Cold feet and hands. Why cold hands and feet in an adult, child, baby: reasons. Why a child with a high temperature has a hot head and cold hands and feet: causes, treatment. Why cold hands and feet with high pressure when the head hurts

Raynaud's disease

This disease is a common cause of cold fingers, in which blood vessels constrict under low temperatures or stress. At the time of the crisis, the fingers may turn white, then turn blue due to reduced or interrupted blood supply. With the expansion of blood vessels, the fingers acquire a red tint. The crisis is accompanied by numbness or, on the contrary, severe pain. Fortunately, this violation is more unpleasant than dangerous. Simple preventive measures - warm clothes, gloves or mittens, and avoiding severe emotional stress - are sufficient to prevent a crisis.

Autoimmune diseases

Sometimes another disease can trigger Raynaud's disease. Lupus, in which the immune system attacks its own tissues scleroderma, leading to thickening and scarring of the skin and connective tissues; rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. When the underlying disease is treated, the symptoms of Raynaud's disease usually resolve.

Hypothyroidism

Often, cold fingers are the result of a reduced function of the thyroid gland - the "thermostat" of the body. With this disorder, most processes in the body slow down, and symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, weight gain, and a constant feeling of cold appear. Hypothyroidism is most common in women over 50.

Circulatory disorders

It is this violation that is most often suspected with cold fingers. Weakened blood supply occurs with weak heart activity, physical obstruction of blood flow (with cholesterol plaques that narrow the arteries and capillaries) or other reasons. The extremities, being the most distant parts of the body from the heart, experience the maximum effect of reduced blood flow.

Anemia

Anemia is caused by a low amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. As a result, blood oxygen saturation is reduced. This can be caused by a lack of iron in the body, blood loss (for example, with heavy menstrual bleeding, ulcers, etc.), some forms of cancer, and digestive disorders (for example, with Crohn's disease). In addition to cold hands, anemia is accompanied by a feeling of fatigue, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, and pale skin. In most cases, the symptoms of anemia caused by a lack of iron go away when iron is replenished.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12, found in meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products, is essential for the formation of red blood cells. The lack of this vitamin can lead to a reduction in their number and, as a result, anemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common among vegetarians, vegans, and people over 50 who have impaired absorption of the vitamin. The same goes for people with Crohn's disease. A routine blood test can reveal whether vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause of cold fingers. If so, supplements containing this vitamin may help.

Low pressure

Low blood pressure can be due to many causes, including dehydration, blood loss, certain medications, and endocrine disorders. With low blood pressure, blood flow to the extremities is reduced, concentrating on the internal organs. If you notice other symptoms of low blood pressure, such as dizziness, blurred vision, tiredness, nausea, and weakness, tell your doctor about them.

stress and anxiety

Stress affects many parts of the body, and fingers are no exception. With chronic stress or anxiety, the body goes into a critical state. Adrenaline levels rise, and as a result, the blood vessels in the extremities constrict, leaving the fingers cold. Controlling stress levels can relieve this symptom.

Medications

The medications you are taking may also be the cause of cold fingers. Many medications cause vasoconstriction, especially of the arteries, leading to Raynaud's disease. These drugs include beta-blockers, migraine medications, and over-the-counter decongestants. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if the medicine you are taking is causing your cold fingers.

Smoking

Cold hands can be added to the many negative results of smoking: nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow, and also contributes to the accumulation of plaques on their walls, which, in any case, reduces the blood supply to the extremities.

If you have cold hands and feet, the reason is not always high sensitivity to cold. Moreover, low temperature immunity, as the main cause of the problem, is not very common. So why do limbs freeze, and how to get rid of it?

Chilliness of the hands and feet can manifest in varying degrees, depending on the cause. Someone feels discomfort exclusively on the street in cold weather. Others freeze constantly, even at home, in the heat. When the limbs of the hands and feet become chronically cold, the causes can be hidden in quite serious diseases. Therefore, it is impossible to ignore the eternally cold hands and feet in any case! It is imperative to find the cause of this condition!

What are cold extremities talking about? Main reasons

Among the main reasons that hands and feet always freeze:

• Phlebeurysm;
• Anemia;
• Atherosclerosis;
• Obliterating endoarteritis;
• Hypertension;
• Hypotension;
• Diseases of the endocrine system;
• Raynaud's disease, etc.

Cold hands and feet happen after a stroke, with VVD, dermatitis, allergies, age-related changes (this reason is typical for both women and men after 50 years, when the human immune system weakens). Sometimes the cause of chilliness is worms or fungal infections. Also, the cause of cold hands and feet is sometimes overweight or severe dehydration. The reason that the limbs are cold may be inflammation of the nerves.

Depending on the cause, hands and feet get cold at certain times - in the evening, in the morning, during sleep. Watch this if cold hands and/or feet bother you all the time or often. This will help the doctor identify the cause and prescribe the most effective treatment.

Attention! If you start to feel cold, do not try to find the cause and make a diagnosis yourself. Cold hands and feet can be a sign of diseases that are best treated as soon as possible.

What should I do if my hands and feet are cold?

If fingers and toes begin to get very cold, if hands and feet freeze even indoors, use emergency methods. They will allow you to quickly warm up frozen limbs, whatever the reason.

Express help not to freeze

If your feet and hands are cold, whatever the reason, it will help to warm up:

• Self-massage. Thoroughly stretch your feet, shins, palms, fingertips and toes. For the best effect, use essential oils (a few drops of ginger, black pepper, cinnamon mixed with a massage cream or base oil). It is also an excellent prevention if the hands and feet are often cold;
• Alcohol compress. In order not to freeze, put on cotton socks / gloves moistened with vodka, and woolen ones on top;
• "Warmer" of pepper or mustard. Pour ground red pepper or dry mustard into gloves or socks and put on icy limbs - this will warm them quickly;
• A water heater if the extremities are cold at night. If your hands and feet get cold at night, you start to feel cold and you cannot sleep, use a regular heating pad. It can be replaced with electric, and even plastic bottles filled with hot water.

How to treat hands and feet that are constantly cold?

If you do not want to freeze, regardless of the reason, you must:

• Strengthening blood vessels. Alternating cold and hot baths for hands and feet will strengthen the blood vessels, and you will not freeze. Sea salt added to the bath will enhance the effect. Bath, sauna will also be excellent helpers in the fight against cold hands and feet;
• Improvement of blood circulation. Regular exercise helps increase blood flow and reduce cold. Enough 10-15 minutes to move actively. If you do not like to do exercises - turn on the music and dance, go for a walk, swim in the pool;
• Healthy foods. Among the common causes when limbs freeze is a lack of iron. If your hands and feet are cold, eat iron-rich foods every day. Foods that help strengthen capillary walls are also needed. If the cause of chilliness of the limbs is hormonal changes in women, it is advisable to increase the amount of foods containing phytohormones in the diet.

In order not to freeze, the menu should include:

1. Meat (the best option is poultry);
2. Lean fish;
3. leafy vegetables;
4. Dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots, raisins);
5. legumes;
6. Nuts;
7. Seeds.

A balanced diet allows you to accelerate the strengthening of blood vessels and quickly eliminate the causes of cold extremities.

To get rid of the chilliness of the hands and feet (regardless of the cause), hot coniferous baths are used in folk medicine. Positive results are obtained by taking a tincture of horse chestnut flowers, as well as tinctures of ginseng and eleutherococcus, which strengthen the immune system.

Natural flower honey is also very useful, which must be dissolved in the mouth until completely dissolved, 1 teaspoon 4-5 times a day.

In order not to freeze, before going out it is worth taking fatty hot food (for example, chicken broth).

To warm icy hands and feet, vodka tincture of red hot pepper is used, which is rubbed on the feet, shins, and palms.

What absolutely cannot be done?

Regardless of the reason why your hands and feet are cold, do not put them in hot water when trying to warm up. Also, do not drink alcoholic beverages - their vasodilating effect is short-lived. After a while, the vessels will narrow even more, and the arms and legs will begin to freeze more. You can’t “warm up” with alcohol even in the cold in winter - you won’t stop freezing, and alcohol often causes frostbite.

Even if you know the reason why the limbs are chilly, in any case, give up coffee, strong tea and other products containing caffeine and tannin at least for a while. Tobacco is also a cause of vasospasm, so stop or minimize smoking.

Staying in one position for a long time impairs blood circulation, and the limbs begin to freeze. Be sure to take breaks while sitting. Even a few swings of the arms and legs and simple squats will help “disperse the blood” and freeze less.

Important! When sitting, do not cross your legs - after 10 minutes of sitting in this position, blood circulation is disturbed, and you will freeze.

When is a medical examination required?

If you often start to freeze, and other symptoms begin to join cold hands and feet, do not delay visiting a doctor.

Reasons for seeking immediate medical attention:

• High pressure;
• swelling;
• convulsions;
• memory impairment;
• Feeling of ache in the bones;
• Heartache;
• Noise in ears;
• Headache;
• Numbness, tingling in limbs, etc.

If your feet are cold and your body is burning, if your limbs are not only cold, but also numb, if your heart hurts, you feel sick, or there are any other signs of illness, get tested as soon as possible.

Which doctor should I contact?

If the hands and feet are cold, the disease that causes cold hands and feet must be treated. But since the cause of cold hands and feet can be various diseases, first of all, you need to contact your family doctor (therapist). He will prescribe the necessary studies to identify the cause. In addition to a general blood test, it is also necessary to do an analysis for cholesterol and an ultrasound of the vessels. Also, if you start to feel cold, additional examinations may be required (ultrasound of the thyroid gland, tests to detect a fungal infection, worms, etc.)

This is a serious reason to visit a doctor. Experts have found that legs and arms freeze very often due to spasm in small capillaries. In turn, the blood stops flowing in the required amount. The result is cold extremities. In addition, a variety of diseases can serve as a cause.

Iron-deficiency anemia is a lack of such a microelement in the body as iron. As a result, a person quickly consumes heat and freezes.

With vegetative-vascular dystonia, chaotic contraction of capillaries occurs, which leads to impaired blood flow to tissues and organs. As a result, the feet and hands are constantly cool.

Also, the symptoms of this disease include: heart palpitations, drowsiness, headache, absent-mindedness.

Diseases of the thyroid gland. When the thyroid gland malfunctions, an insufficient amount of hormones is secreted. The body does not have enough energy, and the limbs begin to freeze.

Diets are also often the cause of hands. Women exhaust themselves with strict dietary restrictions. Start eating low-fat foods. The body in this case does not receive enough carbohydrates, fats and proteins. In violation of the optimal functioning of the body, failures occur in the process of thermoregulation. That is why the feet and hands can be cold.

The presence of cold feet and hands can also be associated with the use of special medications, immune diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and heart. That is why you should never put off going to the doctor.

If you have cold hands, this may mean that he is either sick or. If at the same time he has lethargy and elevated body temperature, then, most likely, or acute respiratory infections. Immediately after recovery, this problem will pass.

Cold hands should not cause much concern. Thermoregulation is weak, so they can stay cool even in the heat. But if the child at the same time becomes inactive, drowsy and does not eat well, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Helpful Tips

If you want to keep your hands warm, experts recommend:

1. Do not forget to eat right. You should always have hot first courses in your diet. Ginger tea also warms and improves blood circulation.

2. Charging. Mornings should start with a light workout. It will help the body to tone up.

3. Dress for the weather. We must not forget to wear a hat and gloves in winter. Do not wear tight clothing and shoes. It impedes the flow of blood to the tissues.

4. Don't smoke. Remember: with each puff, a natural spasm of small capillaries occurs. As a result

Most people periodically face a situation where their hands and feet get cold. This usually happens during the cold season, especially if the person is dressed out of season. But quite a few people complain about literally icy limbs, being in a room with normal room temperature or even on the beach in the heat.

Coldness of the hands and feet indicates a violation of local blood circulation, i.e., a delay in the movement of blood. The problem may be associated with pathological changes in the peripheral and central vessels (or). Another cause is often a transient spasm. The narrowing of small arterioles and capillaries is often due to disorders of the nervous system (including).

Coldness of the upper and lower extremities is very typical for people with low blood pressure.

Note:in people with an asthenic, thin physique, blood pressure indicators are often below a certain average "norm". It is they who most often complain that they are cold in warm weather.

Cold hands and feet: causes of the problem

Important:freezing hands and feet are not always a sign of some kind of pathology. Perhaps it's a common thing when you stay outside for a long time at a low temperature. Warm shoes and high-quality gloves will solve this problem.

Possible reasons why the limbs are often cold:

With some diseases of the endocrine glands (diabetes mellitus,) the process of conducting an impulse along sensitive and autonomic fibers is disrupted. It is imperative to take a blood test for sugar levels when numbness, burning, itching appear in the hands and feet, or sweating is noted for no apparent reason.

If, in parallel with the feeling of coldness in the hands and feet, you also notice hair, pain in the legs, decreased skin sensitivity or interruptions in the work of the heart, we strongly recommend that you do not postpone a visit to the doctor. Only a comprehensive comprehensive examination will help to identify the true cause of violations.

Nicotine and other compounds present in tobacco cause vasospasm. People with nicotine dependence develop pathological changes in the vascular walls over time.

A sign of varicose veins of the lower extremities are swelling of the feet, local pain in the projection of the joints, etc. "spider veins".

VVD and heart disease are manifested by rapid fatigue against a background of minor physical exertion and shortness of breath.. The skin of the feet acquires a pale shade with a peculiar "marble" pattern.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia can be a direct consequence of physical inactivity in childhood and adolescence, low stress resistance or past infections. With VVD, a significant amount of adrenaline is periodically released into the blood, provoking hypertonicity and spasms of the smooth muscles of the vascular walls.

Raynaud's syndrome, which is particularly common in patients suffering from cold allergies, is characterized by symptoms such as painful spasms in the hands and feet. It is considered as a separate disease or as a manifestation of pathologies of the spine, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.

Important:the fact that the fingers, palms and feet freeze first of all can be considered a normal phenomenon, due to the anatomical and physiological features of the structure of the human body. In these areas of the body there is relatively little richly vascularized muscle tissue, but a lot of tendons. The area of ​​the skin that actively gives off heat to the external environment is relatively large, and the layer of fiber that can prevent this is very small.

What to do if hands and feet are cold?

Certain dietary changes need to be made. Fractional meals are recommended - in small portions 5-7 times a day.

Useful and harmful products

It is advisable to include more foods high in iron in the menu. This, in particular, helps to prevent anemia.

Note:iron is an integral part of hemoglobin, which is responsible for the transport of oxygen in the body.

Foods rich in iron:

• green leafy vegetables;
• lean meat (preferably poultry meat);
• fish of any kind;
• egg yolk;

Orange juice (especially freshly squeezed) contributes to the most complete assimilation of this macronutrient.

It contributes to the expansion of arterioles and capillaries, and (vitamin C) strengthens the walls of the main and peripheral vessels.

Products for strengthening the walls of capillaries:

• (hazel, walnuts, almonds);
• sunflower or pumpkin seeds (unroasted);
• buckwheat grain;
• beans;
• whole wheat bread.

Alcohol must be forgotten once and for all. In no case do not try to keep warm in the cold with alcohol. It gives only a subjective sensation of warmth. Due to the expansion of peripheral vessels, the blood really rushes to the face and limbs for a short time, but the body as a whole is only additionally supercooled.

Important:For heavy smokers, the only way to avoid circulatory problems is to give up the habit completely.

The blood supply to the arms and legs improves significantly with regular exercise. Jumping, running and swimming can prevent blood stasis. This is especially important for people engaged in sedentary work. It is noted that their feet often freeze even in a warm room. During the working day, it is advisable to get up every 20-30 minutes, stretch and perform rotations and swings with arms and legs for 2-3 minutes. Thanks to gymnastics, not only physical, but also mental performance will improve, since blood flow in the brain will also increase.

If your fingers get cold from time to time, you need to take measures to a kind of hardening of blood vessels . Being in a room with a comfortable temperature (usually it ranges from + 19 ° C to + 22 ° C), prepare a warm bath for hands, and lower the brushes into the container for 3-4 minutes. Then you need to move to a room with a lower temperature, which will provoke a cold spasm of peripheral vessels. There, again, you need to lower your fingers into warm water, forcing the capillaries to expand. Regular performance of such gymnastics for vessels (at least three times a day for a month) will help them resist vasospasm. After each procedure, it is necessary to actively move your hands in order to intensively disperse the blood through the limbs.

In summer, in nature, try to swim more often in open water (it’s good if the water is a little cool), and walk barefoot on the grass and ground, thus massaging the biologically active points on the soles.

If there are no general contraindications associated with chronic diseases, try to visit the Russian bath or sauna weekly.

Legs are useful to soak overnight in hot water. If you can't cope with cold feet, put a warm heating pad on your feet before going to bed.

For local and general hardening, contrasting douches of the extremities are useful. They can be done in the shower, alternating hot and cold water. The duration of such hardening procedures must be gradually increased.

Massage is very useful for normalizing the state of blood vessels.. Try to knead your hands, toes and lower legs (up to the knee joint) more often, using ginger or cinnamon essential oils for rubbing.

Drink infusions of blueberries, strawberries, mulberries and elderberries, brewing 1 tbsp. l. berries with a glass of boiling water.

An effective folk remedy for improving the tone of blood vessels is alcohol or vodka tincture of horse chestnut flower. For 1 part of vegetable raw materials, take 2 parts of ethanol solution and infuse for 1 week in a dark place. Take 30-40 drops 2-3 times a day before meals.

When a person is cold, first of all, he feels cold in his hands and feet. The main reasons for this phenomenon: staying at low temperatures, disruption of the process of heat generation in the body, impaired blood supply to the limbs. Feeling cold in the legs and arms can be normal, although in some cases, chilliness is a manifestation of dangerous diseases.

Why are hands and feet colder than other parts of the body?

Hands and feet are always colder than other parts of the body. This is not the fault of the disease or a special way of life, but a physiological norm. The reasons:

1. Less blood flow. Body temperature is about 37 degrees. It is maintained by thermogenesis or heat transfer in any conditions: in the heat and in the cold. The more blood vessels that come to a particular part of the body, the better it warms up. The limbs are relatively poorly supplied with blood. This is why a person can walk with an open head in the cold, but is afraid to take his hands out of his pockets or take off his shoes.

2. Absence of vital organs in the arms and legs. By freezing hands or feet, a person will not die. That is why, when exposed to extreme conditions, the body first of all increases the blood supply to other parts of the body, which are much more important for life.

3. Large area. As you know, in winter it is always colder in a corner apartment than in an inner one, because it has more external walls. The same is true with the human body. Hands and feet have a large area that is in contact with the external environment. Therefore, it can be difficult to warm up these parts of the body due to increased heat consumption.

However, sometimes the hands and feet get cold not in the cold, but at room temperature. Why? This phenomenon has both physiological and pathological causes. Let's start with a list of diseases that can cause a deterioration in the blood supply or innervation of the limbs, causing them to feel cold.

Diseases that cause cold hands and feet

There are many diseases in which the hands and feet become cold. Some of the pathological causes are local, others are general. In the event of a violation of heat generation throughout the body, due to the above reasons, the limbs suffer first of all, and only then other parts of the body become cold.

1. Hypothyroidism. More commonly seen in women. May occur shortly after childbirth. This endocrine disorder is associated with a deterioration in thyroid function. It forms fewer hormones, on which heat transfer largely depends. There is no treatment that would restore the function of the organ. Only replacement therapy with drugs containing thyroid hormones is possible.

2. Atherosclerosis of vessels. Often the disease affects the lower extremities. In this case, accompanying symptoms are observed, and the main one is pain in the legs during physical exertion. The pain syndrome is relieved or disappears completely after rest. Feet are cold, cold to the touch. The reason is the blockage of blood vessels with cholesterol plaques and the deterioration of the blood supply to tissues. A distinctive feature of atherosclerosis: one leg freezes more than the other.

3. Other diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities. Similar symptoms occur with other occlusive vascular lesions, such as obliterating endarteritis. In this case, the lumen of the arteries also narrows, which worsens the blood supply to the tissues. The clinical manifestations of such diseases are similar, they differ only in the cause of the overlap of the lumen of the vessels.

4. Varicose veins. Another disease that affects the vessels of the legs. In the later stages, trophic disorders and deterioration of hemodynamics occur. Microcirculation is disturbed, so the legs may be cold.

5. Diabetes. It affects all the vessels in the body. One of the complications of the disease is diabetic foot. The skin first becomes cold, then trophic ulcers form on it. The resulting injuries, including minor ones, do not heal. The case usually ends in amputation. This complication cannot be eliminated, it can only be prevented. To do this, it is necessary to control the level of glucose in the blood, receive regular injections of insulin or take hypoglycemic drugs.

6. Vegetovascular dystonia. A syndrome (a set of symptoms) that can occur in two variants - sympathicotonia or vagotonia, depending on which part of the autonomic nervous system has received a greater influence on the body. Normally, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are in balance. Coldness in the extremities is characteristic of sympathicotonia. Concomitant symptoms: increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature. The peristalsis of the intestine (constipation) is weakened, sweating, headache are observed.

7. Systemic diseases that disrupt microcirculation. A lot of them. A few examples: lupus erythematosus, Raynaud's disease, systemic scleroderma.

Cold hands and feet without disease

Not always cold hands and feet have exclusively pathological causes. Sometimes chilliness is associated with the characteristics of the organism or the way of life of a person. Possible reasons for this phenomenon:

1. Low physical activity. If a person moves a lot or plays sports, he not only warms up at the time of exercise, but also develops the muscles of the arms and legs. In parallel, arteries, veins expand, new small vessels open. In trained people, the limbs freeze much less often, because they are better supplied with blood.

2. Smoking. This bad habit is not considered a disease, although it disrupts all processes in the body. In particular, the constant intake of nicotine constricts blood vessels. Not only in the limbs, but everywhere - throughout the body. But the hands and feet always suffer first of all, because they have an increased heat consumption and a worse blood supply.

3. Stress. With strong emotional experiences, vasoconstriction is possible. The release of hormones leads to a redistribution of blood flow. At the same time, a person does not feel chilly, but his hands and feet become cold due to an increase in blood flow to the internal organs.

4. Wearing tight clothing. Mechanical compression of blood vessels leads to disruption of the blood supply to the tissues of the upper and lower extremities, as a result of which the hands or feet become cold.

5. Nutritional deficiency. With an insufficient diet, heat transfer suffers. The person does not tolerate cold. First of all, hands and feet get cold.