Types and Stages of Vibration White Finger

The Different Types And Stages Of Vibration White Finger

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The main features of Vibration White Finger present themselves in two ways; neurological and vascular.

Neurological features are responsible for the subjective numbness, tingling and pain that sufferers experience. This includes the lack of sensitivity felt by some sufferers particularly when it comes to fine touch discrimination and awareness of temperature. In addition to this is the reduction in manual dexterity, muscle weakness and a reduced strength of grip.

The Vascular features are displayed in the blanching of the fingers. This happens frequently when exposed to cold temperatures and often takes a long time for colour and sensation to return. Patients often report white fingers after performing activities outside in the cold, or even in the morning after activity.

In order to measure the level of symptoms and the affect the condition has on a sufferer, doctors will often use a scale called the Stockholm Scale. This looks at the differing levels of neurological and vascular symptoms as follows:

Neurological:

• 0SN – someone who has been exposed to vibration but shows no symptoms
• 1SN – someone who suffers with intermittent numbness and or tingling
• 2SN – either intermittent or continuous numbness and a loss of feeling of touch
• 3SN – intermittent or continuous numbness / tingling with a loss of discrimination by touch and reduced manual dexterity.

Vascular:

• Stage 1 – mild; occasional attacks affecting the tips of one or more fingers
• Stage 2 – moderate; occasional attacks affecting the tips and middle sections of one or more fingers
• Stage 3 – severe: frequent attacks affecting all parts of most fingers
• Stage 4 – very severe; similar to Stage 3 but also including serious, long-term damage to the fingers and fingertips.

In its early form, Vibration White Finger can be painful and annoying but the progression of symptoms can be halted, or even reversed by reducing the activity that causes the issue. However once the symptoms progress, they can have a real impact on quality of life including frequent pain, difficulty with daily tasks, anxiety and even depression. In severe cases these symptoms will often continue even after all work with vibration equipment is ceased.

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