I believe it's called Raynaud's.... can be
caused by vibrating tools... and cold.... my brother in-law has it... tips
turn white to blue in moderate temps. Mark K
Raynaud's is a condition in which the blood
supply to the extremities, usually the fingers and toes, but sometimes also
the ears and nose, is interrupted. During an attack they first become white
and dead looking then red and burning. There may be considerable pain,
numbness or tingling.
These symptoms are due to an intermittent
lack of blood in the affected parts when the arteries normally supplying them
spasmodically contract. An attack will often be triggered by touching cold
objects or exposure to cold of any kind. Emotions, such as anxiety, also play
a part, as can smoking. People who work with vibratory tools are prone to
Raynaud's and this appears to be permanent even when the work is stopped. This
condition is known as Vibration Induced White Finger and is recognized as an
industrial disease eligible for compensation.
The condition can range in severity from
minor discomfort to the onset of ulcers or even gangrene. The disease often
starts in the very young or during the early teens and progresses slowly over
a period of thirty years or more.
Primary Raynaud's occurs spontaneously,
without any underlying condition being present. It can be hereditary, in which
case it is usually fairly mild. Women are affected nine times more than men.
Secondary Raynaud's is less common and is
associated with underlying diseases such as Scleroderma, systemic lupus
erythematosus, Sjögrens syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. This is more
serious and early and accurate diagnosis is essential.
mldd
The
weather is just one of the reasons and the tools you use help to irritate the
problem if you have what i have it is called white fingers disease. You can
find this under a search engine on the web and if you smoke that also makes it
worse. There are quite a few of us that have this I have to just grin and bear
it myself or get out of this profession. NY
Glass Man
I have it. It is caused by a combination of
things in our industry. The first is Chemicals. The second is vibrating tools.
If you use a fien knife you will notice it real quick. Its a good tool but
vibrates your hands too much.
There is no cure, however you can help it a
lot by changing the triggers of your bodies response to cold. Dress in your
undies, sit in a cold room, and put your hands in a bucket of very hot water
for about 15 minutes each night.
Prevention so it won't get worse. Do not
under any circumstances let your fingers be in contact with volatile chemical.
This means adhesive remover, primers and activators. When you do handle them
be sure to use chemical resistant gloves not the cheep latex ones. The
chemical resistant ones are usually blue and say chemical resistant.
Limit your use of vibrating tools except in
situations where you really need it. Be sure to wear gloves. Hand cut outs are
faster anyway.
Keep your head, neck and the backs of your
hands warm. There are long-john tubes available that slip over your head and
around your neck. For hands use fingerless gloves made of polyethylene, or
gortex. Wear a White or Red stocking cap for your head.
It is very important that you keep
circulation in your fingers. Stop to warm up in your van. Another trick is to
quickly spin your arms around in big circles to get the blood back into your
fingers. Hope this helps! Dave
A friend of mine has that, and if you even
think there is small chance you could have it, you should seek medical
treatment asap. Michigan
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