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Ulna nerve entrapment - Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust Ulna nerve entrapment A guide to treatment & management Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment & Treatment Service patientinformation Your health,your life,your choice,our passion Hearing about your experience of our services is very important as it means we can pass compliments to our staff and make improvements where necessary. Tell us what you think at [email protected] If you require this document in another language, large print, braille or audio version, please contact Patient Information on 01709 424281 or email [email protected] Ulna nerve entrapment Introduction The Ulna Nerve runs down the back of the upper arm. When it gets level with the elbow joint it fits between two bones in an area called the cubital tunnel. In this area it is very close to the skin. When you bang your elbow it is common to catch the nerve and this is often why you will get the sensation of pins and needles in your hand when you do this. The nerve runs very close to the bones here and it is also surrounded by ligaments and muscles which can press on the nerve when your arm is in certain positions, for example when the elbow is fully bent or you are resting on your elbows. When the nerve becomes compressed or trapped you can experience pain around the inside of your elbow and very often pins and needles and/or numbness in your little finger and half of your ring finger (highlighted in yellow in the diagram above). Symptoms are usually worse at night as people tend to sleep with their elbows bent. If the nerve has been compressed for a long time it may cause some weakness in some of the muscles in the hand. You may notice this when you are gripping or lifting objects. Sometimes the nerve will “pop out” of its tunnel and this is called subluxing. You would experience the same symptoms but also a pop or clicking at the elbow joint. 3 Ulna nerve entrapment Sensory area of the ulna nerve Ulna nerve What are the treatment options? You will firstly be assessed. The clinician will check your elbow movement, sensation and muscle power and perform some tests specifically for the nerve. They may also press around the painful area. You may also be asked to move your neck to make sure symptoms are not coming from this area. 4 Ulna nerve entrapment ainkillers and anti-inflammatories P These will have been prescribed by your GP with advice to keep the elbow straight especially at night time. Physiotherapy This is the first treatment for this condition. You may be supplied with a splint to keep your elbow straight at night time. The physiotherapist will perform a thorough assessment of the nerve and may give you stretches and strengthening exercises to do. To be successful you need to carefully follow the exercises and advice the physiotherapist gives you. S urgery If the nerve is subluxing, and you have persistent symptoms, you will be referred to an Orthopaedic Surgeon. They will move the nerve so it fits more “snuggly” in the tunnel. This involves very delicate surgery and you will need to follow the advice of the Physiotherapist afterwards. You may also need surgery if Physiotherapy and splinting do not help your symptoms, or you notice weakness in your hands. Sometimes the surgeon will send you for tests first called Nerve Conduction Studies to check the nerve before surgery. The Surgeon will release the nerve to allow it to move more freely again. You will have to follow their advice carefully after surgery. 5 Ulna nerve entrapment How to contact us Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service Rotherham Community Health Centre Greasbrough Road Rotherham S60 1RY Telephone 01709 423239 Useful contact numbers NHS Direct Telephone 0845 4647 Health Info Telephone 01709 427190 Stop Smoking Service Telephone 01709 422444 Patient Services Telephone 01709 424461 A&E Telephone 01709 424455 For GP out of hours, contact your surgery Useful websites www.nhs.uk www.direct.gov.uk www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk www.shoulderdoc.co.uk www.cks.nhs.uk We value your comments If you have any comments or concerns about the care we have provided please let us know, or alternatively you can write to: Patient Services The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust Rotherham Hospital Moorgate Road Oakwood Rotherham S60 2UD Telephone 01709 424461 Email [email protected] Produced by Sally Blair and Vanessa Fletcher-Barrett. October 2012. Revision due October 2014. Version: 1.0 ©The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 2012. All rights reserved. 6 How to find us Rotherham Community Health Centre main routes St sbury Square Rd A633 St St Ro n’s t An bou da un A630 ha w rf m ar sh Kenneth Ra el Rd Ke pp Gr ea sb Rotherham Community Health Centre W ro ug h Eff St Ke ing pp el ham W Rd ha h rf ug N Shafte Rd ro or sb th nn’s ea fie ld Gr St A Rd A6123 gh Centen rou asb Keppel Wharf A6123 Gre Cen ten ary Wa ary W ay St y A6021 No rf ol k n’s Rd St W at er St A630 An nr yS t A630 y He Wa d ary hR ten No A6021 rf ol k St ten Gr a y Bridge St ha rn Cen a ry W W Rd ge out lle Co ndab u Ro ea sb ro ug Cen A629 cl iff e A6021 Wh Ke pp pel ROTHERHAM CENTRAL TRAIN STATION el W ha Kep Rd arf St College A630 rf Rotherham Hospital main routes To Leeds To Doncaster Parkgate Thorpe Hesley 35 B6089 A633 Kimberworth Park A630 A629 Kimberworth A630 TOWN CENTRE Clifton A6123 Bramley A6109 North Herringthorpe Rotherham Hospital 34 South 34 To A1, M62 & Hull East Dene M1 Woodside M18 A631 Brinsworth A630 33 Whiston M1 32 A630 To Sheffield Wickersley Moorgate A618 A631 To Sheffield A631 1 A631 Treeton A618 M1 To Nottingham and the South 7 Sustainable Forests / Low chlorine LS 24 10/12 V1 WFO Rotherham Hospital Moorgate Road Oakwood Rotherham S60 2UD Telephone 01709 820000 www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk
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