Funny Bone: Why Does Hitting this Little Region of the Elbow Hurt So Much?

The funny bone could be located in the elbow, but its name does not really describe what it is because it is neither funny nor a bone. Even the slightest bump to this small region of the elbow can send pain ripping up and down the arm.

So, where does this name come from? But more importantly, why does hitting the funny bone cause so much discomfort? The answer to that is pretty simple. It is because the funny bone is a nerve and not a bone.

What is a Funny Bone and Why Does it Hurt when Hit?

According to the health website Mental Floss, the funny bone is a nerve called the ulnar nerve. It runs from the neck to the hand where it innervates several hand and forearms muscles. The nerve ends in two branches that innervate the pinkie and half of the ring finger.

The ulnar nerve is mostly protected like the rest of the nerves found in the body by bones, muscles, and ligaments. However, it is only protected with skin and fat as it passes the elbow and runs a channel called a cubital tunnel.

Due to lesser protection, the ulnar nerve is more vulnerable to bumps. So when the elbow is hit, the nerve is also hit against the bone and is compressed by it in what is called the ulnar entrapment. This resulted in the exhilarating numbness, tingling, and pain that shoots to areas where the nerve works, from the forearm to the hand, and the ruing and pinky fingers.

Why is it Called a Funny Bone?

Since the ulnar nerve is neither funny nor a bone, why is it called a funny bone? Surely it was not because it makes people laugh when it gets hit because it does the opposite, which makes people mad and cry at times.

According to Live Science, there are two possible explanations for this naming game. One explanation says that the name is an anatomical pun because the nerve runs along the humerus, the long bone that extends from the shoulder to the elbow, which sounds like "humorous."

On the other hand, a lesser humorous theory says the ulnar nerve got its nickname because of the funny or odd feeling that a person may experience after hitting the nerve. Some say that this funny experience was described by people who have a high pain tolerance.

The science website says that humans are not the only animal with this configuration because some mammals also do. Although they do not experience the same problem as humans do when it is hit.

These mammals have more muscle mass that protects this sensitive nerve, which is adapted to the different ways to how animals move. The muscles or padding serves as an additional level of protection against accidentally hitting the nerve.

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