Ice-Water Hand Immersion Causes a Reflex Decrease in Skin Temperature in the Contralateral Hand

Abstract

Cutaneous receptors stimulated by ice-water immersion of one hand will increase sympathetic nerve activity to the palm skin in the nonimmersed contralateral hand and reduce blood flow, reflecting on a decrease in skin surface temperature under a constant ambient environment. To test the hypothesis that gender might affect the contralateral vasoconstrictor response, we analyzed the spatiotemporal pattern of palm skin surface temperature during ice-water immersion for 10 min using thermography in eight males and eight females. As soon as the left hand was immersed in ice-water, palm skin temperature in the nonimmersed right hand quickly decreased in all subjects, particularly in the periphery of the digits and palm. The reduction in skin temperature was short-lasting in 63% of males and 38% of females, but it lasted throughout immersion in the remaining subjects. The average decrease in palm skin temperature was not significantly different between males and females, though it tended to be greater in males. The mean arterial blood pressure significantly increased and heart rate decreased during immersion in males, whereas no substantial cardiovascular changes were observed in females. Cold sensation was well coincident with the appearance of a reduction in the palm skin temperature. In consideration of all these results, we suggest that cutaneous cold stimuli increased skin sympathetic nerve activity in the nonimmersed hand and reduced skin blood flow. We also contend that gender difference in the contralateral vasoconstrictor response was denied because the time course and magnitude of the decrease in palm skin temperature were not different between males and females.

Impact of blood pressure cuff inflation rates on flow-mediated dilatation and contralateral arm response

“…In addition, studies using ice water immersion have demonstrated that fingertip temperature, blood flow and brachial diameter decreased transiently on the contralateral arm. 12,19,21 In most of these studies, non-occluded arms displayed rather small changes in the same direction to the occluded arm, which support our current findings. An interesting observation in the present study is that temperature changes in the contralateral (non-occluded) arm were significantly and positively associated with those in the occluded arm.…”

“…The investigators speculated that neurovascular factors may be involved in this response and termed it as neurovascular reactivity (NVR). 17 The observation that contralateral (non-experimental) arm responds similarly, albeit much smaller in magnitude, to the experimental arm is not new 10,[18][19][20] A reduction in forearm and cutaneous blood flow has been observed when the opposite arm was occluded 10 or challenged with cold stress. 12,21 Given the aforementioned finding that performing occlusion on one arm with rapid inflation caused a greater blood flow reduction in the contralateral arm than slow inflation, 10 it is possible to hypothesize that the contralateral responses may be mediated by the rate of blood pressure cuff inflation.…”

Human Physiology in an Aquatic Environment

“…When differences in body size are considered, the cardiovascular or renal responses to TN HOWI are likely similar (408). While short-term ventilation with immersion have not been reported to be different in men and women, during cold, HOWI females were shown to have a greater increase in ventilation than males (176). During HOWI in water below TN temperature, no gender differences have been reported after correction for body fatness and surface area in either the physiological or metabolic responses (378).…”

The Short-Term Effects of 2 Different Cryotherapy Methods on Acute and Subacute, Noncomplicated, Bilateral Neck Pain

“…9 In the treatment of pain, cryotherapy is extensively used to aid in the healing process of muscle damage and delay the onset of an inflammatory response. 1,2,10,11 Cold packs are one of the most common types of cryotherapy used because of its cost factor and clinical effectiveness. Cryotherapy has been extensively studied in relation to pain, blood flow, and muscle damage.…”

“…[12][13][14][15] Upon application of any cryotherapy treatment, the blood vessels in the directcontact area constrict, reducing the blood flow to the affected area. 11 In a cold environment, adrenergic sympathetic vasoconstrictors cause the skin blood vessels to reduce circulation, guarding against heat loss from the body. Cryotherapy has been shown to reduce tissue temperature, reduce inflammation and consequent edema, reduce pain sensation, and decrease time to recovery.…”