Funny bone why does it hurt

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. Subscribe to our Newsletter! Your nerves help send messages from different parts of your body to the brain. Just as bones have different names, so do nerves. Most nerves in the body usually have some kind of protection. Often they are cushioned by muscle or bone. 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. While the pain typically subsides after a few minutes, it is enough to make a person contemplate wearing elbow guards at all times.

So, if it's a nerve, why is it called the funny bone? The most reasonable explanation lies in the arm's anatomy. Remember: The large bone that extends from the shoulder to the elbow is called the humerus.

Get it? If it's a joke, it is a bad one. The second explanation lacks humor.