The weather has been brutally cold lately, and it’s likely that your hands have been freezing. But when should you actually start to be concerned?
If you can’t seem to warm your hands or feet no matter what you try, and your fingers turn a pale white, it could be an indication of an underlying health condition.
Are you the type of person who sits at the office wearing gloves, begging your bosses to turn down the air conditioning even in the middle of summer?
Or perhaps you find yourself desperately huddling by the radiator at home, trying to get your hands warm without success?
Some people try holding warm cups of coffee or use heated gloves to keep their hands and feet warm, but it could be more than just the chill in the air.
This condition is called Raynaud’s disease, and it occurs when the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to the skin constrict, limiting blood flow.
This constriction of the vessels is known as vasospasm.
Aside from looking unusual, it can also lead to discomfort, numbness, and that prickling sensation of pins and needles.
It may also be referred to as Raynaud’s phenomenon or Raynaud syndrome, but they all refer to the same condition.
Interestingly, women are more likely to experience this than men.