Compressed Ulnar Nerve

[Mekanic]

Had no idea where to put this, so OT it is.

I've got one, its getting annoying, no pain associated, just the left side of my left hand, and my pinky/ring fingers have been asleep for about 2 weeks now.

I've associated it with how I was sitting in my office chair. I've since changed it, but its still not getting better.

I've read that sometimes surgery is the only solution, but I REALLY don't want to go that route.

Anyone have any experience with this? Suggestions?

If not.. consider this a rant thread and reply as necessary haha.


~Rich

 

[faytrain1]

I've actually had this problem. You need to go see a neurologist to find out the severity. Mine wasn't bad but it still took three months to heal. Even now I still feel it occasionally.

 

[Mekanic]

I've actually had this problem. You need to go see a neurologist to find out the severity. Mine wasn't bad but it still took three months to heal. Even now I still feel it occasionally.

Good to know it can take up to that long. After 2 weeks its been starting to worry me.

I've got no loss in strength, and there is still lots of feeling there, just a slight odd tingle, and a sensation that I'm not quite sure how to describe when I touch things, almost like having a very thin glove on.

~Rich

 

[Robbo]

That sounds exactly the same as me .

I had some numbness in the Ulnar distribution of my hand and it was worse when waking up due to the was I was sleeping, with my arm curled beneath my head.

I didn't know what it was at first but after talking to someone I know with a similar problem I researched what it was.

I went to the doctor and was referred, a nerve conduction study showed that the nerve at my elbow (a common neuropathy site for the ulnar nerve) was conducting significantly slower than the rest of it.

I was referred for decompression surgery, which I'm still awaiting. The surgery is to prevent the problem getting worse, even though there is no atrophy or loss of motor function. Hopefully the surgeon will find something that is causing the compression, an anomalous ligament etcetera.

Cubital Tunnel syndrome is the term usually used to describe a neuropathy around the albow but other Ulnar entrapment sites can include Guyon's Canal in the hand or the Arcade of Struthers at the triceps, even the neck vertebrae. Compression in the hand used to get called "cyclists palsy" gue to gripping the bars, I cycle(d) as well but that turned out not to be where mine was getting squashed.

If you find bending your arm at the elbow causes the symptoms then start sleeping with your arm straight, in a towel splint.

I was diagnosed in March (8 months ago but I had it in January, I think) and although it feels much better with no major numbness, the sensory disturbance persists. My hand 'rings' for a second if tapped! If I knew that it would get no worse I wouldn't have the operation but if it gets worse the surgeon might want to do a transposition which is a horiffic operation that involves temporarily disconnectiong the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris muscle.

I've done much reading on this subject and I sent some links to my colleague with the same problem but I can't post links yet .

I have all the time to cover this subject but you probably want to read some info first.

Tricep pushdowns used to set mine off really bad before I knew what it was. I was getting shotting pains in my forearm.

All the best...

Rob

 

[Robbo]

Had my decompression, incision wasn't really that big although I only saw the pen on my arm beforehand.

Part of my Cubital Tunnel was too tight and had squashed the nerve.

No pain after, just a bit numbness off the anaesthetics. Hand feels better than it did but I'm not too exited yet in case that is some steroid or something they've dropped in there.

Won't be in the gym for a while, maybe next year . Small price to pay to keep my hand working I suppose .

More info. in a few days...

 

[Palo Alto Labs]

I had elbow surgery jan 2007 and during the surgery, he stretched out my ulnar nerve to place the screw and plate..

i called him the day after the surgery bc i was concerned that i couldnt feel anything and my pinky and half my ring finger was numb.

long story short... nerves repair at the pace of 1 inch per month... mine took about 12 months to come back to where my pinky could stretch all of the way out without bending.

for the first 2 months... i would constantly typo.. .only to look down and see my paralyzed pinky sitting on the CTRL or Shift button. now... its about 95% recovered, but will never be 100%

the length of time to repair depends on where the damage is.

patience might be your only recovery