你的搞笑骨痛? 可能是肘管综合症

Here's how to tell if 刺痛 和 weakness in your fingers 和 h和 needs to be treated.

There's nothing funny about having pain in your funny bone—although the funny bone isn't even a bone at all. It's a nerve that runs down the inside of your elbow called the ulnar nerve. This nerve controls movement 和 sensations in your forearm 和 h和, 尤其是你的小指和无名指.

When the inside of your elbow is hit at just the right place, it may trigger a funny feeling in this nerve (that's probably how it got its nickname). The feeling is more like a 刺痛 or electric sensation than a sharp pain, 但你肯定注意到了. If caused by a sudden impact, the sensation usually goes away pretty quickly. 但如果这些感觉徘徊或来来去去, you may have a condition known as cubital tunnel syndrome.

什么是肘管综合征?

Your ulnar nerve runs from your neck down to your h和, through a little area at the inside of your elbow called the cubital tunnel. 如果神经受到压迫, 发炎或发炎, 它会引起疼痛, 刺痛, 麻木或虚弱. Compression usually occurs where the nerve runs through the cubital tunnel, 因为空间很窄. But the nerve may also be affected above or below this area.

如果你得了肘管综合症会怎么样?

The ulnar nerve affects the sensations you feel in your pinky finger 和 part of your ring finger. It also controls the muscles in your forearm that help you grip objects 和 muscles in your h和 that help you perform fine movements, 比如演奏乐器或打字. When the nerve is compressed, it can cause the following symptoms:

• Tingling, numbness or a feeling that your h和 和 fingers are falling asleep
• Difficulty moving your fingers when they're 刺痛 or numb
• 肘部内侧疼痛
• Symptoms come 和 go 和 are more likely to occur when your elbow is bent

One word of caution if 刺痛 or numbness in your h和 or fingers comes on suddenly: If you also experience significant weakness in your arm or if you also have symptoms in your leg (on the same side of your body), 讲话困难, 视力问题或严重的头痛, seek immediate medical attention to make sure a stroke is not the cause of your symptoms.

What increases the risk of developing cubital tunnel syndrome?

Although there's no way to know for sure who will or will not develop this condition, 这些因素会增加你的风险:

• Bending the elbow or leaning on it for long periods of time
• 既往肘部骨折或脱位
• 肘关节附近的囊肿或骨刺
• 肘部关节炎

肘管综合征如何治疗?

This condition is usually treated with bracing or splinting, nerve gliding exercises 和 h和 therapy (so you learn how to avoid putting pressure on the ulnar nerve). Pain 和 inflammation can be relieved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). 如果这些治疗不能缓解症状, 可能会建议进行手术, 尽管这通常是最后的选择. If you don't treat the condition, it may result in muscle atrophy 和 weakness over time.

Is cubital tunnel syndrome the same as carpal tunnel syndrome?

Although both conditions are due to compressed nerves that run down your arm into your h和, they affect different nerves 和 different parts of your h和. Cubital tunnel syndrome affects the ulnar nerve, with compression mostly occurring at the elbow. 它主要影响小指和无名指. 腕管综合症影响正中神经. This nerve is more likely to be compressed at the wrist. This causes pain, numbness 和 weakness in the wrist, palm, thumb, index finger 和 middle finger.

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Our dedicated musculoskeletal team is here for you at all stages of life, with the most advanced treatments 和 therapies available in the area. 从关节炎和骨质疏松症到创伤护理, 关节置换术等, you can be sure that our providers are highly experienced in their chosen specialty to provide you with the best treatment available.

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