Going through a pregnancy can be a gift. But there are also many side effects and risks and that can cause discomfort. One such discomfort that can arise from pregnancy is carpal tunnel. Could acupuncture help you?

In this article, we are going to look at acupuncture and the impact it can have on carpal tunnel during your pregnancy journey.

Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel During Pregnancy

Some women experience carpal tunnel during pregnancy. What percentage? According to this one study, 2-70% of pregnant women experience carpal tunnel because of the following four reasons:

  1. Hormonal fluctuations

  2. Fluid accumulation with tendency to oedemas

  3. Nerve hypersensitivity

  4. Glucose level fluctuations are factors

Luckily, you can use acupuncture to help you with your carpal tunnel symptoms during pregnancy. Why? Because the acupuncture points used for carpal tunnel do not interact with the abdomen. The key here is to communicate with your acupuncturist about your pregnancy so that they can shift any treatments or points based on your pregnancy. This is due to the fact that although acupuncture is considered a safe treatment option for most conditions, there are risks and side effects as well as acupuncture points that should be avoided during pregnancy.

Without Acupuncture, How Long will Carpal Tunnel Last?

According to the same study, if acupuncture is not used, most women experience who come down with carpal tunnel during pregnancy, without treatment, there are two events where symptoms go away are:

  1. After labor and delivery

  2. While breastfeeding

Other women experience carpal tunnel symptoms up to three years after pregnancy.

5 Steps to Treating Carpal Tunnel With Acupuncture

Here is a five step process to treating carpal tunnel with acupuncture:

  1. Identify condition: Identify and name the symptoms you are experiencing as being connected to carpal tunnel.

  2. Find an acupuncturist: Locate an acupuncturist. Choose to work with one who has experience with pregnancy.

  3. Use a sprint: It is often recommended and suggested that a splint is used at night for carpal tunnel. It is your choice to use it during the day.

  4. Receive treatment: Go to treatment sessions.

  5. Experience progress: Experience progress with your symptoms.

So how does acupuncture work for and what does acupuncture do for carpal tunnel? For a complete overview and a detailed answer on the role acupuncture plays for carpal tunnel. Read: Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel

Additional Information

Want more information on acupuncture? Check out these other resources:

References:

Zyluk, A. (2013, October 07). Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy: A review. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24104526