The Tendon in Your Arm Is Your Funny Bone
Everything you lot ever wanted to know about your funny os
First off, it's non a os
December 16 2019
2 minute read
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We're all familiar with that incredibly uncomfortable — and often painful — tingling feeling that comes along with hitting your funny bone. And nosotros all know it's anything but funny. Merely what exactly is causing this strange and unwelcomed feeling?
What is your funny bone?
Funnily enough, your funny bone isn't a bone at all.
Information technology's actually the ulnar nerve, which extends from your spine, passing behind the elbow joint and going all the way downwards to your pinky and ring fingers. This nerve is responsible for giving sensation to your forearm besides as your fourth and fifth fingers and helps stimulate movement in your hand and wrist.
Why does information technology hurt when you hitting it?
There's a bespeak where the ulnar nerve curves around the elbow joint and is essentially wedged between bone and skin. Specifically, when the nerve reaches the elbow information technology goes through the cubital tunnel. This is a tunnel of tissue on the inside of the elbow under a bony portion of the humerus (your upper arm os) called the medial epicondyle.
At this specific point, the nerve is not protected past any muscle. The sensation you experience when you hit this precise spot is really the nerve being pinched and compressed. Hitting your funny os happens when your elbow is aptitude rather than extended considering the former opens upward this pocket-size and sensitive area. This temporarily stops the nervus'due south connection to the encephalon and results in that familiar feeling of pain and numbness. The hurting follows the nerve's path and shoots down into your arm and fingers. Because the nerve is also responsible for some hand and wrist movements, information technology tin take a few minutes to get these movements back after whacking your funny bone.
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And while hitting your funny bone is something you lot can usually laugh almost once the pain subsides, in some instances the pain and discomfort is ongoing.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a status where the ulnar nervus is stretched or pinched hands and frequently, sometimes for extended periods of fourth dimension. This condition can develop from regular movements where your elbow is aptitude, like spending large parts of the day making phone calls and holding your phone to your ear. Only it tin can also be the result of abnormal bone growth in the elbow or from intense physical activity that increases pressure on the nervus (for example, baseball game pitchers ofttimes have cubital tunnel syndrome).
And while the symptoms tin exist similar to those of hitting your funny bone — although they persist for longer and occur more frequently — some symptoms are more extreme, such every bit a decreased gripping-power and difficulty controlling fingers for precise tasks.
Why is information technology called the funny bone?
It'south non entirely clear how the funny bone got its name, because it isn't a os at all. But there seems to be two primary competing theories. The starting time, is that it's based on the "funny feeling" yous become when you hit your elbow in that non-and so-sweetness spot. The 2nd, is that it's a play on words because the ulnar nerve runs along the upper arm os called the humerus (sounds like "humorous") that is between your elbow and shoulder.
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Despite the uncertainty around its proper name, one matter's for sure: hitting your funny bone is actually not so funny.
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Nosotros're all familiar with that incredibly uncomfortable — and often painful — tingling feeling that comes forth with hitting your funny bone. And nosotros all know it's annihilation but funny. But what exactly is causing this strange and unwelcomed feeling?
What is your funny os?
Funnily enough, your funny os isn't a os at all.
Information technology's actually the ulnar nerve, which extends from your spine, passing behind the elbow joint and going all the fashion down to your pinky and ring fingers. This nerve is responsible for giving sensation to your forearm also as your fourth and fifth fingers and helps stimulate movement in your hand and wrist.
Why does information technology injure when you hit it?
There's a point where the ulnar nerve curves around the elbow articulation and is essentially wedged between os and skin. Specifically, when the nerve reaches the elbow information technology goes through the cubital tunnel. This is a tunnel of tissue on the inside of the elbow nether a bony portion of the humerus (your upper arm bone) called the medial epicondyle.
At this specific indicate, the nerve is not protected by whatever musculus. The sensation you feel when yous hit this precise spot is actually the nervus existence pinched and compressed. Hitting your funny bone happens when your elbow is bent rather than extended because the former opens up this small and sensitive area. This temporarily stops the nerve's connection to the brain and results in that familiar feeling of pain and numbness. The pain follows the nervus's path and shoots downward into your arm and fingers. Because the nerve is as well responsible for some mitt and wrist movements, it tin accept a few minutes to get these movements dorsum after whacking your funny os.
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And while hitting your funny bone is something you tin usually express joy virtually in one case the pain subsides, in some instances the hurting and discomfort is ongoing.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a status where the ulnar nerve is stretched or pinched hands and frequently, sometimes for extended periods of fourth dimension. This condition tin can develop from regular movements where your elbow is bent, like spending big parts of the day making phone calls and belongings your phone to your ear. Merely it can also be the event of abnormal bone growth in the elbow or from intense concrete activeness that increases pressure on the nerve (for example, baseball pitchers frequently accept cubital tunnel syndrome).
And while the symptoms tin be similar to those of hitting your funny os — although they persist for longer and occur more often — some symptoms are more extreme, such as a decreased gripping-power and difficulty controlling fingers for precise tasks.
Why is it called the funny bone?
It's not entirely clear how the funny bone got its proper noun, considering it isn't a bone at all. But at that place seems to be two main competing theories. The first, is that information technology's based on the "funny feeling" you get when y'all hit your elbow in that not-so-sweetness spot. The second, is that it's a play on words because the ulnar nerve runs forth the upper arm bone called the humerus (sounds similar "humorous") that is between your elbow and shoulder.
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Despite the dubiousness effectually its name, ane matter's for sure: striking your funny bone is actually not so funny.
Source: https://www.healthing.ca/injury/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-your-funny-bone
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