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A 55-Year-Old Woman with Little Finger Numbness and Pain for 6 Months

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Practical Chronic Pain Management
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Abstract

Ulnar neuropathy is the second most common entrapment neuropathy. The nerve dysfunction has been known as a source of discomfort for over two centuries. The nerve has long tortuous course and can be compressed at multiple spots from the arm all the way to the hand. The three main mechanisms of physical damage to the nerves are compression, stretching, and traction. The nerve dysfunction is quite often related to repeated physical activity endured at work or playing professional sports. Clinical features can range from mild intermittent symptoms of pain to severe persistent pain or muscle atrophy. Diagnostic workup includes physical examination, electromyography, and/or imaging technique to evaluate and confirm presence of entrapment. Treatment ranges from conservative management with splinting of the elbow or wrist to surgical decompression of the nerve at the site of compression. The evidence is limited for any injection therapy. Surgical decompression offers the best long-term solution for this condition.

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Correspondence to Tariq Malik .

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Malik, T. (2020). A 55-Year-Old Woman with Little Finger Numbness and Pain for 6 Months. In: Malik, T. (eds) Practical Chronic Pain Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46675-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46675-6_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-46674-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-46675-6

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