Arm and elbow injuries may seem harmless, but they’re anything but. This is why it’s important to know about cubital tunnel syndrome. Let’s learn what it is, its causes, and when you need to visit an orthopedic surgeon for treatment.
What Is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome?
Cubital tunnel syndrome mainly affects the ulnar nerve. To understand what damage it can cause, you first need to understand what the ulnar nerve does. The ulnar nerve passes from the neck all the way down to your arm and it controls not only the movements in the passing areas but also sensations in the fingers, forearms, and palms.
The ulnar nerve is a very important nerve, however sometimes, it can get compressed and it can cause a lot of pain and irritation, especially in the upper part of the arm right below the elbow.
If you try to move your arm too much, then you will feel a pinching pain in the arm, and in worse cases, it can also lead to atrophy and loss of sensation in the elbow altogether, which is very bad for your arm in the long run.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is also known as ulnar nerve entrapment and it is a highly risky disorder that can lead to muscle weakness. It can happen commonly, but it is important to keep it in check and once you feel any sort of discomfort or loss of sensation in the arm and elbow, then you should consult with a doctor right away.
Causes Of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
There can be a lot of causes of cubital tunnel syndrome.
People who use their hands and elbows to lean a lot can compress their ulnar nerve. If you have a bad sitting posture and almost always use your hands and elbows to lean on your sofa or couch, then you will be highly likely to snap your ulnar nerve.
A lot of the time, people who have had a really bad fall can also fall victim to compression of the ulnar nerve. The nerve is highly compressed and under stress and it can lead to loss of sensation in the arm if left unnoticed for too long.
Sometimes, stretching the elbow beyond a certain limit can also cause the ulnar nerve to be under stress. This is highly common for people who do a lot of strenuous exercises and they can’t seem to put a lot of strain on their ulnar nerve. You will feel a pinching pain or electric sensation of sorts when you’re putting a lot of stress and strain on the arm, and this is what can cause cubital tunnel syndrome in the long run.
Symptoms Of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Now that you know what cubital tunnel syndrome is and how it is caused, here are some of the very common symptoms of this disorder.
Your Fingers Won’t Be Able To Grip Things
You will feel little to no sensation in your fingers and you’ll feel as though they’re always falling asleep. This is one of the most general symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome and it is highly dangerous and harmful if it persists for more than 6 weeks. It means that something major is wrong with your ulnar nerve and you need to see a hand injury physician Woodbridge.
Stiff Elbow
The inside of your arm, just below the elbow, will be stiff and it will hurt a lot when you try to move it or even pinch it.
You will also feel a lot of pain when you try to fold your elbow or even lean on it too much because your nerve is already compressed and you’re putting more strain on it, which isn’t the best way to go about things. You will also feel soreness on the inside of the elbow and that is uncomfortable to deal with.
Loss Of Sensation In The Elbow And Arm
You will lose sensation in your arm altogether. This can happen if the compression on the ulnar nerve is too much. You will feel as though your arm is asleep.
Your Grip On Things Will Loosen
You won’t be able to hold a phone, bags, or even other things that you didn’t have any problem holding onto when your ulnar nerve was fine. This can be quite alarming and frightening and you need to get to the bottom of the problem before it’s too late.
Forearm Pain
Your forearm will generally be a painful spot to touch or do any sort of work.
Diagnosis Of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Diagnosing cubital tunnel syndrome is really important because there are a lot of other disorders that can lead to cubital tunnel syndrome. Sometimes, high levels of thyroid secretions and even diabetes can lead to cubital tunnel syndrome.
Firstly, your doctor will ask you routine questions like the length of your symptoms, any weird accidents or instances that might have put a strain on your arm, and so on to plan your treatment.
Afterward, an X-ray or MRI of the arm is done to see the damage to the ulnar nerve. The x-ray will determine the severity of the damage and it’s really important to get one done.
Treatment For Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Finally, here are some of the treatment methods employed in cubital tunnel syndrome.
Brace
Your doctor can localize your arm in a brace. This is amazing if your injury is not too severe and you can get away with a brace and limited movement to heal the nerve naturally. Over time, the compression on the nerve will alleviate and you’ll feel much better.
Elbow And Arm Exercises
There are certain exercises that your doctor might recommend and you can try them out to alleviate the stress on your nerves.
Medication
Medication can help with the pain. You can either go for over-the-counter medication or you can go for NSAIDs and those are amazing to ensure that your arm and elbow are pain-free and you’re able to do everything without feeling excruciating pain every time you move your arm.
Cubital Tunnel Release
Surgical methods are also employed to alleviate the stress on the ulnar nerve. One of them is cubital tunnel release. It is essentially the division of the ligament that rests on top of the ulnar nerve and it decreases the compression of the nerves at the elbow.
It is a small surgery, but the healing period can take a bit of time, until then, you will need to limit hand and arm-engaging activities.
Medial Epicondylectomy
Medial epicondylectomy is also a method that is employed to remove the pressure of the ulnar nerve. In this surgery, a part of the median epicondyle (the bumpy part of the elbow) is removed so that the ulnar nerve can be alleviated by the compression.
Ulnar Nerve Transposition
Ulnar nerve anterior transposition is another surgery that moves the ulnar nerve of the elbow closer to the skin so that it doesn’t get tangled with nearby bones and doesn’t cause more compression or strain in the long run. This is also an effective surgical method.
Conclusion
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a very painful and difficult thing to deal with. So, if you feel like your arm or elbow is always in pain, then don’t sit around and get in touch with an elbow injury doctor Woodbridge right away.
