Ulnar nerve neuropathy due to ulnar nerve entrapment is often a painful disorder of the outer side of the arm and hand near the little finger, caused by pressure on the ulnar nerve in your arm.
The trusted experience and surgical expertise of the neurosurgeons at The Johns Hopkins Peripheral Nerve Surgery Center make us the best choice for treatment of this condition.
Symptoms
Symptoms of ulnar nerve neuropathy may include:
- Weakness or tenderness in the hand
- Tingling in the palm and fourth and fifth fingers
- Sensitivity to cold
- Tenderness in the elbow joint
Causes
Ulnar nerve neuropathy can be a condition of nerve entrapment. The ulnar nerve can be constricted as it passes through the wrist or elbow. The ulnar nerve transmits electrical signals to muscles in the forearm and hand. The nerve is responsible for sensation in the fourth and fifth fingers of the hand, the palm, and the underside of the forearm. Ulnar neuropathy can also be called:
- Bicycler's neuropathy
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Guyon or Guyon's canal syndrome
- Tardy ulnar palsy
Diagnosis
Proper diagnosis of ulnar nerve entrapment requires the expert attention of an experienced physician who will determine if the symptom is primary — meaning a stand-alone condition —or if it is secondary, arising out of a more complicated disease like diabetes. Diagnosis will include:
- A comprehensive clinical exam. Your doctor will ask you to perform certain tasks with your hands so he or she can determine if ulnar nerve entrapment is a possible diagnosis for your pain.
- Complete medical history
- Electrodiagnostic studies (EMG) to study nerve conduction within your hands and wrists
Treatment
Depending on the severity of your ulnar nerve entrapment, your physician may recommend the following:
- Occupational therapy to strengthen the ligaments and tendons in the hands and elbows
- The daily use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonprescription pain relievers to help reduce pain and inflammation
- Wearing splints to help immobilize the elbow
Your doctor may recommend surgery to treat your ulnar nerve neuropathy.
Surgical Intervention
There are two types of ulnar nerve entrapment surgery, or two approaches:
- At the elbow. Your surgeon will make an incision at the elbow and perform a nerve decompression. Or your surgeon may choose to move the nerve to the inner part of the arm so that it is in a more direct position.
- At the wrist. If the compression is at the wrist, the incision is made there and the decompression is performed.
Factors in Surgical Intervention
When physical therapy and other forms of non-surgical treatment fail, surgery is the best option to restore function and alleviate pain.
Recovery
Your bandages will be removed within 24 hours. Stitches if present are taken out in 10 days. Most people return to full activity within six weeks.
