What is the funny bone and does it actually exist?
Ever heard about the funny bone? Where is it located in your body, and how does it feel when knocked? Lots of myths surround the funny bone, and here, we demystify some of the things you ought to know about it.
Source: UGC
Pinching or bumping the back part of your elbow onto an object causes a mixed feeling of pain, numbness, and amusement. That is the section of your arm where the funny bone is located, but it is not a bone as a majority of people think.
What is the funny bone?
The funny bone real name is the ulnar nerve. The nerve originates from the back of the neck and extends to the hand.
Along the stretch of your shoulder to your arm, the nerve is protected by muscles or ligaments, but as it passes through the elbow, the protection is reduced to the skin and fat only, making it more susceptible to knocks or injuries. Some people also refer to it as a crazy bone.
Why is it called the funny bone?
The origin of the phrase funny bone is a bit contentious and debatable. Apparently, there are two sides to the story.
One side claims that the ulnar nerve runs alongside a bone called the humerus. The humerus has a similar pronunciation to the word 'humorous', which means hilarious and hence the name funny bone.
On the other side, the funny bone name is said to have come from the amusement sensation one gets after knocking the back part of the elbow.
Where is the funny bone?
The elbow is made up of the humerus, the ulna, and the radius. The ulnar nerve stretches along the humerus into a groove on the inner part as it goes around the elbow.
At the elbow, the ulnar nerve is near the skin, and therefore, any slight knock on the region presses the nerve onto the hard surface causing a mixed sensation of pain, numbness, and tingling.
Source: UGC
What is its function?
It transmits information from the brain to your pinky and ring fingers. Furthermore, it also controls and coordinates the movement of the hand.
Is there a funny bone in your knee?
Indeed there are a lot of similarities in the anatomy of the arm and leg. However, the crazy bone only exists in the arms and not the legs.
Funny bone pain
Nerves have highly sensitive cells called neurons, and their function is to convey signals to different parts of the body. Just like other nerves of the body, the ulnar nerve is sensitive to touch or any other irritation at the elbow point. It runs all the way to the small and ring fingers which form the ulnar nerve distribution.
Source: UGC
What happens when you hit your funny bone? When you hit the back of your elbow, you will feel the pain at the small and ring fingers where the nerve extends.
Other things that might cause the numbness of fingers include: stroke, side effects of some medications, fractures of the wrist or hand, and vasculitis.
How do you get rid of funny bone pain?
Usually, an elbow nerve pain should disappear within a short time. One common way of dealing with such pain is gently rubbing the elbow region, or you can shake your forearm until the pain eases away.
Another way of relieving crazy bone pain would involve stretching your arms so that the elbow is straightened and thus, relaxing the nerve.
If the injury causes inflammation, then you should take anti-inflammatory drugs or place ice on your elbow.
Some crazy bone injuries might be severe to the extent that they cause cubital tunnel syndrome. This condition is caused when the ulnar nerve is blocked along the elbow, especially when one folds the arm during sleep.
The symptoms of this condition include weakness of muscles in the forearm and curling of the small and ring fingers. The condition can be fixed using elbow splinting, hand therapy, or adjusting postures. Extreme cases of cubital tunnel syndrome necessitate the ulnar nerve release treatment surgery.
How long does it take for ulnar nerve to heal?
Recovery from the ulnar nerve elbow injury depends on whether it is a mild or severe injury. For mild cases, the pain goes away after a short period. However, you might require several weeks or months to recover if you undergo surgery.
In reality, the funny bone is the ulnar nerve, and it does not have anything to do with humor, especially when it is hit. Interestingly, injuries to this body part do not necessarily require complex medical procedures because simple actions such as stretching your arm can relieve the pain.
Source: Legit.ng
