MY SURGERY FOR ULNAR NERVE ENTRAPMENT…

After suffering since December with numbness and tingling in the small and ring fingers, and pain in the elbow and fingers, I tried all the conservative methods to heal my problem but it just got worse.  Ulnar nerve entrapment is also called cubital tunnel syndrome and ulnar tunnel syndrome. It’s the second most common nerve entrapment after carpal tunnel syndrome. It can cause numbness, tingling and/or pain in the arm and certain fingers. The condition is caused by compression or irritation of the ulnar nerve.

I saw an Orthopaedic consultant last month who felt it was a trapped ulnar nerve in my elbow and sent me for some nerve conduction tests to confirm his findings. I went back for my results yesterday and it was clear that I have a trapped nerve which needs surgery. I was told that if I decided to leave the surgery then I could run the risk of impaired hand function so I have to have the surgery.

My surgeon will make a cut over the back of your elbow on the inner side. He will cut any tight tissue that is compressing the nerve. Sometimes they may need to remove a piece of bone, or move the nerve so that it lies in front of the elbow, but that will be decided on the day of surgery.

The goals and potential benefits of surgery include:

• Relief of neural compression
• Pain reduction
• Prevention of further deterioration

The chance of obtaining a significant benefit from surgery depends upon a wide variety of factors, and in some it can take a while to recover, but with it being my right hand I just need to get the operation done and hope it all improves.