What are Vibration White Finger (VWF) & Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)?
Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a secondary form of Raynaud’s disease, and is an Industrial Upper Limb Disorder triggered by vibrating hand-held machinery. In essence Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a term used when Secondary Raynaud’s has been caused by exposure to vibration. This typically happens to people who regularly use certain types of vibrating tools including: • concrete breakers and pokers, • sanders, grinders and disc cutters, • hammer drills, • chipping hammers, • chainsaws, hedge trimmers and power mowers etc. Vibration White Finger (VWF) is characterized by blanching, numbness, tingling (parasthesia) and pain in the hands and fingers. Vibration White Finger (VWF) has generally been superseded by the Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Vibration White Finger (VWF) is the vascular component of the Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) affecting the fingers. Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) causes symptoms in fingers, hands and arms caused by vibrating tools. Both Raynaud’s
