Radial tunnel syndrome is a rare, painful condition that occurs when tightness and swelling in the radial tunnel puts too much pressure on your radial nerve. It’s important to rest your arm and seek treatment from a healthcare provider, as the pinched nerve won’t heal on its own. Treatment is usually nonsurgical.
Radial tunnel syndrome is a condition that occurs when your radial nerve — one of the nerves that run through your arm — is pinched or compressed. When your radial nerve reaches your elbow and forearm, it passes through an area called the radial tunnel, which is a collection of muscles and tendons. Tightness and swelling in the radial tunnel can put pressure on your radial nerve, leading to a nagging pain and weakness in your arm.
Radial tunnel syndrome creates an annoying ache in your arm that you just want to shake away. Fortunately, rest and nonsurgical methods are usually successful at treating the pinched nerve and relieving your pain.
If you have pain in your elbow and forearm, see your healthcare provider for treatment recommendations.
You’ll likely feel pain and tenderness in the area on the outside of your elbow, stretching down to your forearm. The pain is a nagging ache that can stick with you and cause fatigue. Certain activities can make radial tunnel syndrome symptoms worse, including:
Over time, radial tunnel syndrome can weaken your forearm muscles and your overall wrist strength, making it increasingly difficult to grip or lift certain things. The pain may also get worse while you’re sleeping. Sometimes, radial tunnel syndrome can cause wrist drop, meaning you lose the ability to lift your hand past a certain point.
Tennis elbow is a condition that has a lot of similar symptoms, so it’s important to be specific when talking with your healthcare provider about your symptoms.
When your radial nerve goes through the radial tunnel below your elbow, it travels between different muscle bellies and under fascial bands. (Fascial bands are tissue fibers that enclose, separate or bind together muscles, organs and other soft structures in your body.) When inflammation affects the radial tunnel and all the structures inside, it puts too much pressure on your radial nerve, leading to the condition. There are many activities that can lead to the inflammation that causes radial tunnel syndrome, including:
Radial tunnel syndrome is most common in people between the ages of 30 and 50. Women are also much more likely to develop this condition than men. There are also certain factors that may put you at a greater risk of developing radial tunnel syndrome, including:
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