What's Sooooo Funny?

Why is it called a “funny bone” when it’s not a bone and isn’t funny when you hit it? 

Funny Bone

You know the sensation; you hit your elbow on a hard surface and you feel shooting pains or a “tingling” sensation down the length of your arm to your fingers. What causes that?

The humerous is the upper arm bone that connects your shoulder to your elbow. At the elbow, it joins with the two more bones, the radius and the ulna. The ulnar nerve lies in a ridge along the ulna bone. It controls the movement in your wrist, ring finger and pinky.

Since there is very little muscle around the elbow, the ulnar nerve is close to the surface of the skin. So, when you hit your “funny bone” you are actually hitting the ulnar nerve, which sends a pins and needles sensation from your elbow, down your forearm, and into your wrist and fingers. Which is rarely funny!

 Dr. John Asks some important questions of interest to East Aurora residents - Chiropractor East Aurora Dr. John Asks...

Do chiropractors prescribe medications for the pain?
No. Chiropractic is a drug-free approach to better health. Instead, we rely on natural methods. We can show you how to use ice to control pain. When properly applied, ice can have an analgesic effect without the unwanted and sometimes dangerous effects of pain medications.
What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.