What it means if your pinky and ring fingers are ⚡numb and tingly ⚡
So the other day I was catching up with a dear friend. We were eating outside, but it began to DOWNPOUR so we rushed inside...and the only available seating was at this teeny tiny little window bar.
My friend was on my right side, so in order to converse with her and hear one another, I had to turn sideways and found myself leaning against the bar on my left elbow a lot.
Throughout the evening, my left elbow kept talking to me. If it could speak, it would say something like, “Oh heyyyyy Corinne, your left elbow here. The way you’re leaning on me really hurts, could you STOP IT?!?!”
I listened to my elbow and switched positions, but I kept finding myself inevitably leaning on it as we conversed.
That night, as I slept, I felt pins and needles in my left pinky and ring finger, as well as a dull throbbing in my left elbow.
(Injured by a window bar. You really can’t make this stuff up 🙄 but this type of injury/flare-up so so common with us hypermobile folks)
My elbow discomfort and pins/needles feeling have since eased, and I have done some exercises as well as activity and sleeping modifications to help expedite the healing.
But I want to talk to you today about our elbows and, in particular, CUBITAL TUNNEL SYNDROME.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a nerve impingement of the ulnar nerve at the elbow.
What is a nerve impingement, and why does this happen to hypermobile people more???
Nerve impingements are more common in hypermobile humans than our non-hypermobile counterparts.
This is because hypermobility is a connective tissue disorder, and our nerves rely on connective tissue to help hold them in the correct place.
When our connective tissue is not behaving in the way it’s supposed to (read: extra stretchy), this means our nerves can more easily get out of place, become impinged, and wreak havoc on our arms and hands.
OK...so how do I know if I have cubital tunnel syndrome???
When your ulnar nerve is impinged at your cubital tunnel, here are some common symptoms:
😫 It feels like you’ve hit your funny bone, only it doesn’t go away
⚡ Numbness and tingling in your pinky finger and half of your ring finger
😯 Symptoms worsen when you lean on your elbow and/or bend your elbow
🛌 Nighttime can aggravate these symptoms because of your sleeping position (bent elbows)
Lucky for you (and for me 😅), there are lots of things that can help!
Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter, where I am breaking down 5 ideas to help you if you suspect you have cubital tunnel syndrome.
Do you resonate with any of these cubital tunnel symptoms?? Comment below and let me know!
PS - Did you know I have an online course and community called Hypermobile Hands Blueprint, where you can get lifetime access to monthly Q&A calls?? Nerve impingement and symptoms have come up quite a bit during these calls, and they are an incredibly helpful place to dive deeper into your individual questions about your own pain.
To learn more about the blueprint and get $100 off, tune into this free workshop first 💛
Common sense disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for seeking individualized medical advice. Please speak with your doctor or other healthcare provider before trying the suggestions included in this email.