Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is a condition where the ulnar nerve is compressed at the elbow. This is the nerve that we all are familiar with as the “funny bone.” The ulnar nerve, however, is far more than just an occasional painful nuisance that we have to live with. In fact, this nerve is critical to the normal function and sensation of the hand. Without it, the hand goes into a “claw” position with the fingers curled, and becomes very weak, making even simple tasks difficult.

Cubital tunnel is characterized by pain in the forearm and/or numbness in the little and ring fingers. Symptoms are often aggravated by bending the elbow. Though sometimes caused by diabetes, fractures, or arthritis about the elbow, the majority of cases arise without cause. The diagnosis is made by a physical examination by a physician and often supplemented with a nerve test called an EMG/NCV study.

Usually, this condition can be treated with splinting and anti-inflammatory medication, but in more severe cases, particularly when the nerve compression leads to muscle deterioration, outpatient surgery is needed. In these cases, the nerve is gently moved to a new area that has less of a chance of compression. Except in the more severe cases, the results are very good.