Understanding Your Ulnar Neuritis Diagnosis

You have three main nerves that run through your arm. Your ulnar nerve runs all the way from your shoulder to your pinky finger. Unfortunately, your ulnar nerve rests very close to your skin’s surface, meaning it’s not well-protected by muscle or bone like many other nerves are.

As a result, your ulnar nerve is prone to issues, including neuritis or even neuropathy. Any compression, irritation, or damage to your ulnar nerve can cause nerve symptoms, such as pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness.

You can develop ulnar nerve issues anywhere along the nerve’s path, but nerve compression or irritation is most common either at your elbow (cubital tunnel syndrome) or your wrist (Guyon’s canal syndrome).

At Valley Orthopedic Institute in Palmdale and Ridgecrest, California, Anand Shah, MD, Mehul Taylor, MD, Adam Amir, DO, and the rest of our team specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of nerve disorders located in the upper extremities, including ulnar neuritis.

In this month’s blog, we discuss what you need to know about ulnar neuritis.

What is ulnar neuritis?

Ulnar neuritis is inflammation of your ulnar nerve that runs on the outside of your arm. 

Your nerves are your body’s master communicators, carrying messages to and from your brain and the rest of your body. They regulate touch and pain sensations, muscle movements, and autonomic body functions. 

When any nerve is kept from functioning properly due to a disease or injury, signals from the nerve can be blocked or sent out incorrectly.

There are varying levels of nerve disorders. Neuritis refers to nerve inflammation, which differs from the full nerve damage associated with neuropathy.

Causes and symptoms of ulnar neuritis

Anything that compresses or irritates your ulnar nerve can lead to nerve inflammation. But some common things that can put you at risk for ulnar neuritis include:

• Playing sports with repetitive motions, such as baseball, golf, or cycling
• Using a keyboard or power tools frequently
• Sleeping with your elbows bent
• Elbow injuries
• Elbow arthritis 

If you develop ulnar neuritis, you can experience the following symptoms:

• Aching elbow pain
• Numbness, pain, and tingling in your ring and pinky fingers
• Difficulties moving your fingers
• Weakened hand grip

You may notice that these symptoms worsen at night and right when you wake up in the morning.

Treating ulnar neuritis 

Since ulnar neuritis is a milder nerve disorder, conservative treatments should be enough to address it.

To start, it’s helpful to narrow down what’s leading to nerve inflammation. Adapting hand, wrist, and elbow motions can reduce nerve irritation and allow the nerve to heal properly. If other conditions, such as arthritis, are contributing to the nerve-related symptoms, finding effective strategies to manage your arthritis can help with both arthritic and neuropathic pain.

Undergoing physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles and tendons around the ulnar nerve, which can better protect your ulnar nerve and encourage it to heal. You may also need to immobilize your wrist and elbow to avoid further nerve irritation.

To manage any pain and discomfort, you can take over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.

For expert-level care of your ulnar neuritis, look no further than our team at Valley Orthopedic Institute. Schedule an appointment with us by calling your nearest office location or using our online booking feature today.