Raynaud's disease
Although it’s been over 100 years since Raynaud’s was recognized, little is still known about the condition, its cause, or its cure - Raynaud's Association
HWN Suggests
Are Your Hands Almost Always Cold? You Might Have Raynaud’s Syndrome
So what is Raynaud’s phenomenon (a.k.a. Raynaud’s syndrome and Raynaud’s disease)? Doctors don’t completely understand the cause of it, hence the name “phenomenon” and there’s no cure by the way. During an attack, blood vessels in the hands and feet overreact and go into spasm when they sense exposure to cold temperature or stress. It’s like only having an on/off switch for your arteries instead of a dimmer switch - the blood vessels just close down instead of gradually attenuating. It’s considered a type of arthritis and also gets worse as you get older. Your fingers may also…
Articles of Interest
Cold Hands May Signal Raynaud’s Phenomenon
The adage “Cold hands, warm heart” might describe me accurately if it also included “cold feet.” Every autumn, even before the leaves...
Cold hands: Could it be Raynaud’s?
Named after the French physician who first described it in 1862, Raynaud’s is a problem in the body’s arteries. In most people with Raynaud’s, small arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to the fingers spasm and close down in response to cold or stress. This reduces or cuts off blood flow to the fingers. Without a steady supply of warm blood circulating through them, the affected fingers become pale. Raynaud’s can also affect the toes, nose, lips, ears, nipples, and other body parts.
How Serious Is Raynaud’s Phenomenon?
If a patient with Raynaud’s does not have an autoimmune disease or other secondary cause for the condition, then it is a benign disorder, despite what other members of the family have.
In Winter's Grip
So far, by choice, I've made do without the drugs. Seventeen years after my diagnosis, I've learned to live with Raynaud's. I always carry gloves, and if there is even the remotest possibility that I will feel cold, I take an extra jacket. I gave up smoking. I work out four or five days a week.
Raynaud's 101
What You Need to Know...
The Future of Off-Label Drugs and Their Value to Raynaud’s Sufferers
Off-label drugs present two issues important to Raynaud’s sufferers: First, insurance companies have the right to refuse coverage for off-label usage. They generally approve claims to use calcium channel blockers for Raynaud’s because they aren’t that expensive by drug standards. But ED drugs are a different issue because these medications are pretty pricey. - See more at: http://www.raynauds.org/2016/03/31/the-future-of-off-label-drugs-and-their-value-to-raynauds-sufferers/#sthash.mWS38Hfa.dpuf
This Might Be Why Your Hands Are Always Cold
There are plenty of treatment options available, depending on the cause and severity of your Raynaud’s. “If it happens to be the primary problem, it’s not that big of a deal...
Resources
RaynaudsDisease.com
We are here to help you learn about Raynaud's Disease, and help you cope with the symptoms of Raynaud's Disease. We hope that you find us to be a valuable resource for information, help, guidance, advice and products that can help you deal with Raynaud's Disease.
Raynaud’s Association
The Raynaud’s Association is a national non-profit (501c3) organization whose mission is to provide support and education to the millions of sufferers of Raynaud’s Phenomenon, an exaggerated sensitivity to cold temperatures.
Raynauds Scleroderma Awareness- Global Patients
A platform for global networking about the rare disease Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) and Raynauds.
The Raynaud's Project
Beating Raynaud's disease without medications.
MayoClinic
Women are more likely than men to have Raynaud's disease, also known as Raynaud or Raynaud's phenomenon or syndrome. It appears to be more common in people who live in colder climates. Treatment of Raynaud's disease depends on its severity and whether you have other health conditions.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
The primary form is the most common. It most often starts between age 15 and 25. It is most common in: •Women •People living in cold places.
Patient
Raynaud's phenomenon, often just called Raynaud's, is a condition where the small blood vessels of the fingers become narrow (constrict), most commonly when they are in a cool environment. Sometimes blood vessels to other extremities such as the toes, ears and nose are affected. It is named after Dr Maurice Raynaud, the man who first described it in 1862.
