Raynaud’s disease or just cold hands and feet?

Do you find yourself wearing gloves and thick pairs of socks that simply just encase your still-freezing hands and feet during winter? If your hands and feet are cold regardless of your attempts to warm them up or the temperature outside, read on to find what may be causing it and what you can do about it.

Is getting cold hands and feet common?

For most people, occasionally having cold hands or feet is not indicative of a larger problem. Oftentimes, there are simple explanations for this phenomenon. For example, if it’s cold outside and you lack adequate clothing to keep you warm, your body will naturally route blood flow away from your extremities in order to keep your core temperature up and protect the vital organs within.

However, sometimes having frigid fingers or toes points to a more serious condition. Those who frequently experience severe issues with extremities that are too cold may have cold hands and feet syndrome, also known as Raynaud’s disease. People with this affliction experience cold hands and feet in response to either cold temperatures or high levels of stress. During an attack, the arteries supplying the hands and the feet constrict, limiting blood flow to the areas. This can cause localized pain and the skin to become pale. When the temperature rises or the stress is alleviated, blood rushes back into the affected areas, often causing a stinging or prickly sensation. Cold hands and feet syndrome seems to occur more in women than in men and — not surprisingly — appears to be more common among people who live in colder climates.

What is the anatomy behind cold hand and foot syndrome?

To understand exactly what happens to the body during an episode of cold hands and feet syndrome, we must take a closer look at the vascular systems that supply blood to the hands and feet and promote circulation to the areas.

First up are the hands. Fresh, oxygen-rich blood is supplied from the heart to the hands via the branches of the ulnar and radial arteries, which run down the arms. The ulnar artery runs on the inside, or medial side of the arm, while the radial artery is located toward the outside, or lateral part of the arm.

At the anterior of the wrist, the ulnar artery and radial artery forms two arches called the superficial and deep palmar arches. From there, palmar metacarpal arteries branch off to supply blood to the fingers. On the back of the hand, the ulnar and radial arteries come together to form the dorsal carpal arch. The dorsal metacarpal arteries branch off from there to supply the muscles on the back of the hand. The palmar and dorsal metacarpal arteries come together and become the digital arteries to supply the fingers.
 

 
A similar layout of arteries can be seen in the foot as well, where multiple arteries form arches and smaller arteries branch off from there to ensure smooth circulation and supply of the blood. In the foot, the blood supply comes from two arteries called the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. As their names suggest, the anterior tibial artery runs down anterior to the leg, while the posterior tibial artery runs down posterior to the leg.
 

 
The anterior tibial artery then becomes the dorsalis pedis artery when it crosses over the ankle joint and runs towards the foot. The lateral tarsal, arcuate, and dorsal metatarsal and digital arteries branch off from it to supply the anterior part of the toes.
 

 
On the back and underside of the leg and foot, the posterior tibial artery splits off to form the medial and lateral plantar arteries. While the plantar arch connects both arteries, plantar metatarsal and digital arteries branch out from them to supply blood to the posterior part of the foot and toes, respectively.
 

 
Reactions to cold temperatures, stress, or other conditions can cause these arteries to constrict and block blood flow, resulting in cold or numb extremities.

What conditions cause cold hands and feet?

Again, it’s common to experience cold hands and feet from time to time. However, if your symptoms are severe and frequent, the cause of your discomfort may go deeper than just your body’s routine reaction to cold and could be indicative of a possible clinical condition. Aside from Reynaud’s disease, there are a number of other conditions that can cause people to experience acute feelings of coldness in their extremities. These include:
 

1. • Diabetes: Sufferers may experience myriad issues, especially with their feet. These can include peripheral neuropathy (numbness and tingling).

1. • Peripheral artery disease (PAD) or primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH): PAD is caused by a buildup of plaque that triggers a narrowing of the blood vessels in the legs; PPH and PAD are frequently found in those with diabetes.

1. • Anemia: This lack of red blood cells is caused by an iron deficiency. Without enough red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, your fingers and toes can become cold and numb.

1. • Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid that is not producing enough hormones for your body to function properly can lead to cold hands and feet.

1. • High cholesterol: a buildup of cholesterol can narrow the pathways in your arteries, resulting in poor circulation.

1. • Vitamin deficiencies: A lack of vitamin B-12 in your diet — which usually comes from foods like milk and dairy — can lead to a number of health problems, including cold feet and hands.

How do you treat cold hands and feet syndrome?

Now that you know its causes and the anatomy behind cold hands and feet syndrome, what can you do to find relief for your icelike extremities? If packing up and moving to a tropical island isn’t a practical solution for you, don’t worry: There are some other things you can do to get your circulation going and warm up your fingers and toes:
 

1. • Wear warm socks or gloves: Obviously, protecting your hands and feet from the elements when it’s cold outside is important. But wearing warm socks or even gloves can help alleviate your symptoms, especially at bedtime when symptoms can become more pronounced.

1. • Change your diet: If you’re iron-deficient and prone to anemia, try incorporating more leafy green vegetables in your daily intake. Likewise, if you’re lacking in B-12, dietary changes or supplements can help. Making changes to your diet can also help lower cholesterol, open up the arteries, and thereby improve circulation.

1. • Maintain a healthy lifestyle: If you have diabetes, manage it properly. If you smoke, quitting will stop harmful damage to your blood vessels, which can lead to cold hands and feet. If you experience chronic high levels of stress, try learning some effective techniques for managing it, like mindful meditation or other relaxation strategies.

The content in this post is from Primal’s 3D Real-time Functional Anatomy module. To learn more about this or other Primal learning resources, please fill in the form here and our team will be in touch.