Do you suffer from Cubital Tunnel?  Today’s article is to give you hope, that there is a light at the end of all this suffering! First off, in case you don’t know, let’s talk a little about what this condition is.  There is a channel that runs the length of your arm and carries the ulnar nerve.   The ulnar nerve runs up and over your elbow.  The channel is made up of muscles, ligaments and bones.  The ulnar nerve is responsible for giving feeling to your little finger and part of your ring finger.  It also cues the muscles that control other parts of your hand, so, it’s kind of a big deal. This nerve can become damaged by trauma but a lot of the time, it is just from the bending, stretching and over use of your elbows.  Even the pressure from continually leaning on your elbows at work or play can be enough to cause damage. The light at the end of the cubital tunnel is that this condition is totally preventable!  The more we learn and know about our bodies, the more we can keep these bad things from happening.  Make sure you are resting your elbow joint adequately when doing repetitive activities that involve the elbow.  Try to avoid injury to the funny bone.  Even sitting at a desk all day with your arms resting on a hard surface can be just enough to causes irritation to this nerve. How do you know when this nerve has had enough? Well, numbness and tingling will be the first signs.  From there, you will experience an increase in pain!  At this point…you have a problem.   If treated early, the treatment is easy; rest, immobilization, and anti-inflammatories will usually do the trick.  If left to fester then you may be looking at surgical intervention. If you experience what you think is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, head into Idaho Hand Institute and visit with our providers.  They will provide you with an appropriate care plan and get you back on the track to good health!