Stress, Raynaud’s syndrome, finer sensitivity, persistent cold… List of possible causes when your hands are always (or often) cold and tips for warming them with Dr. Daniel Caroff, general practitioner and naturopath.
Why are our hands cold?
Having cold hands is very common, even if the temperature is not cold. According to Dr. Daniel Caroff, there are several explanations for this phenomenon. If we focus on the western medicine“the cold causes vasoconstriction (decreased diameter of the blood vessels) and the blood is brought back to the center of the body in order to protect the noble organs so that the majority of the body is maintained at 37 degrees. The extremities are then abandoned“. In naturopathy, it is not normal to have cold hands and feet even when it is cold. “These people are then considered to have a liver function disorder. It is the hottest organ and when it is too intoxicated, it functions less well and therefore does not produce enough heat.“Even if the sensation of cold is in the hands, the liver will then be treated first. Finally, in chinese medicinesomeone with cold hands and feet”doesn’t have enough yang (yin and yang). In this case, it is treated by doing acupuncture or moxibustion using a moxa stick placed over a slice of ginger which is a hot ingredient at the level of the navel. This warms the center and therefore the yang will be able to warm the body“.
Why do some people always have cold hands?
Some people are more sensitive to the cold because of the overexpression of TRPM-8 protein, synthesized from the TRPM-8 gene. This is located at the level of the sensory neurons which act as receptors, and is directly involved in the sensations of cold.
What is the cold hands syndrome called?
A finger coloring disorder because of the cold may be due to Raynaud’s syndrome or at the Raynaud’s disease. You have to know how to differentiate the two.
- Raynaud’s disease is a vascular disorder but without a specific cause.
- Raynaud’s syndrome, on the other hand, has an origin. It can be a autoimmune disease, systemic disease, artery disease…
In both cases, we observe a vasoconstriction of finger arterioles. These are pale, even purple, they cool and become painful.
Why do we get cold hands when we are stressed?
“In the same way as the cold, stress creates vasoconstriction“, explains Dr. Caroff. When we are stressed, the orthosympathetic nervous system is brought into play. It is he who signals the danger and makes the body react either by flight or by attack. , the heart rate increases and this causes vasoconstriction to bring blood back to the center of the body, in this case the heart to prepare for action (attack or flight). The extremities are therefore neglected.
Is having cold hands a sign of anemia?
It is possible to feel chilly in case of anemia. A person with anemia has a lack of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is used to transport oxygen in the body. The symptoms are as follows: fatigue, paleness, shortness of breath, feeling cold. But having cold extremities isn’t an automatic symptom of anemia, according to Dr. Caroff. “A person who suffers from anemia has less hemoglobin and therefore less oxygen, but the quantity of blood remains the same.“
What to do to stop having cold hands?
If the sensation of cold hands is simply due to the temperature, it is advisable to
- to move,
- put your hands under lukewarm water to activate blood circulation
- prefer mittens to gloves, they better protect the hands from the cold.
- use heaters.
On the other hand, if it is Raynaud’s disease or syndrome, and this is very debilitating, it is possible to see prescribe by the doctor calcium channel blockers which are vasodilators.
What natural remedies for cold hands?
The capillaries are the ones that get blocked first and therefore a solution must be found to dilate them. Dr. Salmanoff, a Russian doctor born in 1875 and died in 1964, invented the turpentine baths, capable of physiologically revitalizing all of the capillaries. “It is possible to take a bath at 39-42 degrees, therefore adding turpentine oil to it twice a week. When that’s not enough, a cure of Capillar can be beneficial“, explains Daniel Caroff. Finally, treating the cold gradually with cold (finishing your toilet with a cold shower every day) can help “grow strong“naturally.
Thanks to Dr Daniel Caroff, general practitioner and naturopath.