With a sudden drop in temperature, it is natural to have cold hands or feet. The Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has issued cold warnings this winter, also warning of the risk to vulnerable people. Cardiologist Dr. Sam Firoozi warns that persistently cold limbs that don’t respond to warming can signal a more serious health probleminforms the newspaper.
He explains that in cold weather, the autonomic nervous system naturally causes small blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction) to limit blood flow to the arms and legs and maintain body temperature. The problem occurs when the body overreacts to cold, stress or anxiety, leading to a condition known as Raynaud’s phenomenon. In this condition, the blood flow to the fingers on the limbs, or to the ears, nose, lips or nipples is significantly reduced.
dr. Firoozi points out that the normal tingling will subside after a minute or two. However, they do exist warning symptomswhich you should not ignore and should see a doctor about. It goes especially o extreme and long-lasting color change, when the fingers turn pale, blue and then red, but this color change lasts a long time.
Likewise warns against a permanent change in the appearance of the fingertips or nails and against intense painwhich starts as a burning sensation associated with bruising and turns into a strong, throbbing pain. Raynaud’s phenomenon can be the first symptom of serious autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. The cardiologist therefore recommends observing and photographing any changes and consulting with a general practitioner.
To maintain blood circulation and warmth Dr. Firoozi advises wearing warm clothes, using specially heated gloves or heating gels. If you already have Raynaud’s phenomenon, it is important to keep the house warm, exercise regularly (yoga or breathing exercises) to improve blood circulation and eat a healthy diet. At the same time, it is essential to stop smoking and limit caffeine intake, as it can trigger symptoms.
It is important to see a doctor if the symptoms are very bad, get worse, affect daily life, are present on only one side of the body, if you also have joint pain, muscle pain or skin rashes, or if the symptoms appear for the first time after the age of 30, or in a child under 12 years of age. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe drugs to widen the arteries, such as calcium channel blockers, and in extreme situations, sympathetic nerve surgery is also possible.
