You wake up and your hands are numb or tingling. Or you drop things more easily during the day. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects up to 62% of pregnant women, making it one of the most common pregnancy complaints that gets little attention.
Why Pregnancy Causes Carpal Tunnel
The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel in your wrist through which the median nerve runs. Pregnancy causes fluid retention throughout the body, including in the wrists. This extra fluid compresses the median nerve, causing tingling, numbness, and weakness in the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger.
| Symptom | Affected Area | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tingling or numbness | Thumb, index, middle finger | Often worse at night |
| Burning sensation | Palm of hand | Morning and evening |
| Weakness/dropping things | Whole hand | Daytime |
| Pain up the arm | Forearm | When severe |
What Helps
- Wear a wrist splint at night - keeping the wrist in a neutral position reduces nerve compression while you sleep
- Elevate your hands above your heart when resting or sleeping
- Ice packs on the wrists for 15 minutes reduce swelling
- Avoid repetitive movements - typing and scrolling on your phone make it worse
- Shake your hands out gently when the tingling hits - this temporarily decompresses the nerve
- Reduce sodium intake to help manage overall fluid retention
After birth
For 90% of women, carpal tunnel syndrome resolves completely within a few weeks to months after delivery as fluid retention drops. Breastfeeding can delay resolution slightly due to ongoing hormonal effects.
When to See a Physiotherapist
If symptoms are severe or stopping you from sleeping, a physiotherapist can provide ultrasound therapy or nerve gliding exercises. In rare cases where numbness is very severe, a corticosteroid injection can be given safely in pregnancy.