funny bone

Why do they call it your funny bone if it hurts so badly?

The funny bone refers to the site where the ulnar nerve crosses the elbow. The name apparently came from a pun in the 1800's. It’s a play on the word “humorous” and the upper arm bone, the humerus. Try to contain your laughter!

The pain occurs when you bang the ulnar nerve against the bony prominence of the humerus, the medial condyle. There are some severe problems that can come from injuring this vulnerable nerve, including cubital tunnel syndrome, a condition also known as ulnar nerve entrapment neuropathy at the elbow. This is the second most common condition where a peripheral nerve gets compressed. The most common is carpal tunnel syndrome.

It typically causes numbness in the ring and littlefingers of the hand, elbow pain, and hand weakness. The symptoms are worsened by any activity that involves repeated flexing of the elbow.

Three times more common in men than women, it sometimes requires a surgical decompression to take pressure off the nerve. However, these conditions respond extremely well to Chiropractic, so why not try this approach first before surgery?.