Why is your funny bone called your funny bone?
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QUESTION: Why is your funny bone called your funny bone?
ANSWER: When you accidentally bump the inside of your elbow in just the right way, your arm gets a tingly, prickly feeling, which soon goes away. The term “funny bone” refers to this feeling, and was coined in part because of the involvement of your long arm bone, called the “humerus.” In truth, however, bones themselves don’t contain nerves capable of feeling sensations, so the humerus bone, by itself, is not the source of the tingly feeling you get.
Rather, there’s a nerve, called the ulnar nerve, which bumps up against the humerus and causes the feeling. This nerve starts at your elbow and goes all the way up your arm, to your shoulder. That’s why, when you bump your so-called funny bone (which actually isn’t a bone at all, but a nerve, as explained above), the feeling can shoot up and down your arm.
This column does not establish a provider/patient relationship and is for general informational purposes only. This column is not a substitute for consulting with a physician or other health care provider.
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