Why do my feet get cold? For me this is far from an idle question. Ever since my early youth, as soon as the ambient temperature dropped below 25 degrees (whereas to the notorious comfort temperature of 18 degrees, mentioned every now and then in medical books of Soviet times), my feet and hands froze.
Before and in general, it is necessary to understand the cause of the phenomenon in order to cope with it, because it is far from simple that at a generally normal temperature the limbs begin to freeze. The answer is simple - poor circulation . Unfortunately, this very disorder occurs in many diseases, which we will now consider:
In general, needless to say, there are many reasons why feet get cold even when it’s warm. It is clear that if you cure the cause (your chronic disease), then there will be no problems with freezing, cold extremities. But, as always in our world... Most often, a person prone to freezing hands and feet has not one reason, but two or three. Women are much more likely to suffer from cold feet; this is due to hormonal characteristics and, as a rule, regularly reduced physical activity.
The advice in this case is quite obvious - start training your blood vessels, activating general blood circulation. Will help with this:
As is clear from the above, if your feet are constantly cold, you need to approach the matter comprehensively, and not just simply warm the cooling limbs, this will only give a short-term effect. Cold hands and feet are just a signal from the body about poor circulation and it is this that needs to be restored.
Considering the problem of cold toes, let’s immediately leave out of the scope of the review the usual freezing of the feet in the cold season. We are interested in the medical aspect, since cold toes can not only be one of the characteristic manifestations of a person’s constitutional characteristics, in particular, his autonomic nervous system, but also are a symptom of peripheral circulatory disorders, angiopathy, autoimmune and endocrine diseases.
The key cause of cold toes is poor circulation in the feet. Since the fingers of the lower extremities, in the literal sense of the word, are their periphery, many problems arise with its blood supply. Blood enters the fingers through the arteries most distant from the heart - femoral, popliteal, anterior tibial - and enters through the dorsalis pedis artery. At the base of the metatarsal bones of the foot, this artery branches to form an arcuate artery (a. arcuata), from which even thinner blood vessels come - metatarsal arteries (aa. digitales plantares), reaching the fingers with branches aa. digitales plantares propriae (dorsal arteries of the fingers). At the same time, individual anatomical “variations” in the structure of individual vessels are often noted; for example, they may be smaller in diameter or have additional branches. And this, of course, affects blood circulation, especially capillary circulation, leading to cold toes.
It should also be borne in mind that the diameter of the capillaries is 100-200 times smaller than the diameter of small arteries and arterioles, the speed of capillary blood flow is more than 100 times lower than in branching arteries, and the resistance in the capillary system is 25 × 10 4 times higher than in larger vessels of the systemic circulation. In addition, in the absence of active movement, approximately 65-75% of capillaries do not function (especially since there are no muscle fibers in their walls). All of these are quite serious prerequisites for the development of a physiological condition described as cold toes.
And if you have cold fingers and toes even in the hot summer, as with Raynaud’s disease or systemic lupus erythematosus, then this is due to narrowing or spasm of blood vessels and insufficiency of capillary blood flow, because it is the capillaries that deliver oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, ensuring normal tissue metabolism. See also - Angiopathy of the extremities.
The pathogenesis of this condition may be due to the side effects of certain medications, such as beta blockers, which are prescribed to reduce high blood pressure due to hypertension, angina and heart failure. Blood circulation problems in the legs are aggravated by excess body weight and a sedentary lifestyle: your toes will definitely become cold if you sit for hours in front of the computer.
Very often, the first signs of pathology of the vascular system - chronic arterial insufficiency (ischemia) of the lower extremities - appear as cold toes. In clinical angiology, the pathogenesis of chronic arterial insufficiency of the lower extremities is associated with atherosclerosis - deposition on the walls of blood vessels (primarily the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries) of atherosclerotic plaques, narrowing the lumen. And vascular ischemic syndrome in arteriosclerosis is caused by loss of elasticity of the vascular walls due to their compaction. As doctors note, symptoms of chronic arterial insufficiency at the very beginning are expressed in patient complaints of cold toes and the fact that the big toe is cold and often numb.
Cold toes can signal the development of a very dangerous autoimmune disease - obliterating endarteritis, which is accompanied by leg cramps, intermittent claudication and intense pain when walking.
Complications of this disease lead to tissue necrosis and so-called spontaneous gangrene, the consequences of which are sometimes inevitable amputation of the affected limb.
There may also be cold toes due to poor blood supply due to anemia and decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood; with neurocirculatory (vegetative-vascular) dystonia; diabetes mellitus with frequently developing diabetic angiopathy
Endocrinologists always check the level of thyroid hormones in a patient with cold toes, since when their production is reduced (hypothyroidism), cardiac output, volumetric blood flow and heat transfer are reduced.
And hematologists note that hematocrit (blood viscosity) - the proportion of the content of formed elements and the liquid part (plasma) in the blood - plays an important role in ensuring normal blood flow. It is known that too thick blood slows down the speed of blood flow through the vessels. This happens with dehydration (lack of fluid entering the body), smoking, lack of iron and vitamin B12, multiple cysts in the kidneys, ascites, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus, hyperplasia of bone marrow cells (polycethymia), leukemia.
Diagnosis of cold toes is carried out not only on the basis of patient complaints and anamnesis.
Blood tests are prescribed: general blood tests, inflammatory markers, cholesterol, sugar and thyroid hormone levels.
Instrumental diagnostics include:
Considering the multivariate pathogenesis of cold toes, differential diagnosis is carried out using: multislice CT of the lower extremities, MRI of leg vessels, scintigraphy, intravascular ultrasound, laser Dopplerography for percutaneous determination of oxygen tension in the tissues between the toes (which characterizes blood microcirculation).
Since this symptom occurs in a number of pathologies, the treatment of cold toes will depend on the specific diagnosis of each patient.
In case of autonomic dysfunction syndrome, vegetative-vascular dystonia should be treated.
If atherosclerotic plaques are deposited on the walls of blood vessels, narrowing the lumen and impeding the passage of blood, you need to deal with excess cholesterol - see Tablets for high cholesterol.
There are methods used to treat obliterating endarteritis; There are remedies that treat primary hypothyroidism, etc.
In complex drug therapy for cold toes, medications can be used to improve blood circulation in the capillaries.
In particular, to reduce blood viscosity, Trental (Pentoxifylline Agapurin, Vazonit, Pentilin) is prescribed - two or three tablets 2-3 times a day (after meals). It should not be used in patients with a tendency to bleeding, hemorrhagic stroke and retinal hemorrhage, as well as pregnant and lactating women. Trental can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, redness and itching of the skin of the face and chest, stomach pain and headaches, sleep disturbances and heart rhythm problems.
To improve peripheral circulation, the drug Alprostan (Alprostadil, Vazaprostan) can be prescribed, which is injected into a vein once a day (0.05-0.2 mg) for 1-2 weeks. The drug is contraindicated for use in patients under 18 and over 75 years of age, as well as in severe angina, bronchitis with pulmonary obstruction, liver failure, stomach ulcers and during pregnancy. The use of Alprostan may cause side effects: headache, nausea, decreased blood pressure, tachycardia, blood in the urine. Treatment should be carried out no longer than a month.
The angioprotective drug Curantil (Dipyridamole, Anginal, Antistenocardin, Parsedil and other trade names) in the form of 25 mg tablets is recommended to be taken only as prescribed by the attending physician, since widespread atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is listed among its contraindications. Standard dosage – one tablet three times a day; treatment may last several months. However, side effects such as facial flushing, allergic rashes and increased heart rate cannot be ruled out.
The medicine Xanthinol nicotinate (Teonikol, Complamin, Angioamine, etc.) helps to dilate peripheral blood vessels during cold toes: 0.15 g tablets should be taken after meals (1 tablet) three times a day (for 2-3 months). This drug has contraindications: severe heart failure, decreased liver function, bleeding or pathologies associated with bleeding. And the side effects are expressed by dizziness and a feeling of heat in the head, neck and chest.
Also, for cold toes, it is necessary to take vitamins B, PP (nicotinic acid), P (rutin) and antioxidant vitamins C and E.
To get rid of the feeling of cold in the toes, physiotherapeutic treatment can be used: thermal procedures (warm and hot foot baths, ozokerite foot wraps), massage, baromassage (with a change in external pressure), diathermy, diadynamic currents.
In case of arterial insufficiency of the lower extremities with obliteration of blood vessels, according to indications, surgical treatment is carried out, including bypass surgery of the damaged area of the vessel or prosthetics of the vessel.
In some cases (with the exception of chronic arterial ischemia of the vessels of the legs and problems with the endocrine system), alternative treatment for cold toes syndrome helps.
But it helps, of course, temporarily, since it does not affect the cause of the pathology.
It is recommended to do the same hot foot baths (with a decoction of pine needles or mustard powder). And, of course, wear warm socks. And for “training” the vascular system of the feet, contrasting baths or dousing the feet are suitable - alternating hot and cool water.
The feeling of cold disappears for a while after rubbing the toes and entire foot with vodka (with the addition of 3-4 drops of turpentine or cypress essential oil), camphor alcohol, or hawthorn alcohol tincture.
Herbal treatment is also used. So, for atherosclerosis, it is recommended to take an aqueous infusion of dried dill (a teaspoon per 250 ml of boiling water) with honey (a tablespoon). This remedy should be drunk half an hour before meals - 50-60 ml three times a day. In the same way, you can use decoctions and infusions of sweet clover, ivy bud, stinging nettle, white willow bark or dried dandelion roots.
Tincture of horse chestnut flowers tones small blood vessels. To prepare it, a half-liter jar is filled two-thirds with flowers, filled with vodka, tightly closed and kept in the dark for a month. Then filter and take 20 drops before meals for a month.
It is useful to eat beets, cabbage, apples; eating fresh garlic and adding pepper to food and ginger to tea is considered mandatory. And how to treat atherosclerosis with food, see - Diet for atherosclerosis.
Prevention of insufficient blood circulation in the toes begins with quitting smoking, drinking enough fluids (1.5-2 liters during the day) and moving more, for example, walking.
I don’t have enough imagination, which section to turn to
Probably more of a medical issue.
The bottom line: in winter, wearing any shoes will make your toes freeze. I analyzed it - it’s been like this for as long as I can remember. I changed a lot of shoes. Shoes with fur. The heel is fine, and if the shoes are high, then the ankle does not get cold. Now it’s -7 in total, and already my fingers are freezing within 2-3 minutes. I've been to shoe repairs many times - everything is fine with the shoes, but they don't sew in additional fur.
Changed insoles and socks - monopenisually
In woolen ones, if the heel is wet, the toes are icy.
He's a bitch himself, but not to the extreme.
In the warm season everything is fine.
I'm already sinning with medical problems.
Not exactly a doctor, but if you don’t mind, I’ll answer.
“I’m a bitch myself, but not to the extreme.” This is bad =) How will you warm women, most of whom are freezing
But seriously: the same problem has always existed. Extremities are cold: fingers and toes.
During frost, the parts of the body that are most poorly supplied with blood become hypothermic first. Therefore, first of all, the fingers and toes, the tips of the ears and nose freeze.
The most likely causes of freezing feet:
1. Cold shoes
2. Shoes that are too tight - immobilized toes freeze. Too large - there is no heat-saving effect.
3. Extra socks. The leg alternates between sweating and cooling.
4. Circulatory failure (vascular dystonia): icy legs or arms, warmth does not flow even with considerable insulation of the limbs and the house is warm.
I'll just express my opinion. More often than not, feet get cold because of shoes. From time to time I go to a shoe store and am amazed: the shoes they make and bring are not for our winter. There is quite a lot of fur where the ankle is, but where the fingers themselves are - very little, especially if you take into account the fact that in the process of walking the fur where the fingers are rubbed a little anyway, then in the end there is no fur left at all. Solution: look for shoes with a sufficient amount of natural fur in the sock (!).
Refer to the works of Porfiry Ivanov - I found a lot of useful things for myself - I quit smoking and hardened myself (it’s especially nice to run around in the snow in the morning and get wet in windless weather). There is a lot of information on the Internet. It also wouldn’t hurt to inject yourself with nicotine and vitamin C.
Regards, Oleg
thank you for the consultation
1. There were no complaints from women(s).
On the contrary, a positive effect has been repeatedly noted - after a couple of months of regular sleep in the same bed, women's legs no longer feel icy.
2. Hands do not freeze, even with autumn gloves.
3. There is no vegetative-vascular dystonia.
4. Shoes are not tight.
5. My feet were freezing even in the “correct” winter boots.
. and where do I need the third winter pair?
I am quite critical of contrasting hardening and especially winter swimming after a conversation with a “walrus” of my age, who had been winter swimming for about three years at that time.
According to him, he can only turn his attention to his wife after an ice-cold shower
I “use” vitamins quite regularly.
I can find out from nicotinic acid, or explain the relationship.
So what do we get, there are no radical solutions?
Then buy shoes made of high-quality Gore-Tex - the only radical thing is to have a keg of alcohol and a nice (preferably) polisher.
Regards, Oleg
But: mine is an office worker with periodic unpredictable meetings with people of different status and, accordingly, dress code.
My shoes and briefcase must be leather. Default.
. and why am I not a hobbit with hairy heels?
Then I will heed the words of NDK - I will “look for shoes with a sufficient amount of natural fur in the sock”
“Drinking is harmful to health!”
. and use fire water for rubbing. I hope I never end up like this
“Pretty” is not desirable, but a necessary minimum. Plus the face must be “disfigured by intelligence”
Hmm, it turned out radically too
PS Shame, “a twilight state of mind, burdened. ", I'm going to flame
Thank the gods, Moscow is +1. Don't freeze yet
PPS So is this a medical issue or not? Doctors, ah!
Hmm. Again, not a doctor, but I will answer.
The fact is that when smoking a spasm of blood vessels is formed, this is most sensitively felt on the fingers and toes. With prolonged smoking (like from childhood), this can cause certain problems, even serious illnesses.
The doctors will explain it in a smart way, I hope. How!
. tap on your tongue!
. I have been smoking for 16 years with a year break.
There was such an incident with me during my school years: I decided to learn to smoke. I drove away from the dacha and smoked about half a pack of Cosmos. About two hours later it started to feel sick. Go home at night. At night, an ambulance - my legs below the knees are icy. Hands - I just don’t remember. The heating pad burns, but doesn’t get any warmer. Nausea, weakness. The doctor found it difficult to make a diagnosis. A day later it passed. For some reason I didn’t smoke for a long time.
Another reason to quit!
I'll go have a smoke for now.
. In theory, after a cigarette there may be a temporary narrowing of blood vessels.
With a pack a day, can a permanent narrowing develop?
We still need doctors.
I bought two pairs of insoles:
1. wool/foam/foil (foiled polyethylene foam, also known as folgoizol, isolon, etc.)
We are waiting for a further report on how you spent the winter, whether your toes froze after purchasing the special ones. insole =))))))))))))
PS. Sorry for the banter.
But the doctors are silent.
Isn't this a medical issue?
I bookmarked the topic.
I'll write the test results in the spring
I hope you don’t need before, during and after photos?
But the doctors are silent.
Isn't this a medical issue?
Whether this is a medical question or not, a normal doctor would answer. Only one of them, Maxim, left the forum, and Valera rarely appears, the rest, apparently, have nothing to say. Therefore, you are unlikely to wait for an answer.
For this I take my leave.
And why immediately “a normal doctor”, everyone was taken away and there was nothing to say. There is such a vague and extremely popular diagnosis - vegetative-vascular dystonia. For a city dweller, it’s an everyday thing, like, the environment is bad, physical inactivity, nerves, all that. In particular, the toes and hands get cold. No matter how much you insulate, they still freeze. Doubtful differential diagnosis with a tablespoon of cognac, take it and see if they are still freezing or not freezing anymore. In addition, wake up in the morning, before the first cigarette, look at your palms - they should be of uniform color, smoke the first morning cigarette, then the second morning cigarette and look at your palms again, they should be spotted, uneven color. If so, then it’s high time to quit smoking, like, by the capillary bed.
If your fingers are not cold and your hands are warm, then this can be attributed to individual characteristics of blood circulation. What else positive can you say? Wear thermal socks.
Fingers and toes are for the Koreans; su-jok affects the entire body through them.
We had a doctor who was an adept in this matter. I came to her, my head hurts like crazy, give me a pill, I’ve run out of mine. No, it won’t work, she stuck a short nail in her thumb - an asterisk, press it, she says. And it hurts. I pressed for half an hour, when I come back, give me a pill. No. sprinkled some buckwheat on the other finger, press there too. I walked for two hours, it didn’t help. He returned, took off this bullshit, begged for a pill, and when asked what else hurt, he said that the tip of his nose was very cold - I often have this with a headache.
Well, we’ll cure this, I took out a wormwood cigarette, put it on my palm, lit it - when the cigarette burned out, the headache had already passed. And under the theory that the optic nerves are projected onto the nose area, I gave the pill back.
quote: Originally posted by Alexei_K:
. I have been smoking for 16 years with a year break.
. I'll go have a smoke for now.
With a pack a day, how can a permanent narrowing develop?
The disease is called obliterating enteritis.
Read it - it's about you.
From personal experience: I happened to see a person who, as a result of his smoking, was sharpened like a pencil.
First they cut off the toes, then the feet, then the legs up to the knee joints, and when I met him, they were talking about amputating the femurs.
In addition, his ears had already turned gray and they had apparently also been amputated.
For now, go have a smoke, and then find a medical reference book (even on the Internet) and read it.
I quit after smoking for 20 years.
And my toes don't get cold.
By the way, it is very economically profitable.
Got it, I'll check it in the morning.
Don't forget to buy cognac in the evening
su-jok - I know what it is. Passed on a different occasion. Traumatic brain injuries, mainly
The loads increased after six months, half of what was removed came back. Then a professional chiropractor “handled” me. It's been normal for 10 years now. There is no longer 100% faith in Su Jok therapy
A great incentive to quit smoking.
1 pack per day X 32-34 rub. X 30 days X 12 months = min 12,000 rubles/year savings
And I'm freezing. and in the summer too. generally always(
They say blood circulation is poor...
Against the backdrop of a cold throat, I smoke “half a portion”
. and I cringe, remembering the words.
until my fingers became warmer.
And I'm freezing. They say it is vegetative-vascular dystonia.
yopt. you're cooler than Allan Carr. I don't want to smoke anymore.
There is practically no fatty tissue in the foot area, and very little muscle. Therefore, in cold weather, feet freeze due to high heat transfer. Some people have cold feet all the time, even in the heat of summer. Why does this happen, and what to do in this case?
Vegetative-vascular dystonia. This conditional diagnosis can be given to 80% of people. Disharmony in the functioning of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system leads to disruption of the regulation of vascular and internal organ tone, which often requires treatment with venotonic drugs (detralex).
Low blood pressure. Freezing extremities are a fairly common problem among hypotensive patients. With low blood pressure, blood flow slows down, so hypotensive patients often freeze.
Hypothyroidism. When the function of the thyroid gland decreases, all processes in the body slow down. For this reason, hypothyroidism causes chronic fatigue and a feeling of cold.
Body constitution. Often the feet get cold in asthenics - thin people with a narrow chest. Asthenics have a small heart, which is why it is not able to provide normal blood supply to the body.
Iron-deficiency anemia. With this disease, hypoxia is noted. Tissues (including vascular tissues) do not receive enough oxygen, which is why coldness is felt in the extremities (arms and legs).
Helminthiasis. Parasites of the gastrointestinal tract produce toxins that affect vascular tone
Smoking. It is known that nicotine can cause vasospasm.
Atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels. Cholesterol plaques interfere with normal blood flow.
Back diseases. Feet can freeze due to osteochondrosis, in particular, when nerve endings are pinched, which can lead to a feeling of coldness in the limbs and even numbness.
Taking certain medications. Beta-blockers cause spasm of peripheral blood vessels, causing a person to feel coldness, primarily in the extremities.
To prevent the harsh winter from affecting your health, it is important to dress properly. This is especially true for those whose work involves prolonged exposure to the street.
If you notice that even in warm weather your limbs are cold, it is best to consult a doctor to determine the exact cause of this symptom. By eliminating the causative disease, you will forever get rid of the problem of cold feet.
Here are a few recommendations that people who often have cold feet should take into account:
Train your blood vessels. Contrast procedures are perfect for this: a contrast shower or alternately lowering your feet into cold and hot water. Also useful will be saunas and baths, in which cold water dousing is provided after “hot” procedures.
Play sports. Force yourself to exercise daily. According to your taste, you can choose running, aerobics, brisk walking, swimming, cycling and other types of physical activity.
Try to get rid of bad habits. As mentioned above, nicotine causes vasospasm. Excessive consumption of alcohol and coffee also negatively affects the vascular system. It is better to exclude them from your diet altogether.
Eat right. In the cold season, eat fatty sea fish (mackerel, salmon, pangasius) more often. If you have low hemoglobin, give preference to foods that contain large amounts of iron (meat, cocoa). To maintain normal activity of the thyroid gland, iodine is needed, which is found in seaweed, sea salt, fish and seafood.
Maintain drinking balance. Drink enough liquid (30 ml per 1 kg of body weight). If you increase the amount of fluid you consume, this will lead to increased blood circulation, which will make you feel warmer.
Choose the right shoes. You should not wear shoes that fit tightly to your feet. This is especially true for winter shoes. This way, heat exchange with the environment occurs more intensely, which you absolutely do not need. Your foot should feel free in your shoes. If there is little air space in the shoe, the foot will cool down more slowly.
Toughen up. Spring and summer are the right time to start hardening procedures. Start by taking air baths, gradually moving on to rubbing and dousing with water. This way you will not only improve vascular tone, but also significantly increase the body’s immune defense.
Today we will talk about what to do if your feet are cold. The topic is quite relevant for the site “Beautiful and Successful”, because women more often than men complain that their feet are constantly cold.
Do you know why we face this problem more often than men? Because we are women!
Yes, yes, everything is closely related to blood circulation and the structural features of the female body. Let's look at this in more detail.
To find out why your feet are cold, you need to understand - does this happen constantly or periodically?
Our feet get cold more often than men’s, because women have a natural tendency to continue the family line. The female body is primarily configured to maintain the warmth of its internal organs.
Wise nature has made sure that the female organs - whose main task is to bear and give birth to children - always remain warm.
As soon as a temperature change occurs, the main flow of blood goes directly to the reproductive female organs.
Therefore, women’s extremities immediately freeze - the blood retreats from the periphery to the center (the fingers and toes become cold, then the feet and hands). For men, everything happens differently: they either do not notice the temperature difference that the female body feels, or their feet do not freeze so much.
The nature of blood flow is also affected by the different ratio of fat and muscle mass in men and women. As you know, muscle mass in women is lower than in men. Muscles give us internal energy that warms the body from the inside.
Consequently, women's muscle mass produces less heat, which is why their feet and hands may become cold.
You've probably noticed how older people very often complain that their feet are cold. Have you seen how wrinkled the skin is on their legs and hands?
As a person ages, the ratio of muscle and fat tissue changes, but in some people this is one of the structural features of the legs - they do not have enough muscle tissue in the limbs, and there is no subcutaneous fat that warms the legs. This may also be the reason why your feet are cold.
If your feet only get cold when you are in the cold, then there is no reason to worry. But if this happens constantly, then the body gives a signal - the functioning of the circulatory system is disrupted!
Be careful, constantly cold fingers and toes may indicate some diseases that are caused by impaired capillary blood flow. The most common causes of impaired blood flow are:
If your feet and hands are cold all year round, you sleep under a cotton blanket both in summer and winter, and woolen socks are your favorite at any time of the year, you need to do vascular training to improve blood flow to the extremities.
The main task is to improve blood flow to the fingers and toes.
Course – 3 months.
Sometimes there are situations when it is necessary to prevent your feet from freezing. Well, for example, you won’t sit in the office with your feet in a basin of warm water or putting on woolen socks.
Women whose feet are constantly cold, even in summer, have found effective ways and shared their secrets with us.
If our advice does not help you and your feet are cold, be sure to consult a doctor. Perhaps your freezing feet and toes are your body’s signal of illness.
The extremities become cold (regardless of the weather) for various objective reasons, among which the attention of doctors should be drawn to numbness in the toes (hands) without obvious actual signs. That is, this symptom is not associated with injury, hypothermia, low external temperature, tight shoes or thick gloves, being in an uncomfortable position for a long time, etc. The compressive effect can cause unpleasant sensations, manifested by tingling in the fingers, decreased sensitivity, and limited mobility. As soon as this cause is eliminated, all negative symptoms disappear without a trace. After all, the blood supply to the tissues of the hands and feet is restored, and the nerve endings receive enough nutrition to function normally.
Cold fingers and toes, when there are no external factors, are a “heat” signal indicating a developing pathology. Its localization can be in different places of the body, so a thorough medical diagnosis is necessary. It will allow you to determine not only the place where the disease is “hiding”, but also to find out its nature. Therefore, if you constantly observe:
You should definitely see a doctor. Loss of sensation in the fingers on one or both hands, lasting without obvious reasons for more than three minutes and periodically recurring, signals certain types of diseases of the nerve endings and blood vessels.
But even that is not a fact, because The causes of constantly cold fingers can be:
There are other pathological processes that are signaled by insensitive fingers. Therefore, a thorough medical examination is so necessary. As a rule, a neurologist or traumatologist obliges the patient to take tests (blood, urine), do x-rays, and ultrasound of the blood vessels of the hands and brain. If there is not enough information, magnetic tomography of the head and spinal column is performed.
Conclusion: regularly cold fingers and toes are not just a temporary inconvenience, but also an indicator of an existing disease in the body. Detecting it in time is the key to successful therapeutic treatment.
Why do women's hands and feet get cold much more often than men? This is explained simply. Firstly, their thermoregulation processes are less well-established, and secondly, their “thermostat” is naturally more sensitive. However, there may be other reasons for increased female chilliness.
Reason 1: sedentary lifestyle
With insufficient physical activity, the blood “stagnates” and poorly supplies the limbs with heat. The situation is further complicated by the fact that due to sedentary work the tone of the cardiovascular system decreases. Therefore, a person cannot warm up even after the end of the working day. Through weak vessels, blood practically does not reach the tips of the arms and legs.
What to do: every 2-3 hours you need to perform industrial gymnastics. It is useful to take a contrast shower in the morning. The hardening procedure stimulates the heart and helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
During stress, the body produces an increased amount of adrenaline, which causes vascular spasms. As a result, blood flow is disrupted and the hands and feet become cold. From time to time the patient may experience chills.
What to do: Taking sedatives, frequent walks in the fresh air and psychotherapy can help improve the condition.
Reason 3: vitamin deficiency
Increased freezing can be caused by a lack of vitamins C, E and P. All these elements are responsible for maintaining the tone of the vascular walls. A deficiency of valuable compounds leads to vascular damage and circulatory failure. The condition is also accompanied by the frequent appearance of bruises on the body, fatigue, and pale skin. Pathology often develops in women on strict diets.
What to do: start taking multivitamins. Enrich your daily diet with fruits, vegetables and grains.
Reason 4: thyroid disease
The thyroid gland synthesizes hormones that control metabolism. We improve metabolism and lose weight without dieting. Their deficiency leads to disruption of heat production. The patient's limbs become frozen, lethargy and depression occur. Additional signals of endocrine problems include a slow heartbeat, swelling of the eyelids, dryness and flaking of the skin.
What to do: visit an endocrinologist, get tested for thyroid-stimulating hormone and triiodothyronine, perform an ultrasound of the thyroid gland. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional tests: MRI, computed tomography, radiography.
Reason 5: iron deficiency anemia
Iron is necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin, the main supplier of oxygen to tissues. A deficiency of the mineral threatens to disrupt energy processes in cells, and as a result, reduce heat production. Iron deficiency anemia can be recognized by other signs. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, headaches, tinnitus and drowsiness. The disease often occurs during pregnancy.
What to do: to confirm the diagnosis you will need to take a blood test for hemoglobin. Its norm in women varies from 120 to 140 g/l (in pregnant women from 105 to 120 g/l). It is important to follow a special diet. It is recommended to consume more meat and dairy products. Iron-based medications are taken only as prescribed by a doctor.
Reason 6: arterial hypotension
When diastolic (bottom) pressure drops below 80 mm Hg. Art. blood flows through the vessels too slowly. Lack of blood circulation primarily affects organs and tissues located on the periphery. People diagnosed with arterial hypotension experience almost constantly cold hands and feet. Cold hands and feet: causes of increased chilliness.
What to do: seek help from a therapist or cardiologist. Hypotension is usually treated with non-drug methods. Gymnastics, long walks, and hardening procedures are shown.
Reason 7: diabetes
Constant chilliness is just one of the many symptoms of diabetes. The cause of the disease lies in a decrease in insulin production or a decrease in tissue sensitivity to this hormone. Classic signs of pathology are increased thirst, frequent urination, and itchy skin. Itchy skin - what does it mean? , visual impairment.
What to do: take a blood test for sugar Blood sugar in pregnant women: how not to miss the right moment, visit an endocrinologist.
This disease most often affects women aged 30-40 years. Under the influence of stress or cold, the fingers freeze and first acquire a white, then bluish tint. After warming up, the hands become red and swollen. Restoration of blood circulation is accompanied by pain and unpleasant stabbing sensations. The causes of the disease have not been fully established. Most doctors believe that its development is due to genetic factors.
What to do: the fight against the disease includes hardening, playing sports and diet therapy. Patients are advised to drink more fluids and eat seafood. To avoid attacks, you should be well insulated before going out into the cold.
Reason 9: vegetative-vascular dystonia
This condition is associated with disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates vascular tone and blood supply to internal organs. Patients complain of freezing, increased fatigue, periodic dizziness and pressure surges. Some may experience heart pain, hot flashes, and a feeling of pins and needles running through the body.
What to do: make an appointment with a neurologist. In the treatment of the disease, sedatives, physiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises are used.
The resulting deformation of the vertebrae puts pressure on the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the spinal cord. Back pain, dizziness occur, and blood circulation is impaired. Hands and feet are cold, and from time to time a feeling of numbness may occur in them. The neglect of osteochondrosis leads to the development of a hernia of the spine, so it is very important to start treatment on time.
What to do: complex therapy for osteochondrosis includes physical therapy, massage, acupuncture and medication.
Cholesterol plaques are deposited on the vessels, which narrow their lumen. As a result, blood flow to tissues and organs becomes difficult. Patients with atherosclerosis experience not only freezing of their hands and feet. Other frequent companions of the disease are headaches, tinnitus, and memory loss. Pathology can develop with age, as a result of poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle.
What to do: perform an ECG and ultrasound of the heart, get tested for sugar and cholesterol, visit a cardiologist. Start taking lipid-lowering drugs.
Nicotine causes constriction of small vessels - capillaries. The spasm persists for 2-3 hours. Therefore, people who smoke more than two cigarettes a day often experience problems with blood circulation.
What to do: give up the bad habit or reduce the frequency of smoking to a minimum.