United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc. • cubital tunnel syndrome?
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cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:31 am
by jmar
has anyone ever heard of cubital tunnel syndrome? apparently that is what i am experiencing. i was told it will only get worse as time goes by without doing anything about it. i am scheduled for surgery to decompress my ulnar nerve at the elbow on march 28. any one know about this? i do know it is miserably annoying. i guess better than severe pain!!

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:29 am
by jmar
in my opinion, she needs something done now. before it gets as bad as what mine is. if the nerve is damaged even a little bit, it will be permanent if it goes on too long. and believe me it gets REALLY bad. have you gotten several opinions? i know there is non-surgical things you can do for a while, but dont let it get too bad.

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:35 pm
by cristinam
I had the transposition surgery a little over a year ago and though not perfect, it helped me immensely. My ring and little finger were severely clawed and had no active motion. Primarily that has been my gain from the surgery. Although not as well as the others, I can move them now. (Which is incredible, I wont complain about the rest, because seeing them move is a miracle to me and can definitely put a smile on my face any day.) :)

Best of luck to you!! :D

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:42 pm
by Louise
Christina, this is interesting....Elizabeths pinkie and ring finger are stuck together and she can barely move them...I wonder if that surgery would help her.....

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:55 pm
by jmar
my ring finger was severely broken many, many years ago, but i have always been able to consciously straighten it at the knuckle by my nail (which is where it was broken) now it wont straighten at all but i do so many excercises to keep the ring finger and pinkie finger flexible that they will never be "frozen" if i can avoid it. i dont know what the surgery is called but but i am having it done march 28, i am just hoping that it is helpful in getting back the feeling in my arm and hand. the ulnar nerve is what is pinched at the elbow. is that what you had done christina?

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:57 pm
by cristinam
Yeah, I could passively stretch them out, I just could not consciously move them. My surgery was a bit more extensive than the decompression but yes. If it a localized compression (which more commonly, I *think* it is), it should help you with the sensation issues.

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:56 pm
by beepbeep
Hello,
I have something similar, PINS or radial nerve entrapment. I have avoided surgery so far, but doing exercises with the hand and cortisteroid (cortizone) shots. My Ortho has not recommend surgery yet due to pretty good arm hand strength and the shots seem to relieve the pressure on the nerve. My ortho told me the surgery is alot of re hab and not always a fix. My hands or fingers are not clawed. I usualy get pain right at the elbow joint or in the back of the shoulder blade. I get a shot about every two years and it works for about a year and half. My ortho said surgery is alot of rehab 6-8 weeks, no moving (it is my right arm and I am right handed), he also said that sometimes it is not a fix. He does not recommend surgery for me yet as I am able to control it with shots and exercise. Mine is slightly different then yours (ulner entrapment), they thought I had that first, but furtner Nerve testing showed PINS or Radial Nerve. I have been good so far about 4 years. It gets aggravated when I do certain things. One day did weeds in back yard, next day could not move my wrist, so got a shot there, My ortho did say when I can no longer take shots and if it gets worse then surgery would be an option.
My son has a BPI from birth, he is 12 now. So it is a bit ironic that his Mom got Radial Nergeve issues with arm. E

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:40 pm
by jmar
WELL,WELL,WELL. i went to doctor mackinnon.she actually knows something about my injury. she says something different than cubital tunnel. my hand is numb because of a lower brachial plexus problem. i still need surgery but it will be done later after i get rid of the pain i have now.

Re: cubital tunnel syndrome?

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:17 pm
by jmar
i am finally going to have surgery on july 12. Dr McKinnon is going to do 3, maybe 4 different things at the same time. one of them is a new procedure. i will be in the research books. wow...i am having the nerve transfers done in these 3 or 4 places. or whatever they are. the nerves will be repositioned.