Cubital canal syndrome

Cubital canal syndrome, or, in other words, ulnar tunnel syndrome, is a disease that manifests itself in numbness of the hand, constant tingling or pain in the elbow, shoulder, or fingers. These unpleasant sensations are caused by pinching of the ulnar nerve in the area of the elbow joint, where the nerve passes very close to the skin and bone.

The cubital canal through which the nerve passes is very narrow, so even weak/insignificant external pressure can make it difficult to conduct nerve impulses. Also, nerve disorders can be caused by its own thickening.

It is because of the pressure on the nerve that sometimes in the morning the hand that a person puts under his head during sleep becomes like someone else's and does not immediately acquire mobility. But these are one-time cases, but if the nerve is constantly and systematically compressed, there is a high probability of developing cubital syndrome.

In the initial stages of the disease, numbness, pain and tingling are observed only with pressure on the elbow. Subsequently, pain and numbness are felt constantly, weakness in the limb occurs, loss of control over motor skills: objects suddenly slip out of the hand, it is difficult to hold the kettle, and so on. If you do not start treatment on time, the disease develops into an advanced stage: the hand loses weight, the muscles atrophy, and pits appear between the bones. If conservative treatment has the necessary effect in the initial stages, then surgical "release" of the nerve is necessary in advanced cases. The period of full recovery from cubital syndrome ranges from 3 months to six months.