so bad after having my little one. My Dr said to give it 6-8 weeks for it to go away. Well it has been 9 weeks and I still have it but not too bad, annoying but I am not wearing my braces. I figure it was agavated my the pregnancy and since I already had carpal tunnel it will take a while for it to go away.

Hi A.,

I am a massage therapist and have worked with many clients with CT and tenosynovitis, (not necessarily postpartum.) One of the things that has helped some of them is doing push ups. It helps to strengthen other muscles in the forearms and balance them out. Of course, I think massage helps a lot and stretching in general is great. Also, taking an anti inflammatory may help in the short term. Best of luck!

A., I too have carpal tunnel. I've been a hairstylist for 25 years and it's not unusual in my profession. I have found that acupuncture & regular deep tissue massage provide the best relief for me. Ibuprofen also works well when I have a flare up. I have a wrist brace that I sleep in and wear if I'm not working, when it's bothering me.

I hope this helps.

When my twins were about 2, my left wrist was weak and I had sharp pains to pick up ordnary things (like a coffee pot or tub of butter).

I know it is somehow related to the fact that I always had a baby in my left arm while I was doing something else. As my babies got heavier, the pain got worse.

I had x-rays and MRI, but they didn't really know. I was put in a cast to be forced to rest my wrist, it did help some but it came back.

My twins are now 8 and I still have flair ups but I just put on a splint, that gived me some relief.

Good luck. My suggestion is to buy a splint.

I have had severe carpal tunnel. Think gray swollen hands. I had a chiropractor who cured it. 12 years later it's starting to come back thanks to baby #3. I also play piano and violin and have been able to do both since. I highly recommend it. He's in SC, so I can't give a recommendation. You might do some research in that, though.

Doing a great deal of data entry before my daughter was born and being on the computer for hours at a time, I can say I got it in my right wrist. I wore a night guard that kept my wrist stabilized when sleeping as I tuck it in a weird position and that was aggrevating it. I didn't have to therapy but wore the guard at night and when I was doing extensive work on my wrist. It helped tremendously and it basically went away by itself. If you can wear one when you are doing your work, most are still giving you mobility but stabilizing it. I would get pains up my arm and it was not fun! I would get tingly sensations as well.
Still even though I work at home doing child care, I will wear it at night on days I have been on the computer or doing exssesive lifting. Good luck! :)

Hi A.,

Yes I had carpal tunnels on both hands. Your work as a pianist and photographer put you in line for aggravated and ongoing problems with your hands and wrists. Carpal tunnels get worse generally. The benefit of Physical therapy is very limited. It usually puts off the inevitable, which is surgery to lessen the pressure on the carpal nerves. The damage from pressure on the carpal nerves is irreversible. Do not belittle this fact. The longer you put off surgery, the worse they will become, which means the more strength you will lose in your hands and wrists, but mainly hands. I struggled with my hands going numbish for 9 years before I learned what was wrong. By then, there was a lot of damage, especially to my right hand and the doctors insisted that I have surgery immediately. I am soooo glad I did. It took a good year for my hands to heal completely.( I had to have both hands done at the same time) But I have had minimal loss of strength and my hands have healed beautifully and no more numbing or aching. I have watched other friends and family members fiddle around with the physical therapy things, only to have surgery down the road and the results were less than optimal. It could have been much better had they not waited so long to do surgery. Where you do Piano and Photography, this is not going to get better. It will only get worse. Do something now. Good luck to you!!!

I have a lot of pain in my wrists. I have never had an official diagnosis but a doctor did tell me that I had it. I do not do anything yet, but I am planning on doing something for it soon. What I plan on doing is using Vivix from Shaklee. I have read a lot of testimonies about how it helped them with pain, rapid healing of a tooth transplant, for fibromialgia, took care of tremors, took away age spots, and people are off pain meds. So I am thinking of trying it to see if it works. If are interested in some of the testimonies and other information I can get that to you. Just send me a message.

Blessings

After the birth of my first baby, I was scared to death to pick up a glass of water or anything else, it was so difficult to grasp. My symptoms calmed down a bit and I wore a brace during my my later pregnancies, which helped. However, I never went back to "normal". I don't know how common it is; I do know my grandmother had the same problem after her pregnancy so I wonder if there's a genetic predisposition.

I am also an artist who uses my hands and have heredity to deal with. I had a lot of pain with my pregnancies and have stopped with to because I neer want to be pregnant again. But I think some of my came from my Colitis. I have IBD now but when I have the hormones of pregnancy, I got esculated to Colitis and with that, you get a lot of joint and nerve stuff. At anyrate...yoga is the best thing to help. Also, I have "log" that is from PT. I lay on it and it works out my spine. It feels great and releives my nerves on the shoulders and hips. also, make sure you are strectching every 15 minutes and big stretch every hour. This means you should be strething your core, not just your hands. workout your uppr back betwen your shoulders and your hips. It helps a lot. I'm sure your PT will have exercises for you.

I too got CT from pregnancy with my 1st child who is now 9. I have tried everything including chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, and stretching exercises. I then got tennis elbow that the dr. thinks stems from my CT. I just had surgery on one hand last week and will eventually have it on the left. I can tell you that all of the other ways were helpful for a bit but never long lasting. I always got it back when I was pregnant the 2nd and 3rd time. I really hope the surgery is the cure because it has been long enough and I am too young to have to suffer with this the rest of my life. Good luck with yours.

Message Theropy is another great option for treatment.
Best Wishes,
S.

Chiropractic can work great. You may also want to look into massaging into your arms/wrists some MSM/Glucosamine cream and taking an anti-oxidant. Let mr know if you have any questions.

Best of health,
R.
www.myherblady.com

I've seen people get great results with using magnetic therapy (can be as simple as wearing a good quality magnetic bracelet ideally with infrared and negative ion technologies too). Magnetics help decrease inflammation, bruising, and helps promote healing and pain management. I'd be happy to send you some more specific info offline as I've seen over 75 amazing things in the last year for all kinds of conditions and just general health. Best of all, no drugs, no surgery - all natural.

I had carpal tunnel when I was pregnant with my daughter, from all the swelling in my wrists and hands, and I had to wear a special brace. It went away after my daughter was a few weeks old. I assume your doctor has offered you a brace...if not, most drug stores carry them. Hope you feel better!

Hi, A.,

I worked in sports medicine & orthopedics for 15 years. The answer to your question is YES...it is extremely common, especially after baby!

This is one of those conditions that is a nagging type problem. It will go away eventually, but it won't be overnight and if you're nursing, it could linger until after you stop. Part of it has to do with all the hormonal changes our bodies undergo after we have a baby. You're going to have good days, and bad days with it. Just hang in there. Go for the physical therapy & follow the program.

The best thing you can do is try not to over do things on days you're feeling great and try to pace yourself with the piano playing. As for the photography, use your monopod or tripod as much as you possibly can.

Hope this helps.

A.
Mom to Macy, 3
StrollerFit West Denver
www.strollerfit.com