Painful wrists

Does anyone else have a problem with their wrists? I do work on the computer too but it really came on after the babies. I get shooting pain in my wrists if I extend my thumb out too far or if my hand is curled under. I can hardly support my weight when I put my hand down to help me get up or sit down. It hurts to BF my son sometimes when I am supporting his head. Anyone else with this problem or do you think is it work related?

 

Does anyone else have a problem with their wrists? I do work on the computer too but it really came on after the babies. I get shooting pain in my wrists if I extend my thumb out too far or if my hand is curled under. I can hardly support my weight when I put my hand down to help me get up or sit down. It hurts to BF my son sometimes when I am supporting his head. Anyone else with this problem or do you think is it work related?

 

Sounds like my carpal tunnel. You can get a nice little wrist soft brace that will help you when you are doing all those tasks. Try and take it easy on them. It can be something you cannot get fixed easily. My aunt had three surgeries on hers; they never really got better. So I am very careful with mine and rest them when I need to. Check with your PCP about it and they will give you more suggestions.

 

Hi--Brand new here. I've been lurking for a couple weeks and decided to join you all today.
I'll indroduce myself in another post.

Unfortunately, this is something I have experience with. In fact, I just went to see an Orthopaedic doc about this today. I had what my OB called pregnancy induced carpal tunnel throughout my pregnancy and was told it would resolve itself after delivery. I had my twins 10/16 and the pain has changed from tingling and numbness in my hands to shooting pain as you described in my wrist (mainly my dominant hand).

I, too, have had trouble picking up and BF'ing babies due to this. The doc took x-rays and said it was the carpal tunnel. He said it's not typical that it gets worse after delivery, but not uncommon. He then referred my for PT for a certain type of therapy and ultrasound. I'm still not sure how that works. The only other thing to do while BF'ing is to take tylenol--not much help.

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone. Please post again if you discover anything that helps. I feel your pain! (no pun intended

 

I'm pretty sure I have it too- carpal tunnel, that is. In my case, it's probably an overuse injury from picking up babies (since I am a SAHM). Hopefully, it will go away in a couple of months... or is that just wishful thinking??
Good luck to us all!

 

YES!
I definitely have this problem. it started when the babies were born and has gotten progressively worse, since they've grown heavier. (I'm a SAHM too) I think it's due to all the picking up, and bending of the wrists when changing diapers, clothes, bathtime, etc.
Glad to know it's not just me !

 

My pain is mainly in my non-dominant wrist, it extends up the outside of my wrist from my thumb, radiating a little to the back of my forearm about half way up- there is swelling on that side also (don't it figure- my wrists were the only thin part of my body and now even one of those is swollen from the babies . I saw the Dr about it just about a month ago, mine is tendonitis- not carpal tunnel. CT will be pain that starts on the inside of your wrist and radiates up the inside of your forearm, it is from a nerve swelling and being trapped in a tunnel through a bone in your wrist. Mine came from carrying monster babies in their carriers (2 at a time) and the strain on the tendon in my weaker wrist was just too much. Dr said ice/heat, scripted 800mg ibuprofen and a wrist brace. Now I limit how often I pick up both at once, always use the stroller to transport them more than across the room (ie even a quick trip into 7-11 rates getting the stroller out.) Dr said I could do PT but A) that means finding a sitter 3 times a week or taking them w/ me and B) unless I eliminate the cause of the inflammation it really won't help (duh-can't stop dealing w/ my babies can I?) so for now I can baby it as much as possible and treat the symptoms. Tendonitis is painful but it isn't usually going to end in debiliatation and/or surgery like CT often does.

Sorry this post got so long, just wanted to let everyone know that pain in the wrist isn't automatically CT. HTH

Christina

 

I agree, it sounds like Carpal Tunnel. I didn't start getting my pains till after I had the babies and I carried them around in their car seats at the same time.

 

I had (have) this too, and it has gotten mostly better, except for some pain now and then (nothing like it used to be). This is what I did for it:

-Wore wrists splints and a thumb splint at night. (Sometimes this made it worse, but sometimes better....)

-Took vitamin B complex

Those were the suggestions from my regular doctor. My chiropractor:

-Gave me an adjustment on my wrists (I think it helped a LOT!)

-Told me not to ever bend my wrists while carrying/holding something (not that it's always possible, but I try to remember)

-Gave me drops to strengthen my adrenal glands, which were obviously very strained, and were therefore not giving me energy in my wrists. (Which were straining from the fluid retention during pregnancy.) Not sure if that made sense, but whatever it is, the pain is really scary, especially while handling babies - you feel like you have no control and might drop what you're holding.

Whatever you do, be careful with your wrists - drink a lot of water too - it might help?

 

I have the adrenal gland drops, but sometimes it makes me feel like I took a lot of caffine. Does that happen to you? I'm glad to know they can help my wrists. Thanks

 

Hi All,

I'm new to the site and hope this helps. I too had painful wrists but it didn't start until the girls were about two months old. I even dropped one girl because my wrist gave way (as you can imagine, she was fine, I was a wreck). The doctors too told me carpal tunnel, which I felt was impossible.

I went to an orthopedic specialist because splints weren't helping. It was NOT CT but DeQuervain Tendonitis. I received a cortisone shot in each wrists and a week later they were as good as new. I was told that this is common and that if the shots don't work, there is a simple surgery where a small incision is made to relieve the pressure. You can Google the info.

I hope this helps!

 

I've had both carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms affect the pinky, ring and middle fingers. A lot of women get it when pregnant because of water retention. It usually resolves itself after birth. I had to get cortisone shots when I was pregnant with my twins because it was so bad. I had tendonitis in my wrist before I was pregnant and the pain was on the thumb side. I had to have surgery on it. It was a small incision and the doctor cut the sheath around the tendon to release the pressure. Cortisone helped with both, but worked much better with the carpal tunnel syndrome.

 

Another idea is that it may be DeQuervain's tendonitis. It was very painful in my thumb and I couldn't bend it.

The Dr's suggested Cortisone, but I decided to get hand therapy. It's been a lot better.

ETA: I saw another poster already mentioned that! So I"ll ditto her