Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhere Is Your Funny Bone?Why Hitting It HurtsTreating the Pain
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Where Is Your Funny Bone?
Why Hitting It Hurts
Treating the Pain
Usually, this is a sharp jolt to the elbow that quickly resolves, but sometimes an ulnar nerve injury can cause more persistent symptoms.
This article discusses the funny bone, where it is located, and how funny bone pain can be managed.
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The “funny bone” is not a bone; it’s theulnar nerve. This nerve runs down your arm, passing around the back of your elbow.Because the ulnar nerve sits just on top of the hard elbow and most people don’t have much fatty cushion there, it is easy to bump.
The elbow is the junction of three bones:
The humerus bone has a groove on its inner aspect where the ulnar nerve tightly courses just behind the joint. This is where the ulnar nerve can be irritated when the nerve is pinched against the end of the bone, causing the pain we describe as “funny bone” pain.
The Anatomy of the Radius
Why It Hurts to Hit Your Funny Bone
When you hit your ulnar nerve or funny bone, you experience pain in the part of the arm where the ulnar nerve provides sensation: the forearm to the outside fingers. This part of your arm and hand is called the ulnar nerve distribution.
Specifically, the ulnar nerve provides sensation into most of the small (pinky) finger, and about half of the ring finger. Other nerves, including themedian nerveand theradial nerve, supply sensation to the other parts of the hand.
Treating Funny Bone Pain
Most injuries to the funny bone quickly resolve. Some of the things you can do to help your symptoms feel better faster include:
Finding Relief for Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
Treating Long-Lasting Ulnar Nerve Pain
In rare circumstances, injuries to the ulnar nerve can cause more persistent symptoms, a condition calledcubital tunnel syndrome. Cubital tunnel syndrome can happen after an injury or because of overuse of the elbow.
In more severe cases, the nerve can actually be repositioned to an area without as much pressure on the nerve (called an ulnar nerve transposition).
Summary
The funny bone is a term used to describe the part of the ulnar nerve that passes around the back of the elbow. Because there is less tissue and bone to protect the nerve in this part of the arm, striking this area can cause pain and a tingling sensation down your arm and to your outside fingers.
Most injuries to the funny bone resolve quickly, and the pain goes away after a few seconds or minutes. For longer lasting pain, you may want to try ice and/or anti-inflammatory medication.
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dimitrova A, Murchison C, Oken B.Local effects of acupuncture on the median and ulnar nerves in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a pilot mechanistic study protocol.Trials. 2019;20(1):8. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3094-5American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.Additional ReadingElhassan B and Steinmann SP.Entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar nerve.J Am Acad Orthop Surg.November 2007 vol. 15 no. 11 672-681. doi:10.5435/00124635-200711000-00006
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dimitrova A, Murchison C, Oken B.Local effects of acupuncture on the median and ulnar nerves in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a pilot mechanistic study protocol.Trials. 2019;20(1):8. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3094-5American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.Additional ReadingElhassan B and Steinmann SP.Entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar nerve.J Am Acad Orthop Surg.November 2007 vol. 15 no. 11 672-681. doi:10.5435/00124635-200711000-00006
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dimitrova A, Murchison C, Oken B.Local effects of acupuncture on the median and ulnar nerves in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a pilot mechanistic study protocol.Trials. 2019;20(1):8. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3094-5American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.
Dimitrova A, Murchison C, Oken B.Local effects of acupuncture on the median and ulnar nerves in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a pilot mechanistic study protocol.Trials. 2019;20(1):8. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3094-5
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.
Elhassan B and Steinmann SP.Entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar nerve.J Am Acad Orthop Surg.November 2007 vol. 15 no. 11 672-681. doi:10.5435/00124635-200711000-00006
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