Determination of the Activities Affected Due to Cold Intolerance after Peripheral Nerve Disorders

Abstract

Objective:Our study was designed to determine the activities affected due to cold intolerance (CI) after peripheral nerve disorders.Methods:Participants aged 18-65 who were diagnosed as having peripheral nerve disorder in the last year and whose activities were affected due to CI and who scored 30 or higher on the Turkish version of the CI Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire were included. The problematic activities due to CI were determined by a semi-structured interview. Activities were examined according to the third edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework as activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL (IADL), rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure and social participation.Results:Fourty-five individuals (15 men, 30 women) with a mean age of 42.28±13.25 were included. The mean of the CISS score was 51.18±16.69. Twenty three different activities were identified. Due to CI, the most difficult activity for women was dishwashing and hand washing for men.Conclusion:Participants with peripheral nerve disorders had difficulty mostly in the ADL and IADL due to cold intolerance. It was found that exposure to cold air and water, decreased fine motor skills due to cold, grasping of cold objects, and exposure to cold in the workplace caused difficulties in these activities. We think that it should be considered that the activities in which individuals have problems may be caused by CI.

Keywords

• peripheral nerve injuries
• nerve compression syndromes
• cold hypersensitivity
• occupations