for me...ever hit your elbow so hard that your hand went numb for an extended period and then filled with blood (swollen and bruised) even though you did not touch your hand. The funny bone tendon/bone whatever (located right behind the elbow)....causing swelling, bruising and numbness over 12 inches down in the pinky side of the hand. What exactly did I damage? I have broken a bursa sac before, this is not that.

Jeez, that had to hurt!

My immediate suspicion was Ulnar Nerve when you said little finger, so I googled it up and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulnar_nerve

It is susceptible to injury right where it runs around the elbow, I have seen this before.

Internal bleeding too? I understand if it's none of my bbusiness, but I have to ask... how?

Sorry to hear this.
You are going to get this X-Rayed right?

causing swelling, bruising

I'm probably way off base here but could it be some sort of an infection - you say you did not hit it or anything Dow? I picked up one of those in Red Rocks couple years back from a scrape....whole elbow swelled up & stayed that way for days...was having almost-flu like symptoms as well. Like I said, probably way off here but...

John Duffield wrote:Sorry to hear this.
You are going to get this X-Rayed right?

John, dude...you know I can't see a doctor unless I am at deaths door....I am an American! I have yet to find a hospital or dr in this country willing to negotiate on a cash basis. $10K deductiable.

I think Kris might have it...but having problems finding symptoms or cases involving swelling, numbness and bruising. Main thing I want to know, is it going to affect forearm and/or finger strength...doing some hard and obscure routes this weekend. Feels weird when I try and grip. Pinky still partially numb 24hrs post trauma. I was mantling and stumbled catching myself just right on that unprotected nerve right behind the elbow. I am a little surprised it is still bothering me so much and real curious how that much bruising can show up that far from spot of trauma?

rpc wrote:

causing swelling, bruising

I'm probably way off base here but could it be some sort of an infection - you say you did not hit it or anything Dow? I picked up one of those in Red Rocks couple years back from a scrape....whole elbow swelled up & stayed that way for days...was having almost-flu like symptoms as well. Like I said, probably way off here but...

I definitly whacked it good Radek, it is the fact that the swelling, numbness and bruising showed up in the hand, not the elbow (which is what I hit)??? I think Kris has the right wiki page at least on the item hit.

sorry - misread your original post.

Dow Williams wrote:

rpc wrote:

causing swelling, bruising

I'm probably way off base here but could it be some sort of an infection - you say you did not hit it or anything Dow? I picked up one of those in Red Rocks couple years back from a scrape....whole elbow swelled up & stayed that way for days...was having almost-flu like symptoms as well. Like I said, probably way off here but...

I definitly whacked it good Radek, it is the fact that the swelling, numbness and bruising showed up in the hand, not the elbow (which is what I hit)??? I think Kris has the right wiki page at least on the item hit.

You BROKE something!

Whenever I have broken a bone....I get those deep purple, spreading bruises.... blood runs downhill.

Hope I am wrong.

rpc wrote:sorry - misread your original post.

for people with no patience (that would be me in spades), it recommends removing your arm from the elbow down....going to have to get me one of those cool climbing prosthetics (take my grade up a notch)...only guy I ever gave a free pass to for hitting on my wife was Aron Ralston at a party in Banff. Maybe I can write a book and become famous if I perform the surgery myself in the kitchen?

I agree with Guy. Something's busted. Nerve damage as well. Time to get an X-ray. The sooner the better.

The kind of publicity you'd get from self-amputation wouldn't be good. You'd think they'd play up how hard-core you are - but they won't. I'm sure you know that.

John Duffield wrote:I agree with Guy. Something's busted. Nerve damage as well. Time to get an X-ray. The sooner the better.

The kind of publicity you'd get from self-amputation wouldn't be good. You'd think they'd play up how hard-core you are - but they won't. I'm sure you know that.

Thanks for your thoughtful advice John. Of course I could walk into the Canmore hospital, unfortuantly already have a system card from previous visits, and pay for it directly as a world citizen.....and it be a reasonable cash exchange for services...vs the bogus crap down here in Utah.....I suppose Guy is right, weird that there is no brusing in between though...I have broken bones before...but the complete transference down into the hand leads me to believe some sort of tendon damage is what is causing the internal bleeding. They both, nerve or tendon, would heal themselves I assume. Guess I will find out what it cost me in strength on Sat. Hard to tell at the moment. Weird deal.

Guess I will find out what it cost me in strength on Sat.

going climbing with a busted extremity - NICE! (flashing you the crip sign for "RESPEKT!!")

Tendon damage? I don't know much about it, except for this...

My cycling buddy got "Popeye" arm. One end of the Bicep popped off and it curled up in his arm. Didn't go in for a week. They told him if he'd gone in right away, they could've sewed it back on. But now? He has to live with it. Funny thing is, he looks really strong. Thing sticks right up. But he isn't.

I know this isn't what you want to hear and I'm sorry for that. Of course I tend to be a baby Medically. Twice in Asian hospitals already this year.

John Duffield wrote:Tendon damage? I don't know much about it, except for this...

My cycling buddy got "Popeye" arm. One end of the Bicep popped off and it curled up in his arm. Didn't go in for a week. They told him if he'd gone in right away, they could've sewed it back on. But now? He has to live with it. Funny thing is, he looks really strong. Thing sticks right up. But he isn't.

I know this isn't what you want to hear and I'm sorry for that. Of course I tend to be a baby Medically. Twice in Asian hospitals already this year.

Dude, that is a sad story...NFL defensive linebackers and safties get torn bicep injuries from making tackles....man does that take a man down a notch or two from what I have witessed....no easy injury to overcome and of course they have the best of medicine and rehab...and John we know you are visiting Asian hospitals for the same reason Peter V, Jason W and I climb steep ice in the Canadian Rockies...for the chicks! Cheers

Are you taking any anti-platelet drug, like a baby aspirin a day?

I've gotten some massive bruising and swelling from just stretching too much (too fast), no break involved. My latest was 4 weeks ago with a grade 2 sprained ankle; most impressive was a hamstring sprain that left a swollen B&B patch of about 600 cm^2. The little blood vessels and lymph passages break and bleed into the skin. I've also had massive hematomas from impacts on the ulna, no broken bones.

RICE for the first 48 hours?