Cold Hands: Raynaud's Disease

Raynaud's disease is a pretty rare disorder that affects only about 5 percent of the US population, which is around 17 million people. People with Raynaud's disease suffer from numb and cold fingers and toes. This is because the disorder affects the arteries and arterioles, which are the large and small vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart out to the body. Since your body isn't able to get blood to your hands and feet properly, they start turns white and feeling cold and numb.

Vasomotor controls are the body's way of narrowing or dilating the various blood vessels. With Raynaud's, the vessels constrict spasmodically, reducing the needed blood flow to the fingers and sometimes to the toes. People who suffer from Raynaud's disease experience "attacks" which typically affect their hands and toes, but sometimes also areas like the nose and ears.

What do you need to know about this rare disorder and how you might be able to treat it? Let's take a look.

The Two Types of Raynaud's

Raynaud's disease is properly referred to as primary Raynaud's. The cause is undetermined and the symptoms themselves are the entire problem. It's the more common and less severe type of Raynaud's. During an attack, a person initially feels their fingers go numb or the fingers may feel very cold. Then, their fingers begin to look quite patriotic. First, they turn white, then blue, and then red. During the white and blue phases, the blood flow is constricted. This is what causes the initial feelings of numbness and cold. During the red phase, blood flow returns to the area. Some people experience a throbbing sensation when this occurs. Sometimes, it's more like the prickly sensation you get when your foot "falls asleep."

However, sometimes, attacks just happens to one finger. While most people only experience the disease in their fingers, about 40 percent of those with Raynaud's also see symptoms in their toes. Although it's very rare, sometimes symptoms manifest on the nose, ears, nipples, and even lips.

The other main type of Raynaud's is called secondary Raynaud's. Many people also refer to it as Raynaud's phenomenon. Secondary Raynaud's has the same symptoms of primary Raynaud's, but secondary Raynaud's has an identified cause. Some diseases and conditions that may cause secondary Raynaud's are:

• Scleroderma - A condition in which the skin becomes tight, hard, and swollen.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus - An autoimmune inflammatory disease that is characterized by a red rash that spreads over the nose and cheeks, resembling a wolf snout.
• Nerve entrapment - This is the compression of a nerve or nerves resulting in nerve damage. A common type of this is carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Anorexia-bulimia - These are the well-known eating disorders that result in wide-ranging damage to the body.

Secondary Raynaud's can also be caused by hand or foot injuries, by some types of chemical exposure, and even by some blood pressure medications. Nicotine from tobacco products can increase your risk of developing Raynaud's also, as well as birth control pills.

Read More: Raynaud's phenomenon

Who is Likely to Develop Raynaud's?

Secondary Raynaud's is mostly seen in people over the age of 30 who have one of the diseases or conditions previously listed. It's also more likely to appear in people who perform repetitive actions with their hands, take any of the medicines discussed already, smoke, and live where it gets cold.

So, Not Really A Big Deal?

For most people, thankfully, primary Raynaud's is more of an annoyance than anything. Secondary Raynaud's can become severe, although it is very rare for this to occur. Severe secondary Raynaud's can actually over time kill the tissues that are affected during an episode. The repeated constriction of blood flow to the area can cause skin sores and even gangrene. Doctors will want to make sure of which type of Raynaud's a person has in order to not overlook any underlying causes.

How is Raynaud's Diagnosed?

When a person complains of numbness, pain, and color-changing fingers to her doctor, the doctor will ask some questions to determine if she is at high-risk for either primary or secondary Raynaud's. He will examine the fingers and toes specifically, but will also do a full physical exam to look for signs of the diseases that commonly cause secondary Raynaud's.

A common diagnostic test is a cold stimulation test. The doctor tries to trigger a vasospasm by quickly plunging the patient's hands into icy water. A small, sensitive thermometer is taped to the fingers to measure their temperature. When the hands are removed from the water, the thermometer measures how long it takes for the fingers to return to normal body temperature. Normally, this occurs very quickly.

The cold stimulation test can have inconsistent results, so a doctor may also perform a nailfold capillaroscopy. This slightly intimidating sounding procedure is just a close examination of the blood vessels in the nail bed. The doctor puts a drop of oil on the nail and then looks at the area through microscope to check the arteries. Abnormalities may indicate secondary Raynaud's and the doctor may order blood tests that check for the diseases and conditions listed previously.

How is Raynaud's Treated?

There isn't a cure for Raynaud's and treatment depends on whether a person has the primary or secondary type. Primary Raynaud's is treated mainly via lifestyle changes, while the underlying diseases and conditions that cause secondary Raynaud's must be addressed first in order to experience any relief.

Since Raynaud's is mainly triggered by cold exposure, it's important to dress warmly. Mittens keep the fingers warmer than gloves and coats should have fitted cuffs. Small hand warmers can be inserted into the mittens to provide extra heat. If you have to drive in cold weather, the car should be warmed up before you leave since a freezing steering wheel is a sure trigger for an attack.

Read More: Cold Hands And Feet: The Sign Of Iron Deficiency?

People with Raynaud's should avoid repetitive hand movements and not work at jobs with require the use of vibrating tools, like drills or jackhammers. Since medications like birth control pills and others can trigger attacks, you should discuss alternatives with your doctor. Caffeine and alcohol should be limited. Smoking is a big trigger, so quit!

When an attack does occur, try to warm your hands by soaking them in warm water, wiggling and massaging them, or moving your arms in circles to promote blood flow to the tips of the fingers. Always take good care of your fingers and toes. Protect them from even small injuries since decreased blood flow to the area means little cuts will take longer to heal. Don't wear things that will further restrict blood flow, such as tight watches, bracelets, and rings. All of these will help to keep Raynaud's at the level of an annoyance and not a serious condition.