If you feel your hands and feet getting cold, you may have Raynaud’s. Learn about Raynaud’s Syndrome treatment as well as how to diagnose it.
Raynaud’s Syndrome, also known as Raynaud’s Disease, causes your extremities to get cold or numb in low temperatures or moments of stress. The reason behind this is poor circulation resulting from narrowing arteries, or vasospasm.
Raynaud’s affects between 5% to 10% of Americans, but few of those affected seek treatment. While women are likelier to suffer from the condition than men, the disease is most common in those who live in cold climates.
When deciding between treatment options, doctors consider factors such as severity and presence of any additional conditions. Even though Raynaud’s is not a disabling condition, it can impact your quality of life.
Raynaud’s Diagnosis
In diagnosing the condition, doctors will cover your symptoms, medical history, and may even run tests to discard any conditions with similar symptoms. There are two types of Raynaud’s: primary and secondary. Doctors may conduct a nail fold capillaroscopy test to determine which one you have.
The exam determines if you have any deformities or enlarged capillaries on the skin at the base of your fingernail.
Furthermore, if your doctor believes that there is an underlying condition, they will likely order additional tests. These tests include an antinuclear antibodies test and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate test.
If positive, you may have an underlying autoimmune, connective tissue, or inflammatory disease. However, there isn’t one test that can determine if you have Raynaud’s. Instead, your doctor will order tests that will rule out any other condition.
Raynaud’s Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Raynaud’s, but various treatment options can help manage the condition and its symptoms. For example, people with a mild case of Raynaud’s will find it helpful to wear gloves, heavy socks, and layers during cold weather.
People with moderate-to-severe forms of the disease may need to take medications to alleviate the symptoms. The purpose of treating Raynaud’s is to reduce the number of attacks as well as their severity, prevent possible tissue damage, and treat any underlying conditions.
Medications
The cause and severity of the condition will determine if medication is necessary. The main goal behind taking medication is to dilate blood vessels, which will promote circulation.
Two types of medications are helpful in these cases: calcium channel blockers and vasodilators.
Calcium channel blockers can help decrease the frequency and severity of the attacks by relaxing and opening small blood vessels in the extremities. Moreover, they can help heal any skin ulcers on your toes and fingers.
On the other hand, vasodilators help relax blood vessels, and certain creams also treat skin ulcers.
Medical Procedures
In the case of severe Raynaud’s, a patient may need to undergo nerve surgery or chemical injections.
Nerve surgery involves cutting specific nerves that control the opening and narrowing of blood vessels in the skin. The goal is to reduce the duration and frequency of the attacks. The procedure involves making small incisions in the affected areas (hands or feet).
Patients may also need chemical injections, in which doctors inject local anesthetics or other chemicals into the affected area. The goal is to block the sympathetic nerves that are cutoff in nerve surgery. However, unlike nerve surgery, chemical injections may need to be repeated if the symptoms persist or return.
Additional Treatment Options
While treatment depends mainly on your condition’s severity, Raynaud’s main factor is poor circulation. Many people have found that circulation supplements, such as Circulation Boost, have improved their blood flow.
In the case of Circulation Boost, the formula works within the arteries to increase nitric oxide production and promote adequate circulation. If you suffer from Raynaud’s, talk with your doctor about whether adding circulation supplements like Circulation Boost may help alleviate your symptoms.