Travis Barker has revealed he underwent nerve surgery in Los Angeles after weeks of numbness in his arm, hand and fingers raised concerns about his ability to keep drumming.

The 50-year-old said on Instagram Stories on Wednesday that he had a cubital tunnel release in Los Angeles. He said his 'arm, hand and fingers have been numb since a show I played last month'.

Barker said he 'wanted to get ahead of it and get it over with' so that he could 'keep playing the way I play for a long long time'. He added that he expected to be back to normal in a few weeks.

He began posting photographs from a hospital bed on Tuesday, wearing a surgical gown and cap, with his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, 47, and his daughter Alabama Barker, 20, at his side. He did not explain at the time why he was in hospital, prompting speculation online.

Barker kept the tone light. Sharing a bedside picture taken by Kardashian, who is smiling beside him, he wrote: 'Not sure why my wife looks so happy about this.' A second image, showing her kissing him, was captioned: 'My beautiful wife by my side.'

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What the Nerve Surgery Involves for Travis Barker

Cubital tunnel release is an operation used to treat cubital tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the ulnar nerve is compressed or irritated at the elbow. The nerve is often called the 'funny bone' nerve.

According to East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, the condition can cause numbness or pins and needles, particularly in the little and ring fingers. It can also lead to weakness in the hand and reduced grip strength and, in severe cases, muscle wasting.

Persistent numbness can affect hand function, making treatment important for someone who relies heavily on his hands for performance.

Barker did not say which show preceded the symptoms. He said he underwent the surgery on Tuesday. It is not clear whether the surgery will affect any Blink-182 commitments.

Travis Barker's History of Injury and Health Scares

It is not the first time Barker's hands have needed surgery. In early 2023, he said he had dislocated a finger and torn ligaments during Blink-182 rehearsals.

He later said he had undergone surgery to repair the ligament, calling it a 'hard decision'. He said it was 'inevitable that my finger would have dislocated again without fixing the torn ligament surgically'.

His health problems stretch back further. Barker survived a plane crash in 2008 that killed four of the six people on board. He suffered third-degree burns over 65 per cent of his body and underwent 26 operations.

In June 2018, Blink-182 postponed their Las Vegas residency after Barker developed blood clots in both arms. He said at the time that he was taking blood thinners while the clots cleared.

Barker has not said when he expects to return to the stage, and has given no further details about how his latest operation might affect future touring plans.

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