Now, this is some serous medical humor. The “funny bone” refers to the superficial site where the ulnar nerve crosses the elbow. The name funny bone apparently came from a pun in the 1800s. It’s a play on the word humorous and the upper arm bone, the humerus.
Try and contain your laughter.
The pain that you get from banging the funny bone occurs when you bang the nerve against the bony prominence of the humerus, the medial condyle. A simple bang of the elbow is painful, but there are some severe problems that can come from injuring this vulnerable nerve. Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition that is 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.
Ulnar nerve entrapment neuropathy at the elbow typically has an insidious onset – the cubital tunnel syndrome causes numbness in the ring and small fingers of the hand, elbow pain, and hand weakness. The symptoms are worsened by any activity that involves repeated flexing of the elbow. It is three times more common in men than women. Sometimes it even requires a surgical decompression to take pressure off the nerve.
Not so funny.
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"Why do they call it your funny bone if it hurts so bad?" was posted on Sunday, June 8th, 2008 at 11:45 am.