Comparison of the cold water immersion tests at 5 degrees C and 10 degrees C for diagnosis of the vibration disease (author's transl)

Abstract

A comparative study of the cold water immersion tests at 5°C and 10°C for 10 min was carried out to know either test is excellent for diagnosis of the vibration disease. Skin temperatures, vibratory sense thresholds, recovery times of blood flow by the nail press test and pain sense thresholds of 36 chain saw and bush cutter operators with the vibration disease were measured before, immediately, 5th min and 10th min after the cold water immersion test. Furthermore, skin temperatures were measured from 6th to 10th min from the begining of the immersion at 1 min interval. The results obtained are as follows: Skin temperatures in the cold water immersion test at 5°C showed a faster recovery pattern than those of the immersion test at 10°C, and skin temperatures after the cold water immersion tests at 5°C and 10°C crossed over within 5 min after the immersion. The cross pattern of the skin temperature was not significant in the chain saw group, but it was significant in the bush cutter group. Vibratory senses lowered after the cold water immersion and the values of the vibratory sense threshold affected by the immersion at 10°C were more than those by the immersion at 5°C in both chain saw and bush cutter operators with the vibration disease. Recovery time of the blood flow by the nail press test was prolonged by the cold water immersion, but no difference between 5°C and 10°C immersion tests was recognized. Pain sense became dull by the cold water immersion, but the difference of pain sense affected by the cold water immersion tests between at 5°C and 10°C was not recognized. Above results of the skin temperature, the vibratory sense, the nail press test and the pain sense affected by the cold water immersion test at 5°C and 10°C for 10 min indicate the difficulty to judge whether either immersion test at 5°C or 10°C is better than other tests for diagnosis of the vibration disease because no remarkable difference between the two immersion tests was found. However, the group of vibration disease among both chain saw and bush cutter operators showed remarkably different values in comparison with normal healthy subjects in each measurement of items for special health examinations of the vibration disease. It may seem that it is preferable to adopt the cold water immersion test at 10°C which gives less pain by immersion.