Skin Conditions

Cold Hands & Feet

Signs & Symptoms

•  Fingers or toes turn pale white or blue, then red, in response to cold temperatures.

•  Pain when the fingers or toes turn white.

•  Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.

Causes

Often the cause is unknown and not serious. Cold hands and feet can be a symptom of the conditions that follow.

•  Poor circulation. This is most often due to diseased arteries.

•  Raynaud’s disease. This is a disorder that affects the flow of blood to the fingers and sometimes to the toes.

•  Any underlying disease that affects the blood flow in the tiny blood vessels of the skin. Women who smoke may be more prone to this.

•  Frostbite.

•  Stress.

•  A side effect of taking certain medicines

•  Cervical rib syndrome. This is a compression of the nerves and blood vessels in the neck that affects the shoulders, arms, and hands.

Treatment

Emergency care is needed for frostbite. If a medical condition causes cold hands and/or feet, treatment for the condition is needed.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

•  Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit.

•  Avoid caffeine.

•  Don’t handle cold objects with bare hands. Use ice tongs to pick up ice cubes, etc.

•  Set your indoor thermostat at 65ºF or higher.

•  Wear mittens and wool socks to keep hands and feet warm.

•  Don’t wear tight-fitting footwear.

•  Wiggle your toes. It may help keep them warm by increasing blood flow.

•  Stretch your fingers straight out. Swing your arms in large circles like a baseball pitcher warming up for a game. This may increase blood flow to the fingers. Skip this tip if you have bursitis or back problems.

•  Meditate. Learn and practice biofeedback.

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