Have you ever hit the inside of your elbow in just the right spot and felt a tingling, weird pain? That’s your funny bone, which got its nickname because of that funny feeling. The funny bone is not really a bone at all, but rather the ulnar nerve.
At the elbow, this nerve travels through a tunnel of tissue all the way from your neck to your hand. The most common place for ulnar nerve compression is behind the inside part of the elbow called cubital tunnel syndrome.
Common symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome are:
· Numbness and tingling in the hand and fingers.
· Pain, particularly when the elbow is bent while driving, sleeping, or holding the phone..
· Difficulty with finger coordination on computers.
· Weak grip strength.
There are some things you can do to relieve pressure on the ulnar nerve:
· Avoid activities that require you to keep your arm bent for long periods of time.
· If working on a computer, keep your arms at a comfortable 90-degree angle.
· Avoid leaning on elbows.
· Keep elbows straight at night when you are sleeping.
· See me.
If your symptoms interfere with normal activities or last more than a few weeks, schedule an appointment with me at The Precision Hand Surgery Center at Ortho El Paso by calling 915-249-4000.
