You’ve felt it before: the inexplicable tingling sensation that accompanies the dull pain from accidentally bumping an elbow. Orthopedic surgeon Norman K. Poppen, M.D., explains to surprised patients that this phenomenon, known commonly as hitting the “funny bone,” actually isn’t caused by any bone at all.
Norman K. Poppen MD Image Credit: agoramedia.com
There is a nerve known as the “ulnar nerve” which runs alongside the ulna bone— one of the two slim bones that connect the elbow to the wrist. Studies of the human anatomy have found that the ulnar nerve is the longest nerve in the entire human body that is naturally unprotected by either muscle or bone. As such, the body tends to feel impact or injury on this nerve more often and more intensely than on any other.
Norman K. Poppen MD Image Credit: orthoinfo.aaos.org
To help curious patients understand further, Norman K. Poppen, M.D., demonstrates that the ulnar nerve is directly connected from the elbow to the pinky, or little finger, and even connects to the ring finger. This explains why, although only the elbow has been struck, the tickling sensation we feel seems to run up our arms and all the way to our fingertips.
The “funny bone” reference is a pun based on the homophonic resemblance of the word “humorous” to the upper arm bone called the Humerus. It is the impact to the elbow joint connected to the Humerus bone that creates the prickly sensation most people would describe as unpleasant. Knowing this, perhaps the occurrence should be renamed, and be referred to bumping one’s “not-so-funny bone” instead.
Norman K. Poppen MD Image Credit: a.images.blip.tv
Read more about Norman K. Poppen, M.D., on this website.
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