Work on the tools: Mystery illness that took 14 years to identify

Dave Miller spent 14 years being told by doctors they didn't know what was wrong with him. Phone calls and medical appointments sent him around in circles. But a paper trail was building. Miller's entire working life involved using manual machinery, equipment that was loud, heavy and vibrated. His symptoms were slow and not obvious at first. Weakening grip strength, tennis elbow, hand injuries and his fingers would go white in cold weather. They got worse — Miller struggled to grip even light, small objects, and couldn't feel hot or cold temperatures with his hands. He was eventually diagnosed hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). The symptoms feel like when you hit your funny bone, he explained to RNZ's Nine to Noon "You get that sensation of tingling and aching in your periphery, well, I have that constantly now.