Numb Hands During Pregnancy

Contents:

• Numb or Tingling Hands or Feet During Pregnancy
• Fingers Get Numb During Sleep in Pregnancy
• Reasons Why Hands Grow Numb During Pregnancy
• When the Right Hand or Left Hand Grows Numb During Pregnancy
• What to Do if Hands and Legs Grow Numb During Pregnancy: Treatment

Numb or Tingling Hands or Feet During Pregnancy

It is quite apparent that numbness of hands and fingers isn't norm or wellbeing, though you don't immediately assume that it caused by the dangerous grounds or disorders. Of course, numbness of extremities always has reason, but it can be different in each separate case. And during child-bearing this malady has some features. But future mother has to find out by all means why her hands get numb during pregnancy and whether it is dangerous.

Fingers Get Numb During Sleep in Pregnancy

It can be otherwise, but in most cases everything occurs approximately as follows. The woman wakes up once from the fact that she has felt hand pain and her fingers get numb at night. At the initial stages pain may not be felt, but, as a rule, it appears over time and the longer it goes on, the more intense is it.

In the beginning only fingers during sleep get numb, then the hand to the wrist and above, and later it is very possible that the whole extremity begins to grow numb to the shoulder. Though quite often numbness occurs only in fingers and isn't aggravated with time.

Very often pregnant women complain that not just their fingers and hands grow numb at night, but that a searing pain shoots through them at the same time! Having woken up from discomfort and unpleasant feelings, the woman can't fall asleep any more as her hand strongly hurts.

In many cases, after such several incidents hands begin to grow numb also during the day time: rare at first, but then more and even deeply. It is better not to wait until it comes to sharp stab of pain and frequent attacks. You have to visit the doctor and describe to him all your complaints: whether only fingers grow numb or the whole hand aches, left or right.

Tell the doctor when it occurs, how long it proceeds, whether the numbness is accompanied by other symptoms (shooting pain in the heart or burning in a neck). Most likely, the doctor will soothe you, because such numbness couldn’t be very dangerous by itself and it is closely tied to pregnancy. However problems with health because of which this malady is developed and aggravated cannot be ruled out.

Anyway, when hands and legs grow numb in pregnancy, it is necessary, at least, to switch to a healthier lifestyle, to revise sleep time and eating habits. And the therapy prescribed in such cases will depend on the individual reason for which your hands grow numb during pregnancy.

Reasons Why Hands Grow Numb During Pregnancy

By and large, hands or legs grow numb always for the one and only reason. This reason is a pinched nerve. But there are many sets of factors which lead to weak functioning of nervous fibers.

If fingers or hands grow numb during pregnancy, then any of the following disturbances can take place:

• Retention of water in the organism. It is the most frequent and the most probable reason for numb hands during pregnancy. The swelled tissues provide pressure on arteries and nerves endings because of what blood circulation deteriorates and extremities grow numb. Edemas develop, in addition, due to progesterone which is strenuously produced by woman's body during pregnancy. And therefore it is necessary to be engaged in prophylaxis during the first weeks to prevent probable problems arising because of retention of water sooner or later in pregnancy.
• Imbalance of vitamin and mineral substances in female organism. This disturbance meets very often, though not every expert considers that its elimination is capable to alleviate a condition of the pregnant woman. If to speak about consequences in the form of numbness of hands and legs, deficiency of vitamins of groups A and B is most often observed. Very important is the insufficient level of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and also iron, which leads to cramps, pains and anesthesia in extremities.
• Poor posture during sleep. Often happens that the hand gets numb simply having been compressed. Jamming of cervical spine is also common cause of the fact that hands grow numb at night. That is promoted in many respects by an "incorrect" pillow (very high or large) or poor posture during sleep.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome. Pricking, burning sensation, numbness and even swelling of hands are observed from time to time at most of people whose hands (most often the right ones) work under increased loads, which are constantly impact on the same tendons and joints. In modern world operations with a computer mouse and a keyboard comes out on top among the similar reasons. When the median nerve which travels through the wrist is compressed – what is called "Carpal tunnel syndrome" by experts – it causes numbness and typical pain in the hand. In that case the thumb, index finger and middle finger are more likely to suffer from such pain.
• Cervical or vertebral osteochondrosis, arthrosis, hernia of intervertebral disks. Statisticians of WHO say that every fifth inhabitant of the planet aged from thirty and above is subject to osteochondrosis. And therefore the probability of this reason always remains high. It is forbidden to conduct X-ray inspection for diagnosis during pregnancy, but it is worth visiting the neuropathologist all the same: he will help to confirm or disprove your suspicions. If the cervical nerve is jammed, then little finger and third finger grow numb more than the other fingers, and painful and burning sensations in a neck are also felt.
• Chronic diseases are more often neurologic and cardiovascular. During this period when immunity of the woman weakens naturally, many chronic illnesses become aggravated, and also acute states develop for the first time. If you have had similar problems in the past, then they will have an effect now with high probability. Besides, hands numbness may occur at a number of another pathological states and diseases among which metabolic disorder, diabetes mellitus, tumors, trauma (including old ones), inflammatory processes and other.
• Genetic predisposition. Perhaps your parents are inclined to this problem, too.

Abrupt weight gain can also lead to numbness of extremities during pregnancy, as well as stresses, shocks, physical and emotional attrition and any other trouble for the organism. But consequences and risks in each separate situation will be unequal.

When the Right Hand or Left Hand Grows Numb During Pregnancy

Most often, and not only during pregnancy, the right hand grows numb. Most of people carry out all works and manipulations more with this hand, and today the most urgent among the other causes is spending a lot of time on computer and office working, as we have already spoken above. As for women, there are trivial matters such as cleaning the house and cooking in the kitchen (kneading dough, slicing foods, stirring of preparing dishes, etc.). So, the right hand quite often grows numb due to overwork under increased static loads.

But it is worse if the discomfort is felt in the left hand as this part of the body is connected with work of the heart. If at the same time pain or a pricking in heart is also felt, then it is necessary to see the doctor without delay. Perhaps, additional inspections will be necessary.

What to Do if Hands and Legs Grow Numb During Pregnancy: Treatment

Certainly, if fingers or toes often grow numb during pregnancy or such cases repeat from time to time, especially if the state of woman's health worsens more and more while the terms pass, or numbness is accompanied by other disturbing symptoms, the righteous thing would be to go to the doctor. There may be a therapist, but it is better to visit directly the neuropathologist.

He will determine a cause of disorder and will provide recommendations for action to be taken, and, if necessary, he will admit you for some tests or prescribe treatment. Vitamin medicines and soothing preparations, anesthetics and resolvents, and warming ointments may be needed, too.

The next simple recommendations allow you to try to alleviate your condition and prevent episodes of numb hands or legs at home:

1. Restrict your salt intake and hot spices intake in order to avoid formation of edemas. If there are suspicions on retention of water in the organism, then carry out the test (measure amount of the consumed and emitted liquid within a day: the difference shall make no more than 300 ml).
2. Drink enough clean healthy water (at least, two liters a day). All other drinks don’t count: the introduction into the organism of the life-giving fluid is provided only by water with a needed level of purification.
3. Refuse the high heeled footwear, inconvenient clothes squeezing cervical spine, spinal column, or shoulder joint.
4. If your kind of activity is connected with fixed loads on your hand wrist (for example, you print much, you knit or embroider a cloth, or you cut much), then do short break during each working hour to unload the wrist and to give it the chance to take rest.
5. If your hand grows numb at night during pregnancy, then ask your husband to massage it, rub or warm it by another method, convenient for you. If there is nobody to help, then it is possible to use a manual massager or at least an ordinary exercise ball having prominent ribs.
6. Try not to sleep on a back and on the right side as such poses during pregnancy lead to compression of vena cava and deterioration in blood circulation including entering fetus.
7. Laying down on a pillow, be sure that your shoulders remain on the bed side, and only the head is located on the pillow. It will reduce load on cervical and vertebral area. Ideally, it is better to sleep on an orthopedic pillow. To not press nerves and arteries during sleep, it is convenient to use additional small pillows and rollers, enclosing them from different sides, as it is convenient.
8. Be sure that there are foods containing magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamins A and V at your daily diet constantly. Consult with the doctor who conducts your pregnancy regarding acceptance of dietary supplements in addition to food.
9. If it isn't forbidden for medical reasons, then it is very useful to go swimming or do gymnastic exercises for pregnant women. Sedentary life-style can lead to multiple complications, including numb hands during pregnancy.
10. Besides, try not to allow overcooling of your extremities, because it will increase risk of their numbness.

Certainly, healthy food, good rest and regular walks in the fresh air will be good for any expectant mother! If no severe disorders in health are revealed, then soon after the childbirth this temporary disturbance will pass.

Is it normal for my fingers to go numb during the 3rd trimester?