What is Raynaud's disease?
Raynaud's disease causes some areas of your body — such as your fingers and toes — to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress.
In Raynaud's disease, smaller arteries that supply blood to your skin become narrow, limiting blood flow to affected areas (vasospasm).
Women are more likely than men to have Raynaud's disease, also known as Raynaud's or Raynaud's phenomenon or syndrome. It appears to be more common in people who live in colder climates.
Treatment of Raynaud's disease depends on its severity and whether you have other health conditions.
For most people, Raynaud's disease isn't disabling, but it can affect your quality of life.
Signs and symptoms of Raynaud's disease include:
- Cold fingers or toes
- Color changes in your skin in response to cold or stress
- Numb, prickly feeling or stinging pain upon warming or stress relief
During an attack of Raynaud's, affected areas of your skin usually first turn white. Then, they often turn blue and feel cold and numb. As you warm and your circulation improves, the affected areas may turn red, throb, tingle or swell.
Although Raynaud's most commonly affects your fingers and toes, it can also affect other areas of your body, such as your nose, lips, ears and even nipples.
After you warm up, the return of normal blood flow to the area can take 15 minutes.
Doctors don't completely understand the cause of Raynaud's attacks, but blood vessels in the hands and feet appear to overreact to cold temperatures or stress.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/raynauds-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20363571
