Any advice for fixing a trapped Ulnar Nerve?

Any advice for fixing a trapped Ulnar Nerve?

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schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

206 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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Folks, can anyone of a medical / sports physio persuasion give me some advice on how to fix a trapped / buggered ulnar nerve, please?

The long and short of it is about 2 weeks ago I woke up with pins and needles in my left pinky and ring fingers. I didn't think anything of it, but it's still bloody there. The fingers are permanently pins and needles / dead feeling and whenever I flex my bicep, I get a shot of pins and needles from my elbow frown

Any advice would be most appreciated as it's driving me mad!

OneDs

1,628 posts

176 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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Mine had to be relocated to the inside of the arm rather than through the elbow, after the surgeon fubared the original op to put a pin through my elbow after a fracture, rather than cut the thread through the pilot hole he had drilled correctly, he decided to run the tap through the fracture catching the nerve stretching it and twisting around the tap. Two further ops and 6 years on and I still have the exact same symptoms you mention in my right arm/hand.

This is worse case, Hopefully yours is just compressed and will recover but if you've severed nerves they regrow very very slowly and only if they are reconnected successfully and are not obstructed by dead scar tissue

if it shows no sign of improvement go see the doctor, I was referred to stanmore RNOH after the initial op.

Edited by OneDs on Tuesday 16th December 21:45

Bill

52,689 posts

255 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
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Do you have any neck pain at all? Any weakness? Can you push and pull your hand out (ie biceps/triceps power) and is your grip strength fine? Any speech or swallow problems, dizziness, blurred vision or drop attacks?

If not, did you knock it or lean on your elbow and if you tap the inside of your elbow just by the bony point does the whole lot tingle?

Chances are it's just a neuropraxia which will recover with time on its own

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

206 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
I have no neck pain, dizziness etc and have full motor control of the hand and both affected fingers. The only symptom outside of the P&N is a "heavy" feeling from just below my elbow to half way down my forearm. If I touch my Funny bone, I get a fire shot of pins and needles

OneDs

1,628 posts

176 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
If you tap your inner forearm from the wrist up to the elbow where do the shooting pains start? They did this to check the range of where the nerves had been impacted. This should give you a good indication about where the issue is. If it is solely around the elbow then might be as described, either way if no improvement then go get referred.

Edited by OneDs on Tuesday 16th December 22:43

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

206 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
I get no shooting pains at all if I do that - all feels completely and utterly normal. However, the depression by my elbow bone is extremely tender and the slightest tap there sends quite painful pins and needles shooting down my arm


OneDs

1,628 posts

176 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
In that case it does sound like a build up of pressure located at the elbow. Look up the previous indication for neuropraxia and if it doesn't start to relieve or you get the pains from tapping lower than the elbow then you know what to do.

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

206 months

Tuesday 16th December 2014
quotequote all
Thank you for the advice, guys thumbup

Bill

52,689 posts

255 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
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Tinel's test ftw. biggrin

NorthDave

2,364 posts

232 months

Friday 6th February 2015
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I think I had something similar when I started to cycle. I couldn't bring my fingers together on the right hand. Apparently the nerve was trapped under my pectoral. After a load of physio sessions where I would come out black and blue I tried rowing at the gym. Max resistance and nice and slow and it fixed it pretty much instantly. I think it must have 'realigned' things.

Might be worth a try. Not sure if a pull up would of done the same thing.