How is NFCI diagnosed?
There is no objective single test to diagnose NFCI. As such, diagnosis is made clinically, and is based on the presence of a collection of symptoms gleaned from a detailed medical history including when and for how long the cold exposure occurred, how cold it was, and what symptoms were experienced and when, followed by a focused examination.
The criteria for diagnosing NFCI are based upon information gathered from published scientific papers, expert opinion and the experience gained from running UK cold injury clinics for over 10 years.
NFCI Diagnostic Criteria:
- Affected part (usually feet or hands) has become cold to the point of loss of feeling/sensation for at least one hour (though usually a much longer duration is involved).
- When rewarming the affected area was painful for longer than 30 minutes.
- Symptoms such as tingling, burning, pins and needles, reduced or altered sensation lasted longer than 48 hours.
NFCI is excluded if sensation returns to normal when warm in the first 48 hours after cold exposure. Individuals will also be assessed to determine if their symptoms are due to Raynaud’s Phenomenon rather than NFCI.