Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Knowing where your pain is located

Cubital tunnel syndrome involves compression of the ulnar nerve at the level of the elbow. It is another one of the compression neuropathies. Symptoms are often similar to the experience people have when they “hit their funny bone”. This includes numbness, but one may also experience weakness and/or pain.

Treatment

A nerve conduction study and EMG may be ordered to help diagnose cubital tunnel syndrome. Once the diagnosis is established, the initial treatment as with many problems in hand and upper extremity surgery, consist of the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, and splinting.

In the case conservative treatments fail to eliminate the symptoms, operative decompression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow will be recommended. The specifics of this will be discussed with you during your consultation but you can expect an incision on the inside of your elbow.

Recovering from cubital tunnel

Most who undergo operative decompression may return to one handed duty very soon after the procedure. We will want you to move soon after the procedure under the care of a hand therapist and unrestricted work is usually resumed 4-8 weeks following the operation, depending on the technique performed.