Pronator Syndrome

The patient reports numbness in the median distribution of her hand.  How can you  differentiate carpal tunnel syndrome from pronator syndrome?

In pronator syndrome, the patient will typically complain of a aching forearm pain, they typically will not have night symptoms, and they will also have sensory symptoms over the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve.  If pronator syndrome is on your differential, remember to perform resisted pronation with the arm in extension.