Cubital tunnel syndrome is a set of symptoms caused by abnormal pressure on the ulnar nerve. The nerve passes through the cubital tunnel on the inside of the elbow. Problems with this nerve can cause a weak hand grip and numbness in the ring and small finger.
Pressure on the ulnar nerve can cause problems in the hand and fingers.
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This problem is caused by pressure of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. The cause is not always known. In some people, it may be from:
Things that can raise the chance of this problem are:
Symptoms may happen all the time or only when the elbow is bent. They may be:
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. A diagnosis can usually be made based on your symptoms.
It may be confirmed with these tests:
This problem often goes away on its own. Activities that are causing the problem may need to be stopped. Other steps may be:
Some people may need surgery when other methods do not help. The goal of surgery is to ease compression and bring back nerve function and muscle strength. Choices are:
There are no guidelines to prevent this problem.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.org
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
http://www.ccohs.ca
When it Hurts to Move—Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://whenithurtstomove.org
Miller TT, Reinus WR. Nerve entrapment syndromes of the elbow, forearm, and wrist. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2010 Sep;195(3):585.
Osei DA, Groves AP, et al. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Incidence and Demographics in a National Administrative Database. Neurosurg. 2017; 80:417-420.
Trehan SK, Parziale JR. Cubital tunnel syndrome: Diagnosis and management. Med Health R I. 2012;95(11):349-352.
Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow (cubital tunnel syndrome). Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00069. Updated September 2015. Accessed December 3, 2019.
Ulnar nerve entrapment of elbow. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/ulnar-nerve-entrapment-of-elbow. Updated June 1, 2017. Accessed December 3, 2019.
Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT, GCS