Numbness in hands and feet during pregnancy. What helps with tingling?

Numbness in the fingers, tingling in the left hand, right leg, swelling, etc. These symptoms in pregnancy have their justification. Very often this phenomenon appears at night or after increased physical exertion. A woman may also feel a weaker grip or a feeling of numbness in the fingers and wrists. Most often, these negative symptoms appear from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. For some pregnant women, they do not appear at all. Sometimes these symptoms can be caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, while other times it is the effect of changes on the organism at a higher stage of pregnancy due to the development of the fetus. Although this is a natural part of pregnancy, pregnant women often struggle with these symptoms. What to do with tingling in the hands? What helps with hand numbness during pregnancy?

Numbness in the hands and tingling in the legs - how does it arise?

Whether it is numbness in the hands, tingling in the legs or tingling in the fingers, it is a condition that is primarily related to the changes that take place in the body of a pregnant woman during pregnancy. During pregnancy, a larger amount of fluids and blood circulates in the body. An excessive amount of fluids, which the body does not consume or excrete, reaches the tissues and nerves during circulation, which then puts pressure on them. It is then that there are changes in the sensitivity of the upper or lower limbs. Numbness, tingling in the hand, tingling in the fingers or tingling in the legs can occur at different stages of pregnancy, and when and under what circumstances these symptoms occur depends on other factors.

It is important to know the condition of a woman's blood circulation and how her body is supplied with the necessary nutrients (vitamins and minerals). In addition to the aforementioned accumulation of fluids in the body, outbreaks of these manifestations also occur during pregnancy due to the growing fetus, increasing weight, and the increase in pressure that acts on the lower limbs and back.

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy

Most of us associate this disease primarily with numbness in the wrist, tingling in the fingers or weakness in the grip. Primarily, this overload of the wrist and the formation of carpal tunnel occurs during certain activities, e.g. when working with a mobile phone or when working on a computer (typing on the keyboard). The hands are then often in one static position, the wrist is strained for a long time. It is not even sufficiently supplied with blood, the nerves are irritated, which results in the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome with typical symptoms - loss of sensitivity, problematic grip, numbness, tingling of the hand, pain in the fingers or swelling of the wrist. The pain can be so unpleasant that it can wake a person from sleep.

The carpal tunnel itself is located in a narrow passage, which is limited by the bones in the wrist and ligaments. It has no room for expansion. The effect of pressure therefore causes the median nerve to be compressed in the carpal tunnel, which causes the mentioned symptoms. Any anatomical changes (eg fracture) can cause pressure on the nerve in the wrists. In pregnancy, the risk of developing carpal tunnel is higher due to swelling of the wrist and accumulation of fluid around the tissues and nerves. Hormonal changes also affect it. The swelling presses on the nerves in the wrist, which causes frequent tingling in the hand or tingling in the fingers. Up to 40% of women experience carpal tunnel syndrome after the 30th week of pregnancy.

When does numbness in the legs and tingling in the hands appear

These pregnancy symptoms usually start in the second half of pregnancy, most often from the 2nd trimester. Usually, women encounter these manifestations during the night - during sleep, and they feel them mainly in the morning after waking up. The reason is often different positions of hands or feet. A good example is tingling after resting your head on your hand for several minutes or hours (for example, after a short nap). Subsequently, the hand is numb and we feel a tingling sensation, because it was tight, the blood supply was worse and the pressure was acting on the tissues and nerves.

Of course, it is not a rule that tingling in the legs and hands or carpal tunnel must occur during pregnancy in every woman. However, problems with sensitivity are relatively common and there are many real stories about how a woman could not tie her shoelaces, open a bottle of mineral water or hold a glass in her hands.

Causes of tingling in the legs, hands and fingers

When looking for the reasons why numbness and tingling in the limbs occurs, it is often a combination of several factors. Some of them can be influenced, others are simply related to changes in the body during pregnancy and cannot be avoided.

One of the main causes of these symptoms is that the woman's body does not have enough magnesium, calcium and vitamins in the blood. In such cases, the diet is often not sufficiently varied and nutritious. In addition, the lack of key vitamins and minerals can cause the development of other diseases and cause other complications during pregnancy, so a healthy and high-quality diet during pregnancy should not be underestimated. An insufficient drinking regime can also be a problem. This condition can be influenced by changes in regime and lifestyle.

The second frequent factor that results in numbness in the fingers, tingling in the legs and others is overloading of the limbs. Greater physical or repeated load can cause these negative factors to occur sooner or later. Monotonous and repetitive manual work or carrying heavy loads, where the grip and the musculoskeletal system are strained, are particularly risky. An incorrect sitting or lying position can also affect this type of discomfort. This is related to the lack of rest in a pregnant woman. Rest, comfort and relaxing activities can sometimes do wonders. The balance of body and mind may seem abstract, but during pregnancy it can partially eliminate the symptoms of tingling and numbness in the legs or hands. Direct changes can eliminate these shortcomings.

Hormonal and physical changes that occur naturally during pregnancy cannot be influenced. With a higher stage of pregnancy, the fetus is larger, the weight is higher, and the lower limbs, as well as the spine, are stressed much more. The fetus or organs can press on various nerve points. The body retains more and more fluids. The pressure of the fetus and the excessive amount of fluids affects the nerves in the hands and feet. This can result in carpal tunnel, pain in the hands, numbness in the legs or tingling in the hands. This factor cannot be influenced and is a natural course of pregnancy.

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Solution and effective prevention

The mentioned symptoms can be relieved thanks to several more or less effective methods. The very best thing is to take preventive steps that can effectively prevent these manifestations. Next, you will find several ways to get rid of these symptoms or how to prevent them.

Consult your doctor about possible pain or painful cramps. For example, if a woman suffers from varicose veins, the cramps may be more painful. It is important that you do not ignore this condition and look for a solution. In most cases, these symptoms disappear after childbirth. If a woman is troubled by these manifestations during the period of the sixth week, the condition should always be consulted with a doctor. Sometimes it is necessary to undergo specialist neurological or rheumatological examinations and determine appropriate therapy.

Numbness of hands and feet during pregnancy - experience

Women's contributions in forums and discussions confirm that tingling hands or feet is a common symptom during pregnancy. Many women are surprised by these manifestations, but experienced mothers say that it is normal and there is no need to worry too much. Most often, women feel it in the morning, but some report pain in their limbs during the day as well. For some women, the symptoms of tingling hands or tingling in the fingers of the hands began only during the second trimester, but some pregnant women encountered these symptoms as early as the 20th week of pregnancy. Most often, they consulted a doctor about taking magnesium and other vitamins. Some women reported that the leg cramps were quite painful and rest helped. In some cases, mothers' rheumatological diagnoses were confirmed after examinations.

The most frequent questions - FAQ

Pregnancy is a period in a woman's life that brings with it a huge number of changes. A woman does not notice many of them, but then there are accompanying symptoms that cannot be ignored. Such symptoms also include numbness in the legs during pregnancy, tingling in the fingers or tingling in the hand. The occurrence of these phenomena can have several causes. However, it is relatively common. During your pregnancy, have you experienced numbness in the limbs, tingling or even pain in connection with these phenomena? We will be glad if you share your experience through the comments. Do you have effective advice to help other pregnant women? With your advice and recommendations, you can help women who are troubled by this problem.

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