Cubital tunnel syndrome, which is sometimes called cell phone elbow, occurs when the ulnar nerve is obstructed during its path along the cubital tunnel; the outer edge of the elbow.
• Cubital tunnel syndrome, which is sometimes called cell phone elbow, occurs when the ulnar nerve is obstructed during its path along the cubital tunnel; the outer edge of the elbow. This compression of the nerve often leads to a tingling or ‘pins and needles’ sensation in the little and ring fingers. Most cases will be minor and tend to come and go with time. Common causes are sleeping with the arm folded up, so the hand is at the person’s neck and the elbow is sharply bent. These people frequently wake up with tingling in the fingers, because the nerve has been pinched or squeezed while asleep.
• Treatments of these types of causes are easy to remedy and can involve simply altering sleeping positions to avoid aggravating the elbow area. In more extreme cases however tingling is persistent.