[Rocksteady]

On Tuesday I smashed my elbow at the climbing wall by bringing it down onto a stupid jug hold. Struck it exactly between my main elbow bone and my 'funny bone'. Google tells me this is my 'ulnar nerve'.

This is not the first time I've done this - I remember falling and doing exactly the same thing at an indoor wall a few years ago.

Anyway, my hand went tingly and numb in my little and ring fingers, but after a few minutes my fingers all worked properly and I was able to continue my session albeit taking it very easy. But two days later my ring and little fingers are still tingling and I have altered sensation in my palm. I've iced my elbow a couple of times. I still have full mobility etc.

How serious is this likely to be - the way I see it is I've got a bruise/swelling and this is pressing on the nerve - when the swelling goes down I'll be fine? Or should I go to the Dr asap as I may have injured the nerve itself?

Oh yeah, I'm going to Costa Blanca for a climbing trip on Saturday. Of course, I'm inclined to go on holiday, see if the problem gets better, if not go to the doctor when I get back.

Or could this be quite serious and I should see the doctor asap (which will probably involve going to hospital as I can't see myself being able to see my GP in the meantime with the usual waiting times)?

Any advice by people who have experienced similar / have the medical knowledge would be much appreciated...

Thanks

[Fultonius]

I whacked my elbow a couple of years ago before going to Font.

I didn't hit the nerve though, so not very comprable. I'd have thought that it should be ok once the nerve swelling goes down, but I'm sure a doctow will be along in a minute to offer more qualified advice. I trapped a nerve in my neck once (trying 1-arm lock-offs) 2 week before a trip to nroway. For the whole trip the muscles in my rotator cuff wouldn't work and my shoulder kept subluxing. Once it did it 4 times in one redpoint!

Oh, yeah, the font elbow - the whole area up[ and down fromt he elbow swole up so badly that if I i pressed my finger into the flesh, the dent stayed for about 5 minutes!!! By day four it was agony, with about 50 degress of flexion. I finally went to the hospital when I spent a night hallucinating!  They took blood tests, x-rays ( ) and rammed my on 3g/day of amoxycillin as I apparently I had septic olecranon bursists!

Still, I managed to tick Helicoptere and nearly got Onde De Choc (must go back for that one). So glad I finally held the swing on that highball, spinning, leg breaking bitch!  It really was a multi-year seige with over 50 falls from from the top storey and with my dodgey knee I doubt I'd ever try it again...

I'd say go, but be careful!
 

[GCW]

It's quite common for it to take a while to settle, nerves can take weeks after a neuropraxia.  To be honest, there's fuck all you can do about it anyway other than give it time.

[Rocksteady]

Thanks guys, I'm going to opt for the keep climbing, wait and see if it gets better tactic. 

[Stabbsy]

No medical knowledge, but I did exactly the same on a route in the Costa Blanca some years ago. It took about two weeks to get the feeling back in the ring and little finger - the other two came back much quicker. I didn't stop climbing and had no ill effects, although it did feel strange climbing on small holds - you couldn't tell if you were holding on or not.