What disease makes your hands cold?

Raynaud's disease causes smaller arteries that supply blood flow to the skin to narrow in response to cold or stress. The affected body parts, usually fingers and toes, might turn white or blue and feel cold and numb until circulation improves, usually when you get warm.

What illness gives you cold hands?

Hands that are cold all the time may be a sign of poor circulation, a thyroid problem, anemia, or Raynaud's phenomenon. When your hands are very cold from being outside, you can get frostbite. It's important to warm them up slowly but as soon as possible—and know the signs of severe frostbite. Petrina Craine, MD.

What do cold hands indicate?

Cold hands may be caused by simply being in a cold room or other chilly environment. Cold hands are often a sign that your body is trying to maintain its normal body temperature. Always having cold hands, however, could mean there's a problem with your blood flow or the blood vessels in your hands.

How Serious Is Raynaud's disease?

Symptoms of Raynaud's can last from a few minutes to several hours. It's not a serious threat to your health, but can be annoying to live with, because it can be difficult to use your fingers. People with Raynaud's often go for long periods without any symptoms, and sometimes the condition goes away altogether.

What triggers Raynaud's disease?

The exact cause of Raynaud's is unknown. It is possible that some blood disorders may cause Raynaud's by increasing the blood thickness. This may happen due to excess platelets or red blood cells. Or special receptors in the blood that control the narrowing of the blood vessels may be more sensitive.

What’s Causing My Cold Hands and Feet? | Ask the Doctor

How do you fix Raynaud's disease?

There is no cure for Raynaud's disease, but there are ways to manage symptoms. For mild forms of Raynaud's disease, covering exposed skin before leaving the house can help. If an attack occurs, soaking the affected parts in warm, not hot, water can alleviate symptoms and prevent them from worsening.

What is the life expectancy of someone with Raynaud's disease?

Under the broad definition, the median survival time was 11.0 years (95% CI: 10.0–12.1 years) for white subjects without RP, compared to 8.1 years (95% CI: 6.0–11.8 years) for white subjects with RP.

How do you test for Raynaud's?

To tell the difference between primary and secondary Raynaud's, your doctor might do a test called nailfold capillaroscopy. During the test, the doctor looks at the skin at the base of your fingernail under a microscope or magnifier to look for deformities or swelling of the tiny blood vessels.

What happens if Raynaud's goes untreated?

Left untreated , Raynaud's phenomenon can lead to gangrene (tissue death) in some cases. Seek prompt medical care if you have symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon in the fingers or toes, such as unusual coldness, skin color changes, and the development of sores or lesions that do not heal.

Can Raynaud's affect the heart?

There's no known link between Raynaud's and heart disease.

When should I worry about cold hands?

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you're concerned about persistently cold hands. Your doctor can check if your cold hands are caused by a problem with your blood flow or nerves. Treatment is aimed at the underlying cause of your cold hands.

Why are my hands cold when my body is warm?

If your hands feel cold even during warm or mild weather, or they take a long time to warm up after being exposed to the cold, you may have a disease or condition that restricts blood flow to the hands. Blood flows from the heart to the hands through the ulnar artery and the radial artery.

How do you fix cold hands?

Cold Hands: Home Treatment

1. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the cold.
2. Wave your arms in a circular motion to force blood out into your hands.
3. Blow warm air onto cold hands.
4. Tuck your hands inside clothing next to warm skin, such as your chest, belly, or armpit.

What deficiency causes cold hands and feet?

Without enough B12, you might not have enough healthy red blood cells to move oxygen around your body (anemia). That can leave you shivering and cold, especially in your hands and feet.

Can thyroid cause cold hands and feet?

People with hypothyroidism often report having cold hands or feet, although they may feel that their whole body is cold. These symptoms are not exclusive to hypothyroidism, however. Circulation problems or anemia can also cause people to feel chilly.

What causes cold hands and feet?

Cold hands and feet — especially in older people — also can be caused by PAD, which occurs when arteries become narrowed or blocked as plaque gradually forms inside the artery walls. PAD can affect people age 50 or older with a history of diabetes or smoking, while anyone age 70 or older generally should be screened.

What is the best medication for Raynaud's?

Calcium channel blockers are the class of drugs most widely used for treatment of Raynaud syndrome—especially the dihydropyridines (eg, nifedipine, nicardipine), which are the most potent vasodilators. Nifedipine is the customary first choice.

Does Raynaud's cause weight loss?

Low body weight and involuntary weight loss are associated with Raynaud's phenomenon in both men and women. Scand J Rheumatol.

Can you get disability for Raynaud's?

If the pain and limitations from Raynaud's prevent you from working, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. In order to qualify for Social Security disability, you must prove to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you are unable to perform consistent full-time work due to your illness.

What foods to avoid if you have Raynaud's?

Always try to maintain a balanced, healthy diet and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Some food supplements have helped Raynaud's sufferers, including evening primrose oil, gingko biloba and fish oils. Certain foods are also believed to help, like ginger, garlic and spicy food.

Is Raynaud's an autoimmune disease?

Summary. Raynaud's phenomenon is the short-term interruption of blood flow to the extremities, such as the fingers and toes. Raynaud's phenomenon may be a sign of an underlying autoimmune disorder such as scleroderma or lupus, so it's important to see your doctor for diagnosis.

What medications make Raynaud's worse?

What medications make Raynauds worse? Patients with Raynaud's should avoid medications that constrict blood vessels, including migraine medications (ergotamine and triptans), over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, diet aids, beta-blockers, and birth control pills.

Can Raynaud's affect your brain?

When it's cold outside, some lupus patients develop Raynaud's, which is where the vessels over constrict and turn blue. If it's warm, they can over dilate and turn red. The same phenomenon can occur in the brain. Over dilation can cause a headache and over constriction can produce a mental fog.

Can Raynaud's cause stroke?

Primary Raynaud syndrome is commonly treated with a calcium channel blocker. It often does not cause symptoms; however, high blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and heart failure.

What autoimmune disease is associated with Raynaud's?

Autoimmune disorders with which Raynaud phenomenon can be associated include systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren syndrome. Primary Raynaud phenomenon is much more common and usually less severe than secondary Raynaud phenomenon.