Cubtial Tunnel Syndrome? or Just paranoid?

[j_yoder]

All,
Hopefully I can find some help here and put my mind to rest. This past Friday, I smacked my funny bone extremely hard, I understand that the funny bone is the ulnar nerve (and years of hypochondria makes me read up on things pretty thorough ;) )  to add insult to injury I immediately went  to bed, and possibly compressed it more. The two doctors I have seen at our local 'Emerge Care' seem to think I have just compressed the Ulnar Nerve and have placed me on Naproxen which I started immediately and I started PT on Wednesday, the soonest I could get in) I am slowly getting all of my sensation back in my hand, fingers, and wrist and my strength appears to be slowly returning. Their opinion is if I am still having severe issues in another week or so, or I hit a platuea where no more imrovment occurs over a few days then we will go the ortho specialist route.

My questions I suppose starts here, every thing you read about ulnar compression leads mostly to Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, which seems to read mostly like a long term chronic build up of symptoms and issues. Is it a possibility that I truly smacked the ever living **** out of my elbow and have compressed, bruised, or pinched my nerve through the acute swelling of the tissue around the nerves and this will get better with the Anti-inflammatorys, PT,  and rest? Or is this pretty much the indication of start discussing surgery before atrophy and weakness set in?

My apologies if I come out kinda weird about this stuff the information on the interwebs all lead to disease anymore, and I would like to think back to my childhood where you just sit down on the couch, crunch a box of popcicles and went out to play with your friends after two weeks.

Thanks,
JY

[garnetrose_5]

Hello. I am having similar problems in my left arm. My doctor says that something is wrong with my ulnar nerve. I didn't bump it on anything or have any injury to my hand, arm, elbow or shoulder. Right now I have a pain/pressure sensation slightly in my pinkie and half of my ring finger and when my hand is relaxed my fingers curl, I have to think about it to make them stay straight-even when laying my hand flat. I have carpal tunnel in both of my wrists and wear a brace on my left hand all the time. I was wondering what kind of treatment did you receive for your problems? Do you have any advice for me?

[triciafaye]

Ok, an update....
My pinkie has begun to curl... if my fingers are relaxed my pinkie is almost in the position as if I were making a fist. I can barely feel anything in my pinkie now. I can tell when something touches it, or brushes against it, because i have a "pain/pressure" sensation. There are also times where I have little strength in the hand and forearm. I have a carpal tunnel wrist splint... that helps a little with the pain in my wrist...but thats all. I try to stay off the computer as much as possible.

[triciafaye]

Ok, I just did more research and found out why my neck/upper shoulder is hurting.
It is where the nerves branch out from the spine and go down the arm....

[triciafaye]

Oh, also.... I'm starting to get some pain in my shoulder and neck.
Could be from favoring the arm... dunno
It is starting to get very aggravating.

[triciafaye]

How would you suggest I splint it?
I have looked online at special splints specifically for this.... and they are $50 - $80...
The tingling has gotten a little worse... and I can barely feel anything now... I feel pressure in my pinky... when I type for instance, and it hurts a little....

My elbow hurts really bad now... almost arthritic like, my forearm is sore too, but more like a muscle ache. I do have arthritis in my knees, ankles and hips (just speculation on the hips) because I am overweight. Also in my right hand, because I am a graphic designer.
Anyways...
any cheep suggestion on how to keep it immobile and still be able to do some work??

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

How are you?
Since you are getting the sensation back into your fingers and arm, it seems to be that the nerve compression is due to soft tissue swelling.
Conservative treatment is usually successful in managing patients with a superficial injury.
One important aspect of conservative treatment is rest to the elbow. Sometimes splinting may be necessary to give rest to the elbow.
If there is no improvement in presenting symptoms even after 6 weeks of conservative treatment and there is rapidly progressing muscle weakness surgery is the only option.
Right now the only option is to wait and watch, and continue with the conservative treatment. Hope this helps!

[triciafaye]

Hmm.....
I think I pinched my ulnar nerve too.... 4 days ago. I lean on my elbows when I work on my computer. But i think I did something when I leaned on my balcony... cus thats when it started tingling like it fell asleep... and never completely woke up lol.

I have read that keeping your elbow unbent as much as possible will help.... but if it doesn't subside, surgery is the best possible answer. What they will do is move the nerve out of this bony tunnel that it is in, so that it wont get compressed again.
Here is a link I found.
http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/procedure_folder/cubital_tunnel.html\

I know in your situation its not caused by arthritis or Carpal Tunnel, but is pretty much the same symptoms.
The only reason I know its Carpal Tunnel for me... i had a bad case of it a few weeks prior... so my arm/hand was already pretty irritated.
I hope that link helps :)

[j_yoder]

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