Funny bone why do they call it that

As the bundle of neurons travels down your arm, layers of bone and muscle offer protection as it sends and receives signals to and from the muscles of the forearm and the hand. The problem is that as the ulnar nerve passes the elbow it travels behind a knob of the humerus called the medial epicondyle and through a small, 4mm-long channel called the cubital tunnel, right next to the olecranon , the bony hook where the radius and ulna meet the humerus.

And in that spot, the nerve is sandwiched between the bone and the skin, without much in the way of padding or protection. And when that happens, you get that familiar sensation of hitting your funny bone; that odd mix of numbness and tingling.

But as bad as that sounds, for most people the funny feeling they get from striking the ulnar nerve is but a fleeting sensation. After you rub your elbow for a few minutes, the feeling usually passes. Imagine that as you went about your day you were followed around by someone constantly striking a small mallet into your elbow, hitting your funny bone over and over and over again, and that is what it feels like to have cubital tunnel syndrome.

Whether the ulnar nerve gets pinched for a long period of time or repeatedly rather than with a quick strike is the basic difference between hitting your funny bone and a diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome.

The syndrome can develop, for example, if the ulnar nerve snaps back and forth across the medial epicondyle a raised area of the humerus as your elbow is bent and straightened over and over again, or it can happen if you hold your elbow in a bent position for too long, such as when you sleep or hold a phone to your face for a long period of time. Most doctors would first opt for a non-surgical attempt to alleviate the problem before trying surgery. Muscle weakness in the forearm and hand can also set in, and the pinkie and ring finger can curl up in a position called the "ulnar claw.

BY Matt Soniak. What it is The funny bone is actually the ulnar nerve , a nerve that runs from the neck all the way to the hand, where it innervates several muscles in the hand and forearm and ends in two branches that innervate the pinkie and half of the ring finger.

Playing the name game There are two camps in the debate over how the ulnar nerve got be known as the funny bone. Things could be worse When you hit your funny bone, it seems like the worst thing in the world, but imagine experiencing chronic irritation there, like someone banging on your funny bone day and night. Big Questions The Body. Future Exhibits. Live Theater Shows. Press Room. Annual Report.

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