Raynaud’s Disease Treatment

This week like usual we had a wide variety of different conditions that we saw in our clinic. One condition that stood out the most was painful, dusky, bluish toes in young female patients. Every now and then you have to dig deep in your gray matter and figure out what you are faced with. 

This condition was Raynaud’s Disease, which is a condition in which extreme exposure to cold causes your small blood vessels to spasm and restrict blood flow temporarily to your toes and fingers. Although it can affect anyone, most commonly it affects young caucasian females. 

Treatment is avoidance of cold exposure. We all bundle up just fine but we often do not wear gloves or wear proper socks. Even small exposure by walking on a hardwood floor without socks or slippers can be a trigger. Often holding a cold beverage will cause similar symptoms in your fingers. 

Blood flow to the extremities is limited as is and exposure to cold worsens it. This happens directly via spasms of the small vessels and in extreme cases such as in hypothermia, it happens by our body diverting blood to vital organs to keep them working and keep the core warm. 

So bundle up, wear warm woolen socks, wear proper winter boots when walking outdoors, wear proper gloves. If symptoms persist, call us at 517-879-4241 to schedule an appointment.

Dannyial Shahid