When the Funny Bone (Ulnar Nerve) Goes Crazy!

It is probably safe to assume that at one time or another each of us has bumped our elbow into a door frame, edge of a desk, or some other object. The result of this contact being a sudden tingling lost of feeling or some other sensation the total length of our lower arm and up to our shoulder. When we experience this sensation be often claim that we have struck our funny bone due to the funny feeling we get in our arm. In reality we haven't struck a bone at all! What we have done is to push are pinch our Ulnar nerve. That funny or dull feeling in our arm and fingers is cause as the nerve reacts to the pressure from the

There are three separate nerves that run down the arm to the region of the hand. Each of these nerves control sensation and movement to a different part of the arms and hands. The Ulnar nerve controls feeling in the fourth and fifth fingers on the hand. In addition it also controls movement of those same fingers. Running from the hand to your shoulder it passes though a small groove in the hummers bone at the elbow. At this point the nerve lies very close to the skin of the arm and can easily be activated when we bump it. Thus it gives us that funny bone feeling as the result. The nice thing about the sensation is that it doesn't last for a long period of time and we are able to assume whatever activity we were involved in when we bumped the nerve.

Sometimes, however, the funny bone or Ulnar nerve goes a little crazy. Instead of a short term sensation in the area of the fourth and fifth fingers on the hand a long term and possibly crippling condition can develop. This condition can be caused by several factors, such as; calcification around the area were the nerve travels though the elbow, a broken bone in the elbow, inflammation of the tendon holding the nerve in the groove, or possible other causes. These factors can result in the loss of movement in the fourth and fifth fingers and the development of what is called "Claw hands". Claw hands develop as the damaged nerve fails to send the correct signals from the brain to the muscles of the fingers. The fingers than begin curve into the palm of the hand. If not treated in a timely manner, this condition can become permanent.

In the fall of 2006 my husband developed this condition in his right arm. Over a period of a month his fourth and fifth fingers begin to curl into his palm. This curving of his fingers resulted in him beginning to lose his ability to sign his name, catch change in his right hand, and use the typewriter. This was a major issue in his employment as an academic librarian. A trip to his orthopedic surgeon resulted in an immediate referral to a doctor who dealt with nerve damage.

My husband actually refers to this doctor as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I love to listen as he explains the procedure that he had to endure while the doctor was attempting to verify were the damage to the nerve was located. In fact each time he tells the story it becomes more humorous. The procedure require electrical shocks to be administered to several points on his arm and shoulder in order to determine at what point the nerve was damaged in its journey down the length of his arm. He describes this is the herky jerky dance stating that each time the electricity was used his arm or fingers would jump of there own accord. My husband is positive that the doctor who completed this test had a sadistic streak in him. My husband was relieved when the doctor stated that he had completed the electric impulse test. However, his elation was short lived, because the doctor than begin to used pins to check for muscle response in his lower and upper arms, the palm of his hand, and his fingers. The doctor's conclusion was that the Ulnar nerve was restricted in some manner were it past though the elbow and that my husband also was experiencing was restriction with the carpal tunnel. With this information he return to his surgeon and scheduled his surgery.

The surgeon made the decision to only perform one of the procedures at a time and with the curving of his fingers continuing the surgery to repair the Ulnar nerve was scheduled first. As my husband and the surgeon discussed the surgery he was informed that there could be no guarantee that the surgery would be successful. There was the possibility that the claw hands could be reversed. However, the surgeon felt that since he had not delayed medical treatment the final outcome would be acceptable.

The surgery consisted of an incision of approximately six inches along the underside of his arm in the area of the elbow. The tendon that held the Ulnar nerve in place was cut and the nerve was relocated to underside of the elbow just under the skin of his arm. He attended twelve sessions of physical therapy after the operation. These sessions were designed to strengthen and tone the muscles in his arm and hand. Six months after the surgery his fingers have returned to normal and except for the occasional tingling sensation in the palm of his hand everything seems satisfactory. For him the funny bone just got a little crazy but by seeking out medical assistance he was able to correct the physical problems!