I finally found this thread. 👍
Essentially, I dealt with very similar issues starting around June or July of 2015.
It started with my 4th and 5th fingers on my left hand—just tingling at first. I assumed it was a cervical spine issue, so I tried some alternative therapies, like nerve decompression techniques. They didn't help, and the practitioner eventually told me I needed to see a doctor. By August, I noticed the muscle between my thumb and index finger had completely wasted away. I could barely spread my fingers apart.
After my primary care physician suggested it might be the ulnar nerve, I went in for an evaluation and an EMNG in October. However, they didn't have needle testing available at that facility; they only performed surface studies. Naturally, they failed to pinpoint exactly where the nerve damage was located.
Then came the long wait for a physiatrist, which lasted until January. She recommended physical therapy, an ultrasound, and another EMNG (which finally happened in April). The ultrasound showed absolutely nothing. Physical therapy—which I’ve done ten times now—helped slightly with my grip strength, but it hasn't solved the underlying problem.
The second EMNG, this time using needles, confirmed the damage is located near the elbow, likely due to cubital tunnel syndrome. I just had an X-ray done and am waiting for those results, but without an MRI, we can't be certain of the cause—whether it was a trauma, inflammation, bone spurs, or something else entirely. The wait time for an MRI through my insurance is nearly a year, so I will probably just pay for it privately. They aren't recommending surgery yet because they want me to exhaust all physical therapy options first. Since we finally have a localized diagnosis, we've moved past the initial general exercises to more specific movements tailored to the site of the injury.
In short, it took our "top-tier" medical professionals eight months to diagnose cubital tunnel syndrome. During that entire window, nobody bothered to tell me what activities I should avoid regarding my hand, elbow, or shoulder. If this nerve damage ends up being permanent, I feel like I'll have no one to blame but myself. 🙂
Now, I am seriously considering going straight to surgery. From what I've read online, the procedure is relatively straightforward—either a decompression or a nerve transposition. If the damage isn't irreversible, it could mean the end of these issues for good. If the damage *is* permanent, I think I'll be looking for someone to hold accountable. At the very least, I'd consider legal action against the hospital that lacked the proper equipment to perform a basic needle test, forcing me to wait six months for a follow-up.
/rant
Essentially, I dealt with very similar issues starting around June or July of 2015.
It started with my 4th and 5th fingers on my left hand—just tingling at first. I assumed it was a cervical spine issue, so I tried some alternative therapies, like nerve decompression techniques. They didn't help, and the practitioner eventually told me I needed to see a doctor. By August, I noticed the muscle between my thumb and index finger had completely wasted away. I could barely spread my fingers apart.
After my primary care physician suggested it might be the ulnar nerve, I went in for an evaluation and an EMNG in October. However, they didn't have needle testing available at that facility; they only performed surface studies. Naturally, they failed to pinpoint exactly where the nerve damage was located.
Then came the long wait for a physiatrist, which lasted until January. She recommended physical therapy, an ultrasound, and another EMNG (which finally happened in April). The ultrasound showed absolutely nothing. Physical therapy—which I’ve done ten times now—helped slightly with my grip strength, but it hasn't solved the underlying problem.
The second EMNG, this time using needles, confirmed the damage is located near the elbow, likely due to cubital tunnel syndrome. I just had an X-ray done and am waiting for those results, but without an MRI, we can't be certain of the cause—whether it was a trauma, inflammation, bone spurs, or something else entirely. The wait time for an MRI through my insurance is nearly a year, so I will probably just pay for it privately. They aren't recommending surgery yet because they want me to exhaust all physical therapy options first. Since we finally have a localized diagnosis, we've moved past the initial general exercises to more specific movements tailored to the site of the injury.
In short, it took our "top-tier" medical professionals eight months to diagnose cubital tunnel syndrome. During that entire window, nobody bothered to tell me what activities I should avoid regarding my hand, elbow, or shoulder. If this nerve damage ends up being permanent, I feel like I'll have no one to blame but myself. 🙂
Now, I am seriously considering going straight to surgery. From what I've read online, the procedure is relatively straightforward—either a decompression or a nerve transposition. If the damage isn't irreversible, it could mean the end of these issues for good. If the damage *is* permanent, I think I'll be looking for someone to hold accountable. At the very least, I'd consider legal action against the hospital that lacked the proper equipment to perform a basic needle test, forcing me to wait six months for a follow-up.
/rant