If you've ever experienced a nerve injury, you know that they can take a long time to heal and cause a lot of inconvenience and pain. While nerve problems in the wrist (such as carpal tunnel syndrome) are common due to the limited space available for the nerves that pass through the wrist, which compounds irritation and can cause compression of the irritated nerve, there are several ways to get nerve injuries up by your elbow as well. Like the nerve problems that occur at the wrist, these are often caused (at least partially) by excessive pressure for long periods of time, awkward positions while working, and other stressors. Here are two nerve injuries that may occur in or near the elbow along with their symptoms and possible causes.
1. Radial tunnel syndrome The radial tunnel is a small area where your Radial nerve slips between a muscle and a bone. It's a small area, so any fascia that develops there can affect the function of the nerve, compounding the damage that occurs when the nerve is irritated (usually by excessive, prolonged pressure or by a forearm injury). The main symptom with this condition is simply pain, which occurs generally in the forearm (usually the top/outer side) but can extend into the fingers in some cases.
It's different from cubital tunnel syndrome in that it doesn't often cause tingling or numbness as well as in the side of the arm that's affected. However, since the entrapment can occur near the elbow or at any of several other points along the forearm, doctors don't necessarily expect the pain to occur at a specific point along the forearm when diagnosing this condition. Be sure to let your chiropractor know if you have pain in your arm and suspect you may have injured a nerve.
2. Cubital tunnel syndrome Normally the Ulnar nerve runs through this tunnel and around the outside of a bone in your elbow; the fact that it's so close to your skin and trapped between the skin and the bone accounts for the awful tingling and numbness that can occur when you hit the back of your elbow on something. When the ulnar nerve is functioning properly, it provides sensation to your pinky and the outer side of your ring finger. Yet when something happens to injure that vulnerable spot on the nerve, it can take months to heal. (Don't worry; "hitting your funny bone" doesn't usually cause this kind of damage, fortunately.)
Some of the things that may injure this fragile part of your elbow include habitually leaning on your elbows, sleeping with bent elbows, or simply having a nerve that "snaps" over the bone when you bend your elbow, which can eventually lead to irritation. Your chiropractor may recommend using an elbow brace at night and give you some physical therapy-type exercises to help your nerve heal.
These two types of injuries can occur in your elbow or forearm and can affect hand and arm function until they heal. If you suspect you've sustained one of these injuries, be sure to get an official medical diagnosis to assess your injury and work out the best treatment plan.
