Effects of Applied Pressure on Sensorineural and Peripheral Vascular Function in an Animal Model of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is characterized by cold-induced vasospasms of peripheral vasculature, by changes in sensorineural function and by pain. Vibration frequency and amplitude along with pressure applied at the fingertips while gripping a tool may also affect vascular and sensorineural function. Little is known about how these two exposure factors interact to affect the risk of developing HAVS. This study uses a newly developed rat tail model to examine the effects of vibration on vascular and sensorineural function. Exposure to 2N of pressure for 10 consecutive days resulted in an increase in blood flow in the tail, which may have been the result of an increased sensitivity of the arteries to acetylcholine. There was also an increased sensitivity of the small myelinated fibbers to electrical stimulation and of the sensory receptors to a pressure stimulus. Based on these findings, pressure has its own effects on vascular and sensorineural physiology, and these effects can be different from those of vibration.