Nerve Entrapment (ulnar nerve)

[Eurobuff]

Hello everyone

I’m hoping I can pick someone’s brains. I’ve been diabetic (type 2) since 2014. HBA1C been 41 , 40 for the last 2 years. For the last 18 months I have been suffering with numbness in my little finger an pain in my elbow (like hitting my funny bone) when opening doors, typing messages on my phone and just sometimes sitting watching tv. I have had 2 nerve conduction tests that seem to show that the nerve is ok (not damaged)??

My consultant said I have the option of surgery, but has no guarantee that it will fix it and could make it worse. He said when I am getting pain watching tv, that it didn’t sound like nerve entrapment but more likely my diabetes (he said something which I can’t remember but didn’t say neuropathy)? Anyone know what that might be?

He also said there was the option of tablets, gabapentin or pregabalin. I am already taking Nortriptyline for tmj pain (taken off Amitriptyline as I was getting heart palpitations)

Has anyone got any experience of gabapentin or pregabalin for nerve entrapment? I know I have took gabapentin previously for TMJ but it didn’t work for that, but I appreciate this is different?

Also has anyone had experience good or bad with surgery. The doctor said that surgery tends to be more difficult with diabetics as their nerves aren’t in as good a condition as a rule.

 

[Marie 2]

Diabetics can heal slower. Most of that is due to higher blood sugars though. I would hate having guessing surgery. Have you considered trying a good acupuncturist? Or even a chiropractor? I would look for an acupuncturist that is actually a doctor and has experience, it does make a difference. Different chiropractors can vary a lot too. I've had tendonitis and a trigger finger fixed by my acupuncturist, I've had numbness in my little finger and numbness in my arm fixed by a neck adjustment by my chiropractor. I have a spine and a back specialist that have literally told me to use the chiro and acupuncturist if it helps. They can sometimes do wonders.

 

[Outlier]

I agree with every word of the above post. So much we can do that doesn't involve surgery, which IMO is a last resort.

 

[HSSS]

I have that and had the surgery too. Mine was constant numbness/slight pins and needles along with being highly sensitive to cold items touching it in my little finger and that side of my ringer finger. I had some muscle wastage in my thumb and the start of grip issues. Luckily in my non dominant hand.

It started years before type 2 diagnosis but apparently I was heading that way. Unfortunately due to where I was living at the time it was very difficult to follow up the problem and I ignored it for years. When I eventually addressed the problem my nerve conduction tests were also unable to pinpoint a location for the problem. The surgeon went ahead anyway and did a cubical tunnel nerve release at the elbow. I had surgery under a nerve block rather than general (at my request). It wasn’t too bad to recover from but it didnt improve things any. The surgeon said leaving the problem so long before the surgery made it significantly less likely to reverse existing damage. He also was adamant that it would have continued to deteriorate if I hadn’t done it and in the 5 yrs since it hasn’t changed or got worse. The only issue is that knocking that elbow is even more “funny” that the other. I guess the relocated nerve is even more exposed.

i coincidentally had nerves studies done on the other arm last year and the dr was curious to follow up the first and this time found some damage but was again unable to pinpoint where.

would I do it again? Maybe but I’d explore the options mentioned above first and I’d do something sooner rather than ignore it. Living with permanent mild pins and needles is annoying.

 

[HSSS]

A couple of points I’ve also thought of.

Taking pain relief might make it feel better but doesn’t necessarily address the problem that “might” be getting worse/more permanent as it was in my case. Personally I’d try and identify the actual cause and address it rather than assume it’s hopeless and only manage the pain if possible.

Whilst some diabetics will have nerves in poor condition you might or might not be one of those. Sweeping assumptions might be useful on a population basis but says little about you as an individual, especially if you‘ve always had good control.

 

[Eurobuff]

A couple of points I’ve also thought of.

Taking pain relief might make it feel better but doesn’t necessarily address the problem that “might” be getting worse/more permanent as it was in my case. Personally I’d try and identify the actual cause and address it rather than assume it’s hopeless and only manage the pain if possible.

Whilst some diabetics will have nerves in poor condition you might or might not be one of those. Sweeping assumptions might be useful on a population basis but says little about you as an individual, especially if you‘ve always had good control.

I must admit I’m not a fan of the tablets idea. Thinking back to the conversation it seemed as if the doctor wasn’t keen on doing the operation. I’ve tried all the exercises they gave me, none of which has done any good at all. Right now it feels as if someone has got hold of the end of my little finger and squashing it. I’ve got a TENS machine, which I’ve also tried and not helped. I’ve tried wearing a brace at night on my elbow so I can’t bend it while sleeping. They did give me a wrist brace at the start. The doctor said it’s definitely not carpal tunnel syndrome (so the wrist brace shouldn’t help) but at times that has actually helped the numbness in my finger. The elbow brace hasn’t really helped either. Sometimes I feel as if someone is pressing on a bruise above my elbow (at the back).

I’ve had no personal experience of acupuncture or a using a chiropractor. My brother used a chiropractor once when he was having a trouble with his knee and ended up going into a seizure and was taken into hospital. So I am a bit wary of chiropractors going from that.

 

[Eurobuff]

A couple of points I’ve also thought of.

Taking pain relief might make it feel better but doesn’t necessarily address the problem that “might” be getting worse/more permanent as it was in my case. Personally I’d try and identify the actual cause and address it rather than assume it’s hopeless and only manage the pain if possible.

Whilst some diabetics will have nerves in poor condition you might or might not be one of those. Sweeping assumptions might be useful on a population basis but says little about you as an individual, especially if you‘ve always had good control.

I must admit I’m not a fan of the tablets idea. Thinking back to the conversation it seemed as if the doctor wasn’t keen on doing the operation. I’ve tried all the exercises they gave me, none of which has done any good at all. Right now it feels as if someone has got hold of the end of my little finger and squashing it. I’ve got a TENS machine, which I’ve also tried and not helped. I’ve tried wearing a brace at night on my elbow so I can’t bend it while sleeping. They did give me a wrist brace at the start. The doctor said it’s definitely not carpal tunnel syndrome (so the wrist brace shouldn’t help) but at times that has actually helped the numbness in my finger. The elbow brace hasn’t really helped either. Sometimes I feel as if someone is pressing on a bruise above my elbow (at the back).

I’ve had no personal experience of acupuncture or a using a chiropractor. My brother used a chiropractor once when he was having a trouble with his knee and ended up going into a seizure and was taken into hospital. So I am a bit wary of chiropractors going from that.

 

[TriciaWs]

I've had this for years on and off - possibly caused by my habit of leaning on my left elbow while using a mouse in the right hand at work for years.
My previous GP wrongly diagnosed it as carpel tunnel even through the symptoms are different and offered me a steroid injection in my wrist.
I mentioned it to my neurologist this year (I see him for another issue) and he said he didn't think surgery was the best option as it doesn't often help.
When it gets worse I try to remember to hang my arm down instead of resting the elbow on anything, and to keep that arm straight in bed - this helps a little.
I'm on pregabalin for rest legs syndrome/fibromyalgia and haven't noticed it helps me with the elbow pain or tingling in my little and ring fingers but if offered originally for this (cubital tunnel syndrome) I might have tried it.