Having cold hands and feet even when not in a聽cold environment is quite common. Although uncomfortable, it is usually not a cause for concern as it could just be your聽system’s聽way of maintaining its natural body temperature. 聽
That being said, constantly experiencing cold hands and feet, particularly if accompanied by color changes, could be taken as a warning sign. It is possibly your聽body’s way of signaling聽that you may have a problem with your聽nerves and blood circulation. It may also mean that you are experiencing an issue with tissue damage harming聽your hands, fingers, feet or toes.
Different signs and symptoms to watch out for:
- Changes in the color of the skin around your hands and feet (e.g. like blue or white skin)
- Numbness or tingling
- Open sores or blisters
- Tightened or hardened skin
If you feel聽like your extremities are often cold, you may want to ask your doctor about it. Cold hands and feet are a common聽complaint, but when this happens to young, healthy people they聽have to take it more seriously. Cold extremities can signal other more dangerous problems, including Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), rheumatologic conditions, scleroderma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or even possibly an under-active thyroid.
Raynaud鈥檚 disease
Possibly caused by cold hands and feet聽Raynaud鈥檚 disease, a generally benign condition, causes聽the blood vessels in the fingers and toes to overly constrict. In those rare cases, arteries in the fingers and toes constrict all of a sudden, and the vessels close down causing temporary color changes. Color changes are direct external visualization of what may be happening beneath the skin and thus they can be quite alarming. Nevertheless, for people with primary or benign forms of Raynaud鈥檚 or people without an underlying disease, color changes could also be harmless.
Although Raynaud鈥檚 is normally a harmless condition, it can also develop in people with underlying rheumatologic or vascular disease and may be connected with small pits or ulcerations in the fingers or toes that are difficult to heal.
Go and check with your doctor if you have cold extremities and symptoms such as:聽
- sores that heal poorly
- cracked fingertips or toes
- thickened or tightened skin
- fatigue
- weight differentiation
- fever
- joint pain or rashes
The sense of uncomfortably chilly fingers or toes often varies from person to person but can be addressed by:
- Keeping your feet and hands warm by wearing wool socks, warm footwear and gloves.
- Maintaining your overall body temperature by聽wearing layered clothing, which can be removed easily if needed.聽
- Avoiding caffeine and nicotine, since they can further aggravate the effect of the cold.
Older adults and peripheral artery disease
Cold hands and feet in older people can also be linked to PAD, resulting in their arteries becoming narrowed or blocked as plaque gradually builds inside the walls.
PAD usually affects people aged 50 or older with a history聽of smoking or diabetes. While anyone aged 70 or older should be screened regularly.
