Raynaud's syndrome: it's not just about cold fingers and toes |News |Yale Medicine

A Yale Medicine rheumatologist explains Raynaud's phenomenon, a condition in which small blood vessels narrow and constrict in response to cold and stress.

Raynaud's syndrome: It's not just cold fingers and toes

Spend a lot of time outside in cold weather—or indoors with cold air conditioning—and you may end up with cold fingers or toes.They may turn blue.

If this comes in time, and the pinky of the finger and the fingers are usually in common, you will need a mitt, a fingers can be played in a race or fingers.

Raynaud's phenomenon (RAY-no), named after the French doctor who discovered it, is a condition in which small blood vessels become more sensitive to cold temperatures through spasm and contraction, temporarily reducing blood flow.Repeated changes in these blood vessels can damage small blood vessels and cause changes in the skin of the fingers (dry, cracked, peeling skin), leg pain, leg pain, and, in severe cases, gangrene (tissue death from blood loss).

At first, the affected areas may appear blue due to reduced oxygen, then turn white as the skin tissue uses up the remaining oxygen, and finally, the skin becomes red as the vessels dilate and blood flows back.White and red color changes are usually when pain can occur.

"This is the classic presentation, but not everyone experiences all three colors, and the order of color changes can vary," says Yale Medicine rheumatologist Monique Hinchcliff, MD, MS."But remember, your fingers are normal and not blue and cold from the cold. You should be aware of the discoloration."

These episodes or "attacks" can last from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the severity of the episode and how quickly the affected area warms up and blood flow is restored.Raynaud's phenomenon most often affects the fingers and toes, but it can also occur in the nose, tip of the tongue, nipples and the tip of the penis."It's basically anywhere there are small blood vessels," explains Dr. Hinchcliffe.

When it occurs in the fingers, it is usually more than one finger, but not necessarily all.It also affects the person's dominant hand, although it can happen in odd hands or in both hands at the same time.For most people, Raynaud's phenomenon is not serious and can be easily managed by avoiding cold and stress and making simple lifestyle adjustments.

Blood flow to the skin is carefully controlled by signals from nerves, hormones, and other blood proteins.When someone feels stressed or anxious, the body releases chemicals that constrict blood vessels, which can trigger an attack.More women - especially teenagers up to the age of 30 - experience Raynaud's than men, which suggests that estrogen may play a role in the phenomenon.

What are the symptoms of Raynaud's syndrome?

There are two types of Raynaud's phenomenon: primary and secondary.Primary Raynaud's disease, which is the most common and affects 10% of people, does not have a medical diagnosis.

“This is a harmless thing,” Dr. Hinchcliff said. “People with this type are not at risk of developing finger ulcers and there is no need for treatment.”

However, secondary Raynaud's disease is much less common and can be more severe than the primary form.Autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, lupus, and polymyositis are often associated with Raynaud's phenomenon.The condition can also develop in people whose jobs involve frequent use of vibrating machines (such as jackhammers or chainsaws), which can damage small blood vessels over time.

When Raynaud's phenomenon is severe, the causes of blood loss may be prolonged and frequent.If circulation is limitedUlcers may form on the skin.or in some rare casesIt may cause damage or loss.Although this is not uncommon.However, some patients may experience repeated headaches.which heals slowly and can cause scarring

How is Raynaud's disease diagnosed?

If your fingers or toes sometimes turn cold and blue when exposed to cold temperatures, it's probably just your body's reaction to extreme temperature changes, explains Dr. Hinchcliffe.

"But if it's consistent and you see a white discoloration, it could be Raynaud's," he says.

To diagnose Raynaud's phenomenon, Dr. Nilfold can perform a cappleroscopy, which allows them to see the vessels on the surface of the skin under the nail with a microscope.

Dr.Hinchcliffe explains: "These are the smallest veins in our body and are very easy to detect."If these are completely normal and there are no small bleeds or other symptoms, the patient is diagnosed with primary Raynaud's syndrome." "This patient would like to see a rheumatologist."

How is secondary Raynaud's disease treated?

There are no US Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for the condition, but several are used for Raynaud's phenomenon, including calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, which dilate blood vessels to improve blood flow to the fingers and toes;

For higher cases of the other drugs, Yale medicine gives the infusions intravenous infusion.This medication is prostaglandin, something actually acted by our body to make blood vessels.Infusions are delivered in Yale outpatient Centers around the state.

What steps can be taken to prevent and treat primary Raynaud's syndrome?

For people with primary Raynaud's, Dr. Hinchcliffe suggests avoiding things that can trigger attacks, such as extreme temperature changes and stress.Also, some migraine medications (such as triptans), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stimulants (methylphenidate or amphetamines), and heart medications (beta blockers) can worsen Raynaud's symptoms.

"If you have Raynaud's disease, you should talk to your primary care provider to optimize medications that can be used to treat other conditions," she says.

Dr. Hinchcliff also recommends avoiding too much caffeine, as it can constrict blood vessels, just like nicotine (from cigarettes or vaping).Cocaine, a powerful vasoconstrictor, should obviously not be used by anyone, especially those with Raynaud's phenomenon.

If you are having an attack of Raynaud's, Dr. Hinchcliff suggests simple steps to warm up any part of your body that is affected.For example, if your hands are cold, place them in your arms or sit on them, or run them under warm water, rather than taking them out of very hot water, as warming them slowly is good for the body.

"You can prevent pain by slowly relaxing the blood vessels," says Dr. Hinchliffe. "If you're outside in the cold, you can move your fingers and toes to encourage blood circulation. Lowering the arm with the help of gravity can also help. Adding friction, such as rubbing the arm, is also an idea. Neither of these will cure, but they can shorten the duration and lessen the severity of the attack."

She also thinks of charcoal heat packs that you can put inside heated gloves and vests or gloves to keep your core warm.Also, it's not just for winter or cold weather.

"Often Raynaud's is a problem in places with a lot of air conditioning. And it seems to go from one temperature to another. For example, if it's hot outside, and you go to the grocery store where it's freezing, it can trigger an attack," she says.

To reduce stress, she suggests practicing mindfulness.“An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure,” she says.