Cubital tunnel syndrome (ulner nerve compression)

[cjzimmer1]

So for about a week now I've had numbness/tingling in my left pinky and half of the finger next to it.  I also have a spot on the inside of my elbow that cause a dramatic increase in the symptoms when I press on it.

 

Everything I've read indicts that this is cubital tunnel syndrome.  The articles mentions some physical therapy things that you can do to help it but of course no one will actually give information about the specifics. 

 

Since my insurance deductible is sky high and I haven't had any claims yet this year, I know I would be paying every last cent out of pocket.  I'd rather not spend thousands of dollars on a doctor visit and PT if I can avoid it (my frozen shoulder really did cost thousands of dollars by the time I got done with PT).  So I was wondering if anyone has experience with this and can make some suggestions of things I can try at home.  If it gets worse I will go in but I'd like some cheaper alternatives to try first.

 

 

[EmilyGF]

I was at the doctor's last week for something similar. Here's a start at least:

 

1) Take an anti-inflammatory 3x/day (I did 600 mg advil)

2) ice or heat 20 min 3x/day

3) rest

 

Do this for a week.

 

Also, read about nerve flossing and do it. It sounds cooky, but I found some relief.

 

Emily, going to PT this week

[kiana]

It does sound a lot like mine felt. Unfortunately mine did require surgery to get better but it was a very severe case he said. That being said, here's the self-help they gave me to try first. 

 

1) Rest. Stop doing any life activity that exacerbates it. For me I even had to quit yoga :(

2) Make sure you're not sleeping with your elbows bent. If you have to splint your arm straight, do it. 

3) Make sure that you're not resting your elbow on anything, while you sit, while you drive, while you type, whatever. This compresses it further. 

4) Anti-inflammatories and ice. Heat is apparently not so hot (lol) for inflamed nerves. 

5) Did I mention rest? 

[cjzimmer1]

thanks so much.  I had already taken some ibuprofen but i wouldn't have thought to take it that often (I seldom take medicine so it's just not something  i think to take regularly).

Did my first round of icing (I assume I pick one or the other and do the same one 3x a day but how does one know which to pick or is it just what feels best?)

 

I will read up one the nerve flossing this afternoon when my little guy is napping and I can focus better.

 

I've learned not to discount weird sounding therapies.  I had back/neck problems several years ago, the chiro didn't fix it and the regular PT didn't do much either but was better than nothing  Than I ended up with a different PT one day who talked about energy circles in the body and she could feel that mine were "pulsing" the wrong direction.  She applied this super light pressure (she said it was about the amount of a nickel) and by the time I left the appointment by back pain that had been plaguing me for MONTHS was gone and never returned.  I still think it sounds hokey but since it worked I can live just fine with hokey.

[cjzimmer1]

It does sound a lot like mine felt. Unfortunately mine did require surgery to get better but it was a very severe case he said. That being said, here's the self-help they gave me to try first. 

 

1) Rest. Stop doing any life activity that exacerbates it. For me I even had to quit yoga :(

2) Make sure you're not sleeping with your elbows bent. If you have to splint your arm straight, do it. 

3) Make sure that you're not resting your elbow on anything, while you sit, while you drive, while you type, whatever. This compresses it further. 

4) Anti-inflammatories and ice. Heat is apparently not so hot (lol) for inflamed nerves. 

5) Did I mention rest? 

 

Like flat up laying in bed rest or just trying not to use the arm?  Cause this all started when I spent 3 full days in bed (with my arms curled under my chin cause that's how I naturally sleep). I can't really afford to lay in bed for another week (my house is still trashed from last weekends sickness) but i can do my best not to use the arm, though it feels very unnatural to keep it straight next to my side.

 

Mine just started so I hoping to turn it around before it gets to the severe stage and needs surgery.

[KatieJ]

I had this a few years ago.  After a few weeks I went to my Dr. Since it had been a while, he sent me immediately  to a specialist who ran tests and determined I had carpal tunnel, plus Ulnar tunnel sydrome or whatever she called it.  She sent me to PT.  PT said, there really is no PT for this .  Really?   Why did the Dr. send me there then? PT made me a splint, but it was pretty worthless.

 

 I found an elbow immobilizer online, probably  Amazon.  Most of them allow the elbow to bend, and you want something that makes it impossible to bend the elbow at least during the night.

During the day I wore it without the plastic sticks in it.  I put them in when traveling, ( DH drove) and when I slept. I think I wore it for about 3 months.

It acts up now if I sit on the computer with my left elbow on the desk.  My fingers start to tingle and I know to move my arm.  Mostly, it doesn't bother me.

Edited September 12, 2016 by KatieinMich

[Kassia]

It does sound a lot like mine felt. Unfortunately mine did require surgery to get better but it was a very severe case he said. That being said, here's the self-help they gave me to try first. 

 

1) Rest. Stop doing any life activity that exacerbates it. For me I even had to quit yoga :(

2) Make sure you're not sleeping with your elbows bent. If you have to splint your arm straight, do it. 

3) Make sure that you're not resting your elbow on anything, while you sit, while you drive, while you type, whatever. This compresses it further. 

4) Anti-inflammatories and ice. Heat is apparently not so hot (lol) for inflamed nerves. 

5) Did I mention rest? 

 

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've had cubital tunnel in one arm for a long time and carpal tunnel in both arms for a very long time and I have some questions.

 

On #2, this is a dumb question, but how do you splint your arm straight?  I do use wrist splints when I'm desperate, but that doesn't help with the nerve pain I have from my elbow at night.  ETA - I just read another post recommending an elbow immobilizer.  Will check that out.

 

For #4, I hate taking meds.  How long do you take NSAIDs?  ETA:  I saw another post saying a week.  I just suspect that it will come back after a week and I don't want to take meds forever.

 

Rest - boo.  I don't do yoga, but I do a lot of resistance exercises - push-ups, pull-ups, and using weights.  

Edited September 12, 2016 by Erica H

[kiana]

No no, not lying in bed, just trying not to use the arm for heavy stuff and especially stuff that involves bending your arm all the way. Light movement and bending no more than a 90 degree angle is going to be good for it. 

 

And you should change the way you sleep. There are braces you can buy or honestly I just belted it to a pillow so I couldn't bend it unthinkingly. 

[kiana]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've had cubital tunnel on one arm for a long time and carpal tunnel on both arms for a very long time and I have some questions.

 

On #2, this is a dumb question, but how do you splint your arm straight?  I do use wrist splints when I'm desperate, but that doesn't help with the nerve pain I have from my elbow at night.  

 

For #4, I hate taking meds.  How long do you take NSAIDs?  

 

Rest - boo.  I don't do yoga, but I do a lot of resistance exercises - push-ups, pull-ups, and using weights.  

 

I just tied it to a pillow with a soft belt. You can buy splints too.

 

I took NSAIDs because the pain was unbearable if I didn't. Like, literally, keep-me-awake unbearable without both NSAIDs and ice. I wouldn't have taken them if the pain had lessened. I hate taking meds too. 

 

Yeah, uh, the resistance exercises are not helping. Especially pull-ups because they require you to flex your arm heavily. I really think overtraining pull-ups are what did mine in in the first place. I'm several months post-surgery and I'm still not even doing push-ups. I would not do them as long as you are feeling the cubital tunnel pain. You really really need to back off while it heals, and when it restarts, go high rep low intensity for a long time. I got really good at bodyweight leg and ab exercises while fretting and fuming. I wish I had listened to this advice before mine worsened :(

[Kassia]

I just tied it to a pillow with a soft belt. You can buy splints too.

 

I took NSAIDs because the pain was unbearable if I didn't. Like, literally, keep-me-awake unbearable without both NSAIDs and ice. I wouldn't have taken them if the pain had lessened. I hate taking meds too. 

 

Yeah, uh, the resistance exercises are not helping. Especially pull-ups because they require you to flex your arm heavily. I really think overtraining pull-ups are what did mine in in the first place. I'm several months post-surgery and I'm still not even doing push-ups. I would not do them as long as you are feeling the cubital tunnel pain. You really really need to back off while it heals, and when it restarts, go high rep low intensity for a long time. I got really good at bodyweight leg and ab exercises while fretting and fuming. I wish I had listened to this advice before mine worsened :(

 

Okay, I am going to pretend I didn't read your last paragraph because I am not ready to give up my workouts.  :(  I will get a splint and take NSAIDs and hope for the best for now.  I do have a lot of pain at night - enough that I'm almost in tears at times and I have to get up to shake out my arms.  But I've dealt with this for so long now that I'm kind of used to it and I forget about it during the day.  

[kiana]

Okay, I am going to pretend I didn't read your last paragraph because I am not ready to give up my workouts.   :(  I will get a splint and take NSAIDs and hope for the best for now.  I do have a lot of pain at night - enough that I'm almost in tears at times and I have to get up to shake out my arms.  But I've dealt with this for so long now that I'm kind of used to it and I forget about it during the day.  

 

Yeah, that's what I said.

 

But then I had to give up my workouts completely for six months because the pain got worse during the day, and then for the surgery and recuperation. It was intensely demoralizing and I lost so much more muscle mass than I would have done if I'd taken weeks off in the first place. 

 

I'm not saying that yours is going to happen this way, but it's definitely following the same track as mine. 

[Kassia]

Yeah, that's what I said.

 

But then I had to give up my workouts completely for six months because the pain got worse during the day, and then for the surgery and recuperation. It was intensely demoralizing and I lost so much more muscle mass than I would have done if I'd taken weeks off in the first place. 

 

I'm not saying that yours is going to happen this way, but it's definitely following the same track as mine. 

 

I know...I am just in denial right now.  I think a lot of people who work out think the way we do/did.  Keep going and hope for the best.  

 

I hope you are fully recovered soon and can get back to the activities you love!

[MomatHWTK]

Researched this for an assignment:

http://www.vistalab.com/eglossary.asp

 

 

Http://www.assh.org/handcare/hand-arm-conditions/cubital-tunnel

 

 

Http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069

http://www.repetitive-strain.com/Articles1/cubitaltunnelsyndrome.html

 

"This problem can be caused by pressure placed on the nerve when resting the elbow on a hard surface for an extended time. Keeping the elbow bent or repeatedly bending the elbow during tasks may cause muscles surrounding the ulna nerve to tighten and cause it to become irritated. Repetitive or prolonged bending of the elbow may also stretch the ulnar nerve, causing it to shift position and making it more likely that the nerve will become pinched." 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by MomatHWTK