Is symptomatology useful in distinguishing between carpal tunnel syndrome and cervical spondylosis?

Hand paraesthesia is a common symptom found in patients either with carpal tunnel syndrome or cervical spondylosis. To differentiate between the two conditions, it is important to identify additional diagnostic symptoms. Ninety-two patients with operated carpal tunnel syndrome and 138 patients with spinal surgery for cervical spondylosis were reviewed. After exclusion of cases co-morbid with both cervical spondylosis and carpal tunnel syndrome or other neurological disorders, 44 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and 41 patients with cervical spondylosis were compared. There were significant differences in the symptomatology between the two groups. In carpal tunnel syndrome, 84% had nocturnal paraesthesia, 82% hand paraesthesia were aggravated by hand activity, and hand pain occurred in 64%. The incidences were only 10%, 7% and 10%, respectively in cervical spondylosis. Neck pain was present in 76% of cervical spondylosis but only in 14% of carpal tunnel syndrome, and lower limb symptoms were present in 44% of cervical spondylosis and only 9% in carpal tunnel syndrome.