Pain in My Wrists

Hi,
I don't have any solution for you, all I can say is that I had similar pain after my first was born, in my ankles and in my wrists as well. Always worst in the morning - I would literally hobble my way to the bathroom. I think it was a good year before it went away. I did not have the same problem after kid 2 or 3. I hope someone else can post something more helpful for you - I remember that pain and it was no fun.

D. - Mom to three boys, 7, 5, 3

Hi A., my name is S.. I had the same exact problem when I had my daughter (she is now 22 months). The pain started in my thumb and traveled up towards my wrist. I went to the doctor and he told me that it was the way I was picking my daughter up (I would pick her up under her shoulders after she could support her head). He said there wasn't much I could do besides trying to change the way I picked her up. I would take Aleve or something like it and I also found it helpful to wear a wrist brace at night while I slept. It kept me from sleeping on my hand weird and making the problem worse. My pain went away after a couple of more months. I hope this helps.

I had the same problem and ended up with tendonitis. All it took was an injection (and no it's not a comfortable injection) to get rid of it. Good luck.

HI A.. I had this! You poor thing. It's a type of tendonitis (has a name of a man), that is specific to post-pregnancy. I think it has to do with the changes with relaxin in the body in late pregnancy, and then with the exact motion of how you pick a child up - -which is unlike any motion you would have done before. Think about how you go to pick your baby up - hands out, thumbs up, ready to go under their underarms, and then you twist them around to rest of your hip or chest or cradle them. This repetitive motion, that you've not done for any other thing, is now resulting in tendonitis. I had a shot of cortisone in each wrist - directly on the bone below my thumb. It was more painful then childbirth itself (for me) but it was over quickly and I never had another shot - and thankfully avoided the surgery that is often necessary. Go to your doc today and get the shot. The alternative is severe pain throughout the day and likely surgery down the road. Oddly, or not so since I had already "excersized" the wrists with the first pregnancy, it didn't return after the second one.

Good luck!

T.

Hi A.,
Are you nursing? Even if you are not, it could be due to so much feeding going on. Repetitive holding the baby's head can actually cause carpal tunnel syndrome. It is so important to fully support your arms and hands while you are feeding your baby. A good anti-infamation drug like ibuprophen will help. Call your Dr. if it doesn't get better

Check with your doctor, of course, but mine told me I have classic tennis elbow and recommended an arm strap that goes below the elbow to correct it. Seemed silly, but it worked wonders! :)

I had the same thing, with both of my children actually...different wrist for each. When I saw my doctor, I was told that it was carpul tunnel (however you spell that), and I got it from the pregnancies. It would get so bad, that I couldn't redress my little one after changing a diaper! Putting my wrist into some kind of a "brace" helped. I just had a simple athletic arm wrap around thing I got from a walmart or target, and the pressure helped to ease some of the pain. I was also adviced by the doc to take ibuprofin, or some type of pain reliever for it. That too helped. After a while, the pain did ease up after both children, however, sometimes still now if I twist my wrist slightly wrong, or a bit of too much pressure in a spot, I will get the pain again, but it is very rare now days. Hope something has helped!
K.

It sounds like it could be corporal tunnel. Id get it checked out right away. You wouldnt want them to give out after you've already picked him up and then drop him. You also dont want to do yourself any permanent damage that could affect you the rest of your life.

Hi there,
I think it's probably NOT carpal tunnel. There's a specific tendon issue that new moms get. I can't remember what it's called, but I had it for a LONG time. The only two ways to make it stop are physical therapy and actually resting the wrist. I know you're not in a position to rest the wrist, mine never really stopped until my baby was big enough to want down more!!

I'd still get it checked, but I imagine that to be the issue! Also, try getting a sling to carry your baby in. I really love the Moby Wrap!

Just sharing your pain....I'm having the same issue. My left wrist kills me in the morning when I get up, but gets better as the day wears on. I recently changed jobs, so my insurance hasn't kicked in yet, but I'll definitely ask when I go for my yearly in September! Let me know what you find out (if you go to the doctor)!

Hi A.! I had the same problem with my first born. It was diagnosed as carpal tunnel which a lot of pregnant women get due to the increased fluids. I didn't get mine until my daughter was around 4 weeks old. The pain was terrible and my MD told me to wear braces and try and rest the hands....yeah right. Anyway I did a lot of research into it and had a chiropractor work on my hands and it worked wonders. I also took tylenol b/c I was nursing. Friends from work told me it would go away as the baby got older and I didn't believe them, but it completely did. I was convinced I was going to need surgery to correct the problem. I would wear the braces which you buy at a drugstore whenever your baby is sleeping. they are ugly, but they do help. I hope your pain goes away soon.

I had the exact same thing starting when my baby turned three months old. My wrists hurt and would pop at times and send a severe pain through my thumbs, wrists, and lower arms. My doctor told me it was tendonitis- specifically deQuervain's tendonitis. Here is a link to some info about it. http://www.resurgenshand.com/pages/education/dequervain--... If you google it, you will find loads more info. This specific type of tendonitis is very common in women who have infants from always lifting the baby with the thumbs and pointer fingers spread. I was told to get braces for my wrist, ice them, and try to relax them when possible (which is not very often with a little one). I wish I had a quick fix for you, but I don't. It stinks. The good news is that mine went away when my daughter turned 9 months. Good luck, and let me know if you learn any new info about it.

You probably have tendonitis in the tendon that runs down the back of your thumb and connects at the wrist. I got it when I had my first child, too right around the time she hit 4-5 months. The doctor can give you a removeable "cast" to wear to support the thumb and wrist to keep from constantly reinjuring it. You'll be fine in a week or so.

it sounds like the pain i get but i get it when i write, screw a screw driver and such. it runs up the side of my arm to my elbow. I'm not sure if what i have is tendenitus or carpul tunel but it does hurt. i would go se a dr and see if you can get it identified. mine was hurting for a few months earlier this year. you may have over worked it. one thing that i know is that it takes about 2 weeks of rest for it to go away if this is what you have. you can get a wrist brace for it to help you keep from using it. then you should be able to use it again.

A.,
I'm putting my massage therapist hat on for a moment. You could possibly describing all sorts of things. There is definitely inflammation in your arm. It could be carpal tunnel, could be tendonitis, could be a pinched nerve in your neck. I'm also a doula and have worked with many of my doula clients doing post partum massage for this exact situation.
See if putting an ice pack on it for a half hour on, an hour off and another half hour on, helps at all.
Then there are anti inflammatories that could help.
Don't worry, there are natural ones that don't affect your breastmilk if you are nursing. I'm happy to answer any other questions if you want to contact me directly.
Hope that helps,
Regards,
L.

It could be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which I had while pregnant. Apparently, when you're swollen during and after pregnancy, pressure is put on the nerves and tendons in your arms and wrists causing the pain. Mine went away when the pregnancy swelling went away.
Also, could it be you're just using new muscles by picking up your baby? Any new, repetitive motion can cause muscle pain and I'm guessing you're constantly picking up and putting down your new baby.
Either way, I'd check with your doctor for a real diagnosis.

It could be carpal tunnel. Have you seen your doctor? It may be worth the copay to get it looked at.

Congratulations!!!!!!

I have tendonist (sp?) which my doctor told me was not uncommon in new mothers. He gave me a cortisone shot & it helped for about 8-9 months & then I went back & he gave me another one. He said it will go away after I no longer carry my daughter around. So I would go talk to your doctor there could be an easy treatment. Hope you're feeling better soon.

One of my neighbors had the same issue when she had her baby, it has to do with your vessels leading up to your elbow and about the recent strains that's been put on with a new baby and all. I'd have it checked out by a doctor :) Good luck!

I have a 5 1/2 month old - my first child and I have had the same thing. I actually went to the Dr about and they gave me a brace to wear - this was when my son was less than 6 weeks old - I thought how ridiculous, you see this child in his carrier sitting right there how can I function with a brace on. Eventually the pain lessened then came back around his 5 month bday. I have chalked it up to sleeping with my arms wrapped around my pregnancy pillop when I was pregnant, I would sleep wrapped around that thing like crazy - some times now I sleep wrapped around my regular pillow. When I have wrist pain I make an effort to sleep with the wrst that hurts flat. Not sure if this helps, i hope it does!

Hi A.,
I had the same problem with my first child and a little less severe with my second. Thankfully it gradually went away. I did some stretching (like pulling my fingers back towards my forearm). I've heard that doing the yoga move downward facing dog can also help. I'm not sure what causes it - maybe using wrist muscles holding the baby that you don't typically use. It may go away after a few months.
Hope it improves soon!
Y.

You should go to your doctor and mention it. I developed carpal tunnel during one of pregnancies and still have it. If that is what it is then I suggest going to Matt Furey's website and get his carpal tunnel/wrist pain video. I am able to eliminate my symptoms as long as I do the exercises that he suggests. I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago with mild carpal tunnel on one side and moderate on the other. I was in a lot of pain and was dropping things and it was limiting what I could do in the kitchen. I do not have any limitations now.

Hey A.,
It sounds like you're adjusting to being a new mom! I remember my wrists and thumbs hurt after adjusting to carrying my daughter after she was born. You're probably using tiny hand and wrist muscles that you've never used before (or not as often anyway.) And being that it hurts in the morning I think that's becuase they've had all night long to sort of rest and get "cold" and so during the day as your muscles warm up the pain subsides. Hopefully it's not anything more serious than this and that you'll begin to adjust--as your baby gets bigger you'll get stronger!

Hi A.,

I and my best friend both recently had the exact same thing. My doctor said it is directly related to carrying our children. Basically an overuse injury is what she called it. She prescribed a wrist guard and put me on a pain medication for 2 straight weeks. I didn't take it regularly like I was supposed to because I don't like to take medication if I don't have to. I forget what the meds were called, but when I finally followed her advice, it finally healed. It will take a few weeks, but I would recommend going to the doctor and getting some meds and the wrist guard. She did not recommend taking ibuprofen everyday for 2 weeks, the stuff she prescribed is easier on your liver.

Hope this helps knowing you aren't alone!

Hope you feel better soon,
D.

hi there...i have a 15-month old little boy and i've been dealing with the same problem. i've had similar pain for about 4 months. i had an x-ray done on my wrist and the doc said that it's just tendonitis, most likely from carrying him and supporting his weight with my left arm. she had me wear a brace on my forearm/wrist for a week straight. the pain still comes and goes. the pain is also worse for me in the mornings. i think you can probably get a generic brace at any drug store or ask the pharmacist. i've spoken with several moms since this started happening to me and it's actually quite common. i guess you're just putting more stress on parts of your body that you didn't before. i would try the brace and take ibuprofren for the pain/swelling. if it persists, maybe go get a doc to look at it, but i bet you it's tendonitis. apparently, there's a major tendon that runs from the bottom of your thumb all the way up your arm...i hope this helps. good luck!

Hello A.,
Congrats on the new baby! You aren't picking up your baby the wrong way - your wrists and arms aren't used to him. I had this with both #2 and #3 sons. I cannot remember what it was called but it may have been diagnosed as carpal tunnel. I went to my GP who sent me to and orthopaedic doctor. I had to wear the wrist support glove things for a while at night but they really helped. And, I didn't have any problems with #4 son. So, it must have worked.
Hope you are feeling better soon!
Take care of yourself and your little man!

I had the same thing - the doc said it was a function of using your forearms so much. Natural remedy is to increase your bromulin intake... through eating a ton of pineapple, or easier, is to get a supplement. You can usually find it at GNC.

I would ses a doc and get an MRI. This was the problem I had after having my son over 5 years ago. The doc said not to worry it was just hormones trying to regulate and that effects the joints. This went on for months. Finaly I went to another doc and she refered me to Occupational Therapy, and there they ordered an MRI and see that I had shredded a 2 ligaments and had terrible rough edges of cartilages that were the culprit of the shredding . I had surgery and they said it was even worse inside than the MRI had let on. I have a slight impairment, but it does not effect my daily life enough to stop anything. I know this may a more dramatic situation than you may have but it cannot hurt to check things out.
T.

I got it when my little one was two months old. It's becasuse of the way we pick up our children. When we pick them up with our thumbs extended placing the baby's weight there, it pulls the ligaments away from the bone. Try ice, a wrist brace, and change the way you pick your baby up - cradle position. It gets better with time too. Mine is seven months old and my wrists don't hurt as much, just an annoying pain if I twist it the wrong way.

A.,

After my first was born (13 years ago), I had similar pain. It got to the point where I could no longer hold him, and I'd wake up in the middle of the night, screaming in pain.

It was diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome, and the doctor wanted to do months of physical therapy. I needed something that would help me faster than months.

My acupuncturist took care of it in three visits, and I have had NO problems--until my second was born 2 years ago. Same pain, though not so bad. I got a new acupuncturist to take care of it (the other one's in Hong Kong--too far for an office visit), and he took two visits to fix it. And no problems since.

My Herndon-area (and Fredericksburg, according to his website) recommendation is Jake Avencena: ###-###-####; Grant Business Center, 626 Grant Street, Suite J, Herndon, Virginia 20170. He's the guy who took two visits to fix it. If you go, please let him know I sent you!

Good luck.

Google DeQuervains Tenosynovitis I bet that's what you have. It's very common in new parents. I had it as well.

In case you're freaked a bit, it's just wrist tendonitis. Hurts like hades but very treatable.

carpal tunnel maybe? i had similar problem and doctor gave me wrist guards to wear. solved problem. would talk to doctor about it.

Please, please see a doctor. When my son was about four months old, I started having such pain through my thumbs into my wrists to the point where I was afraid to pick up my son for fear I'd drop him. I finally went to the doctor and found that along with a few other symptoms (which had previously seemed inconsequential and generally neglectable) all added up to a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. I don't know what the odds are that you would have the same thing, but when our body screams at us, we need to listen. Particularly when it makes us question our ability to safely and effectively parent. Only a doctor will be able to alleviate your worries, and a good one will never let you feel silly for making sure there's not a bigger issue at hand ... or thumb, as it were. Good luck.

Hey A.,
I had the exact same situation. After a few months, nearly dropping my son, excruciating pain and several doctor trips I was still nowhere with what was wrong. I finally called an orthepaedic specialist and saw their hand/wrist surgeon. Within 3 minutes and one quick in-office diagnostic test, I was diagnosed with deQuervain's tenosynovitis. It's a condition where the tendon sheath covering the two tendon's at the base of the thumb/wrist become inflammed due to...you guessed it, improper lifting. This is apparently very common in postal workers (who knew?) and new moms (then why the heck didn't my ob know what it was?) and can be managed medically for most. Mine was pretty advanced by this time and required surgery to open the tendon sheath since this was also interfering with my job and could have been career ending (I'm an registered veterinary technician). There is light at the end of the tunnel and relief for you, I promise. I encourage you to see a specialist since they see this and similar conditions on a more everyday basis and general practitioners do not. Hope this was helpful and that you are feeling better soon!
S.

I would advise seeing a chiropractor. I had pain that turned to numbness in my wrist which traveled up my arm. It sounds a lot like what you are experiencing. The doctors put me through horrible tests and had scheduled exploratory surgery. My chiropractor saved me. He found a pocket of toxins strangulating the nerves at a main trigger point under my shoulder blade. Evidently one of my daughters kicked me while sleeping in my bed. It was just enough to set off that trigger point and allow toxins to build up. My stress level added to the problem. I would talk to your chiropractor before you become a test subject for doctors. If you don't have one, I would strongly recommend Dr. Ben Hopsicker ###-###-####. He is wonderful.

Good luck!
P.

I didn't read every single response, but when I had the exact type of pain you are describing, it was the way I carried my son, not the actual act of picking him up. I am right handed, so the most comfortable arm to carry him in was my left arm. I carried him cradle fashion in my left arm, with my arm held so that my left hand was vertical, like you would hold it for shaking someone's hand. The pain was sharp and excruciating, but when I started carrying him with my hand held flat, like holding something in my palm, the pain eventually went away. He was 8 lb 12 oz when born, so the pain began fairly quickly, and I wasn't able to carry him in one arm for more than a few months before he was too heavy, and once I started carrying him differently, the problem solved itself. He is 5 now, and I have no lasting effects, no surgery was needed, and I never wore a brace, so your pain may go away on its own. Good luck!