There's something wrong with my arm.

Food

So since I woke up yesterday, the pinky, ringfinger, and the section of palm just below them have been somewhat numb. They're not completely paralyzed or anything, I can feel with them somewhat, and I can still type of course, it's just somewhat more difficult.

Anyway, I woke up today and my elbow joint above them is swollen. I can tell there's something wrong with my funny bone nerve (I forget the scientific name) because when I stretch my arm all the way out or bend it all the way in, I get a tingling sensation in my arm from the elbow down.

So is this just a pinched nerve? I have been working out somewhat more than usual in the past week, but I haven't been doing anything I haven't done before. Should I go see the doctor about this? I'm worried about it mainly because it seems to be getting worse.

Iceman.USAF

Go see a doctor. That sounds rather serious to me.

X3x3non

On the palmar side of the hand the pinky, ring and half of the middle finger are innervated by the ulnar nerve. Usually if a nerve is damaged or irritated the section of skin that is innervated by it will feel numb. Was the elbow swollen at all prior to the numbness? Usually if the elbow swells it can press on the nerve and irritate it.

From Wikipedia:

The Ulnar nerve can be trapped or pinched in various ways as it proceeds down the arm from the Brachial plexus to the ring and middle fingers. One common cause is cubital tunnel syndrome, where the tunnel runs the inner outside side of the elbow. Pinching of the nerve often causes tingling symptoms in the little and ring fingers. In some cases moderate to severe pain is experienced from pinching this nerve. Often such pins and needles sensations can be caused by sleeping wrongly on your arm, but sometimes the problems last for days. In severe cases, surgery is performed to move the nerve.

Mr. Pokeylope

I've had the same problem for months now, and it started the same way for me. Just one day I woke up and my pinky and ring finger were numb and it didn't go away and for me the diagnosis was a pinched nerve in my elbow.

Go see a doctor. I've already been to my doctor and two specialist. There is a possibility for permanent damage.

You should rest your arm too and avoid working out or anything else strenuous with it. The numbness is for me was the scariest part about it but I didn't take care of my arm at first and I was in for some serious pain. It felt like an ice pick is being stabbed in my arm. You don't want that trust me.

For me what has really helped was keeping my arm straight while I sleep. I have a brace, but you can use a pillow to wrap around your arm and some tape to keep the pillow in place, not too tight though on your elbow. That way you won't tweak it during your sleep. Since I started doing that I've been steadily approving. I don't have the numbness anymore just tinkling sometimes and the pains gone to.

Good luck, I hope you'll be better off than me, the worst part of this thing is I've had it for months now and according to my doctors it might be months more before I'm back to normal.

LewieP's Mummy

It sounds like carpal tunnel syndrome - I've had surgery twice now to fix in in my right hand (I don't have a carpal nerve in my left arm/hand), its not good, it can lead to permanent nerve damage if not treated. treatment is a splint first, steroid injections into the wrist/elbow if the splint and rest doesn't work, then surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve if the first 2 don't work. Typing makes mine worse, so at work I use Dragon software instead of typing. I still sleep with my arm raised above my head, it helps with the numbness, and i don't get the pain or pins and needles any more.

Get checked out.

X3x3non

You are definetly right that he should get it checked out, but I am not sure if it is carpal's. In carpals (Unlike you, I have never had it so that it with a grain of salt!) the arm shouldn't hurt from the elbow down, should it? When a nerve is damaged, everything "downstream" is affected, but everything upstream is fine. By hat logic, if his lower arm hurts, the damage should lay upstream.

Food

Alright, thanks for the advice guys. I definitely don't want this to come to permanent damage. I first became worried about this when I was playing guitar yesterday and noticed that my fingers were acting clumsy; music is a big part of my life and I don't want to lose that. I've been keeping weight off of it and trying to keep it straight. The pain and swelling is gone, though the numbness is still a slight issue. I'll try to see a doctor as soon as possible and hopefully it won't come to anything serious.

LewieP's Mummy

Keep playing guitar - when I saw the consultant, he was very surprised i had half way decent muscle tone in my hand (chord hand, I'm a lefty), and wanted to know what I did. I'm a trainer by profession, but mentioned I play guitar. He said that's what had prevented me losing significant muscle tone.