Elbow/Ulnar nerve pain?

[jerp]

Just thought I'd see if any of you have dealt with this. What's been a slight problem for a year or so, has in the last week gotten much more severe. Any contact with the tip of my elbow - like resting it on a desk - causes a very sharp shooting pain. I have complete range of motion with no pain and no swelling, but even a light touch on the point of my elbow. YOWZA, THAT HURTS! Even the pressure from bending my arm in a tight-fitting coat sleeve sets it off. I thought it might be a bone spur or something but after quizzing Drs. Google, Bing and Yahoo it sounds like it may be an inflammation of the ulnar nerve which crosses over the bone just under the skin on the elbow. (symptoms match up perfectly) Apparently in more severe cases use of the hand is compromised. It also sounds like the condition is fairly common - any of you folks had this problem?

[Ouch]

I've dealt with it on and off for 6 or 7 years. A physical therapist told me to get one of those little-squeezy-grip-strengthener-thing-a-dos. I spend around 8 or so hoursa a week in the truck, so I just switch it from from one hand to the other for short spells, doing reps of 10 or so. It's amazing how much it's helped. No more pain of any kind in either elbow. Plus, my friggin' forearms are RIPPED.

[TX Doc]

You could be getting inflammation or entrapment of the nerve at the elbow. You could also be having olecrenon bursitis with the pain you are describing. If it is bursitis it can sometimes be injected with steroids. With either diagnosis a course of oral steroids will help with the inflammation, and we will usually put you on some anti-inflammatory pain meds. I'd suggest going to your doctor to get it checked out. In the meantime you can use some over the counter Ibuprofen or Naproxen. The Ibuprofen will be 200mg tablets, if you take 3 every 6 hours or 4 every 8 hours as needed for pain it will be the same as the prescription strength. The Naproxen you can take 1 or 2 every 12 hours.

[jerp]

Wow, a response from an actual physician! Thanks Doc! BTW, is icing it a couple times a day likely to help at all?

So OUCH, that's alot of grip squeezin' - you changing your handle to "Popeye"?

[glen]

I had the same type problem and went to an
Arrosti Dr and within a month I'm much better