Tingling in little finger and one next to it

@lotsofpain I've never heard of cubital tunnel pain. Did you mean carpal tunnel? You could try to change your sleeping position, but that's easier said than done. There is a splint you can get for carpal tunnel that works good.

No I had never heard of his either it's something to do with the ulnar nerve near the elbow

I just read through your history of posts, and the chronic pain you are experiencing. There is a situation in which the nerves in your body become hyper-reactive to many things - posture, inflammation, inactivity... After the docs rule out other causes like rheumatoid arthritis, nerve entrapment, and other correctable conditions, it may be time to learn to manage the pain by desensitizing, stretching, and other strategies.

I have osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, neither of which are life-threatening, but both are painful &I have had numerous ortho surgeries, including 5 hip replacements/revisions. All was complicated by inactivity during a long illness, and led me to being in chronic pain and hardly able to move.

Here in the US we have a specialty called "Pain Management" and the docs work with specially trained therapists to teach you to retrain body & mind.
My own doc uses a PT trained in traditional physical therapy and osteotherapy (interaction of bones, muscles, tendons and nerves) to design specific exercises which address each locus of pain. Since July, my spinal pain and rigidity have been reduced by 90% and we are now addressing many peripheral issues like the shoulders and smaller muscles in the neck.

Please note that while each exercise seems gentle, the regimen is rigorous and you must dedicate to doing it EVERY day to see progress and keep it. It is active therapy, versus hydrotherapy which is passive, so you are learning how to heal your own body. In addition, actions that exacerbate the pain must be corrected - proper posture, hand position at keyboard, getting up and moving every 1/2 hour or hour no matter how it feels...

If such a help is available to you, either through your doctors or therapist, it might be worth pursuing. I began via video appointment while Covid had things closed down, and now have continued in person.

Sue

@lotsofpain

In 2006 had left shoulder pain, and numbness and tingling in my little finger and ring finger. When I went to clip my fingernails I could not squeeze the clippers with my thumb and index finger. I had thought it was my shoulder causing these symptoms, but it was an entrapped ulnar nerve and cubital tunnel is another name for that. When the surgeon cleaned up my shoulder he also released the ulnar nerve. I still have to be careful not to lean that elbow upon something hard.. it will feel sore if I do. I have a pillow in my chair to rest my arm upon so my elbow will not be on a hard surface. I still have some numbness in the little finger, but I can use the fingernail clippers again.

Heat, resting your elbow on a soft surface, an elbow pad or brace, and maybe some arthritic cream may help. If you can take a nsaid like aspirin or Ibuprofen that might help also. Injection of a steroid might help too.

An article that might help: https://sportsmedicine.mayoclinic.org/condition/ulnar-nerve-cubital-tunnel/

ZeeGee

Thank you thats really helpful. O broke that arm as a kid and cannot fully straighten it. I am very immobile due to hip and back problems and when i lie down it tends to lean on that side even though its on the bed so i need to find a way to keep it straight which is hard. Ill try your suggestions

Thanks again

@lotsofpain

I am glad something I said was of value to you.

I can only lie on my right side and sorta halfway on my back with pillows. I understand how difficult it can be to find that sweet spot that one can sleep in without causing pain to some part of the body.

I am back to crocheting after right thumb surgery back in January and again in June. The pillow for my left elbow to rest on while crocheting is essential. Arthritis is taking over more than just my thumb, so easy does it. I am happy to do something again that relaxes my mind and soul. I so need it with all that has gone on this year in my life.

ZeeGee

My doctor says get the tingling in my fingers is to do with pressure on my ulnar nerve and I do find keeping the elbow straight help a bit but i also find raising right arm vertically above my head help which is of course very inconvenient but does that mean my shoulder is part of the problem

The most usual place of problem for the ulnar nerve is where it passes through the cubital tunnel at the outside of the elbow, that's why straightening it helps. A common therapy is to use a soft splint to keep the arm straight when you sleep, and to avoid leaning on the elbow or forearm at any time.
Sue

Until i get a splint how can I make sure my arm stays straight especially as I have a tendency to lean on that side when I am lying on the bed watching telly

Ooh - let's get creative - wrap the arm in a pillow, place a long wooden spoon on the outside, and wrap in a long bandage? No bandages - how about a dish towel, or strips of fabric cut from a t-shirt. Anything to gently keep it straight.
Let me know if you figure something out.
Sue