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| Raynaud's Phenomenon |
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First described by Maurice Raynaud in 1862, Raynaud's is thought to affect as many as 10 million people in the UK.
Raynaud's phenomenon, is a condition of the blood vessels that supply blood to your skin.
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During a Raynaud's attack, these arteries narrow and limit the blood circulation to the hands.
The effect is white fingers with numbness and pins and needles, which may eventually turn blue,
then red, and are sometimes painful.
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Raynaud's phenomenon is described as being either primary, the commonest form, where there is no apparent cause for it,
or secondary, where it is associated with an underlying disease.
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| Symptoms |
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In secondary Raynaud's, symptoms may first begin in just one or two fingers on one hand.
The skin turns white, then blue (for some people) before going bright red.
This final stage is accompanied by severe pain and occasionally numbness or tingling -
this happens because the oxygen is used up quickly from the blood in the narrowed blood vessels. |
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Not everyone experiences all three colours and the order of the changes of colour isn't the same for all people.
An attack may last less than a minute to several hours, over time, attacks may grow more severe.
If you have secondary Raynaud's, you may also experience joint pain and swelling, and rashes. |
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| Causes |
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With Raynaud's phenomenon, the small blood vessels in the fingers and toes are more sensitive than usual,
and overreact to cold temperatures, narrowing even more and allowing a very limited amount of blood to flow through. |
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Various conditions of blood vessels, joints, or skin can cause secondary Raynaud's, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
When secondary Raynaud's has been caused by exposure to vibration it is known as Vibration white finger or
hand-arm vibration syndrome.Any vibrating tool that causes you tingling or numbness in your fingers
after five minutes of continuous use, could lead to vibration white finger.
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This typically happens to people who regularly use certain types of vibrating tools including:
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Grinders, sanders and disc cutters |
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| Power mowers and hedge trimmers |
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| concrete breakers and pokers |
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| Hammer drills and chipping hammers |
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| Needle guns and scabblers |
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| Chainsaws |
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| Claiming compensation for Raynauds |
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Around 50% of the calls we take, are from people who have all of the symptoms but have yet to see a doctor
to confirm the diagnosis for Raynauds or Vibration White Finger.
We can still advise you on whether you may have a valid claim, though you will require a medical diagnosis at some stage. |
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For a free assessment as to whether you can make a compensation claim for Raynauds call us on: Freephone 0800 783 9535.
Our office hours are 8am - 9pm, Monday - Friday. 9am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday
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