Hitting Your Funny Bone Isn't Funny

When you hit your funny bone, you can feel an electric shock (tingling/numbness) in the hand and forearm. You're really not hitting the funny bone alone, but you are hitting the funny bone and the ulnar nerve. That is why it feels funny when you hit the bone. If the trauma is severe, you may damage the nerve; the ulnar nerve is known to be sensitive. When you hit this nerve, you may hurt its feelings. The medial epicondyle (Figure 1) is a bony prominence around the elbow towards the inside. The ulnar nerve runs behind the medial epicondyle. The course of the ulnar nerve is as follows. The ulnar nerve originates from the medial cord of the brachial plexus. The nerve runs down the arm where it passes behind the medial epicondyle of the humerus and travels into the forearm and hand. The ulnar nerve can become pinched in different locations including the thoracic outlet region, around the elbow or at the wrist (Figure 2). When the ulnar nerve is entrapped around the elbow, it is called cubital tunnel syndrome. As the ulnar nerve passes behind the elbow, it may become compressed or irritated. The ulnar nerve travels through a tunnel of tissue (cubital tunnel) that runs behind the medial epicondyle. Pressure on the nerve at the elbow can cause numbness or pain in the elbow, hand, wrist or fingers (Figure 3). Symptoms: The patient will describe symptoms of pain and numbness in the elbow as well as tingling in the ring and little fingers. More severe symptoms of cubital t...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news