shattered olecranon 1 year ago, now arm tingles and is weak. What could be wrong?

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I fell skating and landed on my elbow 1 year ago and shattered the olecranon. I had surgery with a plate and screws. I was able to go to phys therapy 4 of the 6 weeks I was allowed, but life happened. I never regained my ability to use this as a weight bearing limb. I did not have trouble with moving it though. At least, not as much as I do now. 

A month or two ago my arm started feeling "heavy" and it began hurting on occassion where it was broken. There is occassional tingling that travels sometimes from elbow to thumb and forefinger and sometimes from shoulder to thumb and forefinger. If I sleep with it bent the other side of my fingers go numb, but if I sleep with it straight the joint locks up. There is the pins and needles sensation off and on through out the day on the thumb side of my arm. It is very weak. I sometimes drop things that I am lifting because my arm just gives out and it is hard to lift. It doesn't quite feel like dead weight, but I feel it getting heavier, or weaker, each week. I sometimes find relief by using my good arm and holding this one up in a bent position. 

There are sometimes cold patches up and down the arm, they are cold but kind of feel like they are burning? My elbow is very tender, but I have a plate there so I don't know. Sometimes there is a sharp pain on the outside area of my upper arm, and sometimes I feel a sharp pain just below my collar bone on this arm as if a nerve might be pinched.

I've looked and researched, but I have no idea what is going on. I am going to go see my pcp in a few days and have him check it out. In the meantime, I was hoping someone might be able to give me a few ideas as to what is going on. 

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  • Posted

    Sounds like one nerves in your arms is compressed. I would see a neurologist before the damage (lack of arm/hand) use gets worse.

    They can do testing to check the impulses through the Nerves.

    Good luck

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