Ulnar Nerve Entrapment - Annoying as hell

[scho63]

Sometime around 3-4 weeks ago I began having pins and needles in my left pinky by the end of the day.

As time passed it became longer and more numb. Then it progressed to half of my ring finger next to my pinky and the lower 3rd of my palm.

In the last 10 days it's just completely numb and painful at times. Having some burning in my palm and some forearm issues.

It's my ulnar nerve and it's become entrapped somewhere along the nerve route between my tricep down to my wrist.

Making daily life a pain in the ass with any typing, laptop work or much else.

On steroids for a gout flareup but so far no effect on the inflamed and/or entrapped nerve.

Had this happen to my right arm in 1989 when I fractured my elbow. This time it appears that I rolled my arm back and forth across my counter will working on my laptop and somehow got it pinched.

I just visited my regular doctor last Thursday for the gout as well along with blood work.

Refered me to specialist and have to wait 3 1/2 weeks to see him.

This ****ing sucks!

[Holladay]

I really don't remember having a hard time of it. It might be that they did the procedure at the same time I was getting my shattered ankle fixed. Oxy is your friend.

[scho63]

I don't do pain killers. I'm a certified masochist.

[scho63]

I went to the doc's office yesterday morning to have the cast replaced as it was digging into my wrist. New cast much better and Monday I go back to remove stitches. I hope like hell I only have to wear an elbow brace and no cast.

It's day 7 since surgery. Pinky still completely numb and feeling bloated. Bottom of outside of palm burns. Elbow hurts like hell if I get in certain positions. Sleep better but still not great.

Hopefully it heals soon.

[scho63]

Having the stitches out Monday.

Hand hurts and burns around bottom of palm. Hand also got swollen starting Thursday. Hope nothing unordinary when I go back to doc.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by scho63

Having the stitches out Monday.

Hand hurts and burns around bottom of palm. Hand also got swollen starting Thursday. Hope nothing unordinary when I go back to doc.

CRPS is a known potential side effect of surgery….

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Skyy God

CRPS is a known potential side effect of surgery….

Just learned something new. Thank you!

[scho63]

A little over 3 weeks since surgery and so far no improvement yet in my fingers or palm.

The elbow has some isolated pain if I move into certain positions.

Swelling and fluid still at the inside of the elbow and bruises on the underside of my forearm and along the outside.

This is slow recovery. I hope it gets better cause this sucks.

[rydogg58]

I had ulnar nerve relocation and carpal tunnel release surgery last Friday. I must be lucky because I haven't had any pain either from the surgery or the problems before surgery. I have had some pretty intense burning in my elbow, other than the burning, I don't have much feeling in my elbow or fingers.

Lots of bruising, it still hurts like hell to grip anything. I got my cast off 4 days after surgery and I'm wearing a soft compression cast. No stitches either, they glued up my wrist and elbow. Only problem was that the glue wore off on the top part of my wrist and opened back up again. Doc just rubbed some bacitracin on it and slapped a bandaid on it and told me to not get it wet.

[scho63]

Damn, double surgery.

I felt with all the years of computer work and the way I cock my left wrist while holding and looking at my cell phone, that the Ulnar Nerve problem was at my wrist. The doctor was sure ot was the elbow and the EMG confirmed. They better have gotten it right.

I heard it could take as long as 6 months to recover.

[scho63]

2 months after surgery and little to no improvement. I hope this doc didn't **** up where the nerve was entrapped. I'll give it another 4-6 weeks to see if any nerve regeneration. Then on to plan B.

[Holladay]

A lot is life style. Not sure why yours didn't work, but my right shoulder down to my fingers get tingly. It could be sleep position again or constantly using the mouse with my right hand, which I believe is the case this time. I raised the level of my chair so there is not as much pressure on my right shoulder. It has going on for about a month now.

Not sure if it is helping but at least trying something different. Try using your left hand to manipulate the mouse!!!!

[Pennywise]

Originally Posted by scho63

2 months after surgery and little to no improvement. I hope this doc didn't **** up where the nerve was entrapped. I'll give it another 4-6 weeks to see if any nerve regeneration. Then on to plan B.

I had a cadaver tendon shuttled into my right shoulder on March 21st and then ulnar nerve surgery 2 months later in May.

The way it was explained to me was the nerve was flapping across the end elbow bone so they slice your elbow open and tack it so it doesn't rub or flap. My test is a flat palm pushing against my thigh.

So far so good. Besides the incision being asscrack long.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Holladay

A lot is life style. Not sure why yours didn't work, but my right shoulder down to my fingers get tingly. It could be sleep position again or constantly using the mouse with my right hand, which I believe is the case this time. I raised the level of my chair so there is not as much pressure on my right shoulder. It has going on for about a month now.

Not sure if it is helping but at least trying something different. Try using your left hand to manipulate the mouse!!!!

They told me 6 months is really the limit point to see what happens. I had a ton of burning pain in the last 4-5 days. Today is not as bad. Every once in a while it feels like it is getting better but then it is not. I exercise and do all kinds of extensions, finger spreads, touching elbow back and forth.

I'm going to give it another 30 days and then I want another EMG.

I was minor numb for 1- 1 1/2 months, then totally numb for about 2 1/2 months leading into surgery.

Hope I am just being a nervous Nelly.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by scho63

They told me 6 months is really the limit point to see what happens. I had a ton of burning pain in the last 4-5 days. Today is not as bad. Every once in a while it feels like it is getting better but then it is not. I exercise and do all kinds of extensions, finger spreads, touching elbow back and forth.

I'm going to give it another 30 days and then I want another EMG.

I was minor numb for 1- 1 1/2 months, then totally numb for about 2 1/2 months leading into surgery.

Hope I am just being a nervous Nelly.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20371151

Anecdotally, this is most common in menopausal women.

Good luck!

[Pennywise]

Originally Posted by Skyy God

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20371151

Anecdotally, this is most common in menopausal women.

Good luck!

I bet that is what I have. Menopause I mean. I've been chat gpeeing any questions I have between Dr visits so I'll see what it says about maybe adding some midol.