Numbness and tingling half of hand - trapped nerve?

[Frank303]

Think I might have a trapped nerve.

The last week I started having  an intermittent pins and needles feeling and numbness in my left hand. It is only the two smallest digits and that side of the palm.
I'm pretty sure I never hit my humerus or had any other trauma.
I am however during the day working above my head, rather overstretching, also giving me a bit of discomfort / mild pain at front of arnpit. I'm not using power tools with that hand so not vibration white finger.
After the onset I noticed when I move my forearm back I get a sort of click and the tingling inceases.
It is constant now.
So I'm concluding then it's a trapped nerve.

Had this last year as well and it took months to go away.

Anything I can do about it?
Should I just wait for it to go away on it's own?

[Frank303]

Got a letter from the health board,
Now had assessment from neurophysiologis about your ulnar nerve ....if the symptoms are bad enough then I would decompress the nerve at the elbow. Please let my secretary know if you want to go ahead..... Mr  xxxx, Consultant Ortho Surgeon

Now I've finished working it has healed up quite a bit.
That's one good thing to come out of waiting lists.

[Frank303]

Saw the Neurophysilogist who ran nerve conduction velocity and electromyelography tests.
I've a letter from the Ortho Surgeon asking if I wan't surgery and if so to contact his secretary.
Wee bit concerned as a family Hx of dying from elbow injuries, flatlining on anaesthetics.  Oh well in for a penny in for a pound.

The Neurophysiologist gave me a free anatomy lesson which was way more informative and detailed  than gray's / netters /moore and dalley :D though I didn't sleep before, was really tired at the appt and really just wanted it all over and done with. I was trying to forget all upper extremity anatomy and hadn't revised any so I didn't come across as a hypo, then he kept asking me questions hahaha.

The ganglial syst looking lesion looks like it was a red herring. It wasn't visible in the Neurophsyioogy appt due to the good lighting.

[Frank303]

Bah!  It is a few appointments down the line. No tests or imaging were done.

Surpise surprise got to see a Consultant Neurologist to do some nerve conduction tests, which I would have thought would have been done in the first place.

Did my Doctor expect the Ortho surgeon to guess? Like cut me open at the elbow and have a poke around "nope not there! lets try the wrist" Nope not there, lets try the hand"?

[Frank303]

Thanks for replying nicroc. I didn't see your reply as I don't visit here often these days.

Good news, my appointment is through I see the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon on 21st. It's just a consultation and I'm not sure they'll do nerve conduction tests, image the wrist/humerus/brachial girdle/cervical vertebrae at that appointment or a subsequent one. The receptionist said surgery if required will not be on the 1st appointment so just hope it's not a few appointments down the line.
I mentioned the weight loss I expericnced on my wrists a year ago several times

[ricroc]

youve got the ulnar nerve right,based upon the location of your pain.i have very similar pain,and have researched this .am going for second opinion myselfbecause if you have stregnth,mobility ,functin, my mds at the hand center hear dont listen about pain. but ive heard to stay clear of cortizone and ibuprofen-they can damage in long run. i have tendinitis/neurology recent post. good luck.ricroc

[Frank303]

I waited 3 months then made an appointment with my GP.
He said it was unlikely to be at the elbow. He manipulated my wrist and fingers but there was no difference.
I was at ER (for my other wrost after falling down icy steps so this wasn;t basis of visit) The Consultant said it was unlikely to be at the wrist
A friend an A&E Doc said it's most likely to be at the elbow.

What I do know is it's definitely the Ulnar nerve as digit 5 and half of digit 4 (ring finger) are afftected in palmar and dorsal aspects.
So therefore textbooks imply either

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome,(most common)
Compression posterior to medial epicondyle at humerus.  
Guyon's Canal Syndrome.
Compression in hand

What about at the neck?

However, there is a subcutaneous lesion (c.12mm Dia) on my forearm ulnar side) about 2 inches proximal to the palm crease (just medial to the bufurcation of the vein). Could that be compressing the Ulnar nerve and if so would that result in the distrubution of para/hypothesia I describe above? The textbooks don;t mention anything about between joints. Not sure what this lump is if it's muscle, nerve, fat, lymph, a cyst or what. There are similar ones elsewhare on my body but not causing hpothesias. Depressing it does cause tingling in digits 4 and 5 but then so does pressure on my elbow. Maybe I should get it aspirated?

What are the options if it is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Is there a Cubital Tunnel release procedure?
Would I lose any function or performance from such a procedure or a Guyon's Canal release procedure?

Maybe it's must coincidence but it came on when I had a cigarette (heavy smoker). Could the hypo/para-thesia be associated with my lungs?

I acquired a bacterial infection a year ago, a month or so after i lost weight, particularly at my wrists and ankles. Convinced it was Reiters (due to joint pain and association of the bacterium with ReA) but I'm B27-

Family history: grandafther died of complications (clot) due to Bursitis (student elbow). A 2nd cousin (F) had MS.
Mother had Rheumatoid Arthritis (despite seronegative for Rheumatoid Factor)
Genetics/ HLA I'm B35/B44/DR1/DR4/DR53 (i.e. not good for RA but being male is in my favour)

Refs Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Moore & Dalley, Anatomy Crash Course etc

If this is on the wrong forum could someone please say.