What are the symptoms of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)?
Hand-arm vibration exposure affects the blood flow (vascular effect) and causes loss of touch sensation (neurological effect) in fingers. One of the earliest methods used for identifying the severity of these symptoms was the Taylor-Pelmear classification method. Table 1 shows the Taylor-Pelmear classification of the clinical stages of vibration induced white finger. This classification was widely used in the past. Table 1 Taylor-Pelmear classification of vibration-induced white finger by stages Stage Symptom 1 Occasional, 1 or More Finger Tips 2 Occasional, Distal & Middle Finger 3 Frequent Attacks All / Most Fingers 4 Same as 3 With Skin Change in Finger Tips A common method that is used to classify VWF is the Stockholm Workshop classification scale. Table 2(a) The Stockholm Workshop classification scale for cold-induced vascular (blood flow) symptoms in fingers with hand-arm vibration syndrome Stage Grade Description 0 (none) No attacks 1 Mild Occasional attacks affecting only the t