For most Raynaud’s sufferers – unless it’s secondary to another more serious autoimmune condition – there’s no explanation for the cause of their discomfort. But for those with a form of Raynaud’s referred to as Vibration White Finger there is a causal link.
For Raynaud’s sufferers who have a history of working with vibrating tools and equipment, or people whose occupations subject their hands/fingers to unusual wear and tear, such as typists, stenographers and pianists, there is a formal term for this type of activity-induced Raynaud’s: Vibration White Finger (VWF). It’s one of the few conditions where there’s actually been a causal relationship associated with Raynaud’s. We’ve seen academic references stating that approximately 38% of Raynaud’s cases in males are attributed to exposure to hand-transmitted vibration.
Wikipedia describes VWF as: Vibration white finger, also known as hand-arm vibration syndrome or dead finger, is a secondary form of Raynaud’s syndrome, an industrial injury triggered by continuous use of vibrating hand-held machinery. While most resources focus on VWF for those workers using industrial tools, it can develop in hobbyists who are ardent do-it-yourselfers, along with those whose occupations involve constant pressure to the fingertips.
As February is Raynaud’s Awareness Month in the UK, we found an article in a local online newspaper, Rochdale News, with an advertorial on VWF. Granted, it’s published by a law firm looking to find new clients with the disorder, but they did a nice job on the content, along with some useful infographics.
We’ve published additional posts referencing vibration white finger: