Sore, swollen knuckles?

Question

My hands are very mildly swollen (I’m 31 weeks) but my knuckles are sore and much more swollen than the rest of my hands. I can hardly twist the cap off of a water bottle. I feel like I’ve developed arthritis! 👵🏼 
Is this normal for pregnancy and just related to the excess water? Can I expect my knuckles to return to normal after I give birth?

Answer

Head OB nurse here, I would check your blood pressure. Sounds to me like you have developed excess fluid in the joints of your hands due to swelling, which could be caused by either excessive salt intake (sometimes you don’t even realize how much salt you are actually consuming) or by elevated blood pressure. Most Walmart’s have a blood pressure machine in the pharmacy area (not sure where you are located though). You can also call your hospital and talk to a OB nurse on call just to ease your mind. I hoped that helped, best of luck dear!

Sore, swollen knuckles?

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