With falling temperatures, hands are often cold. Most of the time, this phenomenon is not serious, it is simply linked to a lower blood flow at this level. Tips for reheating them quickly.
Why are the hands cold?
Most often, having cold hands is benign and temporary. It is also sometimes a symptom of Raynaud’s syndrome. The blood vessels constrict (vasoconstriction), which causes impression of coldness, insensitivity and pallor fingers which can last from a few minutes to several hours. It is generally triggered by exposure to cold, especially during fall and winter. This slowing of blood circulation is responsible for a decrease in heat. In general, the hands warm up easily and quickly. “Certain factors can trigger or aggravate this phenomenon. This is the case of smoking, permanent stress, a specific professional activity (use of a jackhammer), certain autoimmune disorders affecting the connective tissue and may be complicated by persistent skin lesions, or taking certain medicationsincluding beta-blockers“, comments Dr. Patrick Aubé.
What are some tips for warming your hands quickly?
There are several tips for warming your hands quickly:
- Move your fingers to promote blood circulation,
- pass his hands under lukewarm water
- To drink tea or hot chocolate
- To rub hands
- Place your hands under your buttocks, under your thighs or under your armpits
- Blow on his hands
- Clench the fists
- Use heaters
“In general, you should know that nicotine has a vasoconstrictor effect, it is therefore recommended to quit smoking. If one is sensitive to cold andhumidityyou have to think about isolate his hands by wearing gloves. If the phenomenon settles permanently, especially after the fifties, it is necessary to consult its doctor to eliminate a cardiovascular fragility or a disease of system. Treatment with vasodilating drugs may then be prescribed. If you are more “natural medicine”, some plants can be recommended: rosemary, red vine, chrysantellum americanum, blackcurrant, ginkgo biloba“, adds the general practitioner.
What gloves to wear to keep your hands warm?
The choice of gloves is essential when your hands are cold. The main criterion for not being wrong? They retain heat well! For this, care is taken to opt for waterproof gloves to keep out moisturebut also that they are endowed with a character windproof as well as good breathability. The wording on the packaging is also important. If it says “warm” or “extra-warm”, it’s a good sign! The material is also of paramount importance: nylon and polyester provide excellent protection against humidity. the leather is interesting as long as you are not in contact with humidity. “For greater efficiency, it is recommended to wear thin gloves on the skin, covered with thicker gloves, the best thermal insulator being the air trapped in the meshes of the fabric“, says Dr. Patrick Aubé.
Thanks to Dr. Patrick Aubé, general practitioner, author of the book les tisanes qui soin (Éd. Leducs).