How to Tell The Difference Between Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Posted on: Feb 15 2019
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If you work a lot with your hands and you have noticed that you get some numbness and tingling in them, then you may have one of two conditions: cubital tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome. But what are the differences between these two conditions and how can you spot them?
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
When you hit your funny bone, you are familiarizing yourself and the rest of your body with your ulnar nerve. Patients who have cubital tunnel syndrome have pain and numbness in their hands due to long-term nerve compression on the funny bone nerve or the ulnar nerve. Patients who have this condition often have pain and numbness on their ring finger, pinky, and on that whole side of their hand.
As one of the things that we see patients for in our office, we usually encourage patients with cubital tunnel syndrome to either wear a splint at night, do hand and elbow therapy, or make lifestyle changes to relieve symptoms. For symptoms that do not respond to non-surgical methods, surgery may be needed to relieve pressure.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the more common of the two syndromes and is caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist called your carpal tunnel. Typically, patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, feel tingling and numbness on the other side of the hand. For patients with cubital tunnel syndrome they feel symptoms on the outside of the hand, while patients with carpal tunnel syndrome experience it in their middle finger, forefinger, and thumb. Patients who have carpal tunnel syndrome usually have numbness, swelling, and tying in their hand. As another syndrome that we treat in our office, we usually recommend that patients try wrist splints, cortisone shots, hand therapy, or even surgery.
If you work a ton with your hands, then you especially know how frustrating it can be to suffer from one of these conditions. To learn more about either of these conditions, contact us at our Santa Rosa office today and call us at (707) 544-3400.
Posted in: Cubital Tunnel
