Cold hands: Could it be Raynaud’s?

I used to enjoy cold weather and cold-weather activities. Not anymore. These days I find it harder and harder to keep my hands warm when I’m outside, even with an excellent pair of gloves. Sometimes my fingers turn white and become numb. Those are the hallmarks of Raynaud’s syndrome (or disease or phenomenon). Named after the French physician who first described it in 1862, Raynaud’s is a problem in the body’s arteries. In most people with Raynaud’s, small arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to the fingers spasm and close down in response to cold or stress. This reduces or cuts off blood flow to the fingers. Without a steady supply of warm blood circulating through them, the affected fingers become pale. Raynaud’s can also affect the toes, nose, lips, ears, nipples, and other body parts. Recognizing Raynaud’s Everyone’s hands get cold from time to time. Raynaud’s is different than just getting cold. The affected body part feels cold changes from its normal color to a whitish or bluish hue feels numb When the spasm ends and the arteries reopen, allowing blood to flow again, the finger, toe, or other body part turns pink or red. It may throb or tingle. Who gets Raynaud’s? Experts don’t really know why some people have Raynaud’s and others don’t. Clearly these people have unusually strong reactions to cold. Beyond that it’s still a medical mystery. There are two types of Raynaud’s: Prim...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Men's Health Pain Management Women's Health cold hands Raynaud's syndrome Source Type: news