re: Pain in elbow where forearm meets at the top and numb hands and arms when I wake up.

Swollen bursa sack. Hurts for months. Took Payton Manning down one off season.

Depending on where the nerve is pinched, it could be solved by adjustments from a chiropractor. I use to have numbness and pain in most of my toes and up my left thumb. Surgery alleviated my left thumb, chiropractor fixed my toes. Right thumb can go up anyone’s arse who disagrees.

Ulnar (sp?) nerve maybe.

Originates around your elbow and causes numbness (like when you foot goes to sleep) as you describe.

See a doc and update OP if possible after

Make sure you read TigerAddict's comment and link. If the numbness is in your pinky and ring finger, it's probably ulnar compression. Sleeping with your hands behind your head can increase compression on that nerve by near 50% with no other complications. If you go to the doctor with that, they'll probably proscribe something like gabapentin, but that doesn't address what causes the compression.

The ulnar nerve runs through the pinkie side of your elbow. If the numbness is in your other fingers, it's probably the nerve on the other side of the elbow. This isn't a big deal.

Fix your sleep style, and potentially mattress. Behind the neck dumbbell presses are not great for the nerves in your elbow (which lead to your hand) either.

I’d get it checked out but I have very similar problems and apparently it is carpel tunnel. The days I’m more active at work it is the worse. After the weekend it typically is almost gone. But my hands stay numb and I have a hollow pain in my elbows. I haven’t had surgery yet but I know of others who have successfully. I was told they would do one side at a time so I could use the other arm while one heals. 4-8 weeks each arm. M

I had an ulnar nerve issue. Had surgery and was good as new in no time. The numbness and pain is gone. Nerve pain is very uncomfortable.