About Nerve Impingements
Nerve impingement simply means a nerve is getting compressed by a muscle, bone, or disc. Nerve impingement in the upper extremity can come from various anatomical places. It can also affect a multitude of nerves. The commonly affected nerves are the median nerve (carpal tunnel nerve), Radial nerve (tennis elbow nerve), and the ulnar nerve (nerve affected in Tommy John surgery). A clinician can tell which nerve is affected by knowing which fingers are getting numbness and tingling. We can also tell by the tract the pain radiates down the arm. This knowledge is crucial to doctors to treat the ailment effectively.