Cold hands and feet: symptoms, causes, drugs, etc. • hello healthy

Definition

What are cold hands and feet?

It is common to feel cold hands and feet even when you are not in a cold environment. Often times, cold hands and feet are part of the body's natural response to regulating body temperature and shouldn't be a cause for concern.

However, if you continue to experience cold hands and feet, especially if they are accompanied by discoloration, this could be a sign. For example, cold hands could mean you have nerve or circulation problems or problems with tissue damage in your hands or fingers.

If you are outside in extreme cold and you experience cold hands and feet, you should watch out for signs of frostbite.

How common is this condition?

Homeless individuals, those who work outdoors, winter sports enthusiasts, and mountain climbers are examples of people who are at risk. Newer activities that can contribute to frostbite include paragliding at extreme heights and kite skiing. The prevalent use of alcohol in cold climates is also a factor.

However, this can be overcome by reducing your risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of cold hands and feet?

There are a number of signs and symptoms of this condition, including:

Frostbite and frostnip

The area of the body exposed to the frostbite bar is white and hard or waxy. These parts can be white-purple or white-yellow. The area of the body affected by frostnip is white but not firm and is generally only a very small area. The frozen body parts couldn't feel anything.

During the freezing process, this area can feel tingling or feel like a lump of wood. After thawing, the area of the frostbite may not feel sore or tingling.

When rewarmed in warm water using the recommended method, this area can feel sore. over the next several days, this area is often painful and swollen. Blisters may appear, and the severely affected area will turn black.

Immersion injury

The area affected by the immersion (immersion) injury will first turn red and then turn pale and swollen. Numbness or a painful tingling feeling may occur. After the first few days, this area becomes very red, tickles, swollen, and there may be blisters, skin damage, or even discharge.

Pernio

Pernio is a rash on the lower legs, feet, toes, or ears that can be red or blue in color and can form scaly areas or bumps.

It is rare, but the affected area may bleed, blister, or have skin damage. Pernio often causes itching and burning.

When should I see a doctor?

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent the condition from worsening and prevent other medical emergencies, so consult a doctor as soon as possible to prevent this condition.

If you experience any of the signs or symptoms listed above, or have any questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body reacts differently. It is always best to discuss what is best for your situation with your doctor.

Cause

What causes cold hands and feet?

Humans are tropical creatures. We adapt to warm climates. When exposed to cold, the body tries to stay warm. When the body cools, circulation decreases in the arms, legs, ears, and nose so that the rest of the body's core can stay warm.

When the temperature is below freezing, ice can form in areas that lack circulation.

Non-freezing cold sores are also caused by cooling skin. In immersion injury, nerves and blood vessels are damaged after exposure to cold, wet conditions at or above freezing temperatures.
Pernio is caused by exposure to cold for long periods of time without freezing or by very wet conditions.
Raynaud's phenomenon is an abnormal narrowing of the blood vessels that constrict with cooling of the fingers or toes.
Cryoglobulin is a protein normally dissolved in blood, which becomes solid or gelatinous when cold. Cryoglobulinemia is a condition related to cryoglobulin in the blood, in which exposure to cold causes a bluish discoloration of the fingers or toes.
The appearance of itchy rashes in response to exposure to cold on the skin is called cold urticaria.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, other causes of cold hands and feet include:

Diabetes
Frostbite
Lupus
Scleroderma.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for this condition?

Many factors put you at risk for cold hands and feet.

Living in windy conditions
Wearing tight clothes
Always keep your hands and feet wet
Smoking (because it can reduce blood circulation to the hands and feet).

Drugs & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

Frostbite is diagnosed by how it looks, not by tests. There are no specific tests for other conditions caused by cold, except for a blood test for cryoglobulin. In the case of frostbite, testing may be needed for injuries or other conditions.

If the frostbite looks severe, a bone scan may be needed. This is a painless procedure that shows areas of the hand or foot that are still getting circulation.

Other tests often done for frostbite include blood tests, especially the blood's tendency to clot, and X-rays.

What are the treatments for cold hands and feet?

If you go to the emergency department and still have white areas of frostbite, the doctor will begin to warm rapidly in water to a temperature slightly above body temperature. The frozen portions will thaw until they turn pink, indicating that circulation has returned.

If the warmed area is only slightly red, you may be allowed to go home with instructions on how to protect the injured area. If you only have obvious blisters up to the tips of your fingers and toes accompanied by swelling and pain, you may also be allowed to go home with instructions.

If you have black blisters, no swelling, or no circulation in the warmed area, you will be hospitalized.

In either case, you will be asked to take aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil), which can protect against further injury to the area from substances released by damaged cells. You may also be given medicines to help with blood circulation and to ensure proper nutrition.

If you are hospitalized, the injured area will be bandaged most of the time and elevated. The dressing is removed twice a day and the area is placed in a whirlpool to remove bacteria and dead cells that have built up on the surface of the skin. If the frostbite is severe, it may be necessary to remove some of the dead area by amputation.