Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Swelling or edema is common during pregnancy that involves the swelling of the legs. This happens as the veins of the legs are pressurized due to increase in weight and this pressure increases right from your groin region. Retention of water (common in pregnancy) can also alleviate this problem.

Swelling is common and is experienced especially during the last 3-4 months of pregnancy and it especially happens around the ankles. Hands and wrists can get swollen as well due to edema. Another reason of your hands and wrists getting swollen during pregnancy can be due to carpal tunnel syndrome. Below given is more information on swelling in hands during pregnancy.

Reasons of Swollen Hand During Pregnancy

• When you are pregnant, your body produces blood and other body fluids by more than 50% to facilitate the growth of your baby. The weight gain that you experience is due to fluid retention to a great extent. Some of these extra fluids fill up different parts of your body like ankles, legs and even hands and wrists. They basically make your body soft and open up the joints further for a smooth delivery. It usually gets worse during the third trimester.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome is another reason that can cause swelling in the hands and this is also quite common and more than 60% pregnant women suffer from this problem. Symptoms of this usually begin during the second or third trimesters but can start at any other time as well. This is mild and temporary and would disappear as soon as your baby is born. Apart from swelling, some of the other symptoms of this syndrome include tingling and numbness in the hands, pain in the fingers, dry skin etc.

Majority of the women experience some swelling in their legs and hands and is a normal thing to happen but if the swelling gets worse or you see puffiness of your face or the area surrounding your eyes, it is always advisable to visit your doctor.

Cure for Swollen Hands During Pregnancy

If you are experiencing swelling in hands then below given ways can help you to treat this problem:

• It is important that you keep check on the amount of sodium you intake as too much of sodium increases fluid retention. Instead take food those have potassium content like banana
• Apply cold compress at least 3-4 times on your hands, legs and all other swollen parts to get some relief
• Drinking a lot of water daily is immensely helpful
• Avoid sleeping on your hands
• Do not keep your hands in the same position for a very long time
• Light massage helps as well
• You can also place few white or green cabbage leaves on your swollen hands as this helps in soaking the excess fluids and will give you some relief
• You can also drink herbal teas as this prevents water retention. Make sure to drink these teas in moderation

A healthy and balanced diet can prevent edema to a great extent. It is important that you eat at least 5-6 portions of fruits and vegetables every day. Include citrus fruits in your diet as these improve the functionality of your kidney. Onion and garlic can also help to improve the fluid circulation.