If you’re one of those people that, as soon as the cold weather hits, you struggle with chronically cold fingers and toes, you’re not alone. Although many of us blame our freezing hands and feet on ‘poor circulation’, it actually has much more to do with your choice of attire.
Because as it turns out, poor circulation is not the cause of cold hands and feet. Vascular consultant Professor Whiteley of The Whiteley Clinic says that, in almost all cases, people aren’t actually suffering with ‘poor circulation’ as the blood in their arteries is flowing very well.
“Many people will mistakenly use the term ‘poor circulation’ when complaining about having unusually cold hands and toes – particularly in the cold winter months. What is actually happening is the vessels which transport the warm blood to the extremities, such as the toes, ears, nose and fingers, are very sensitive to the cold, and go into spasm. Therefore this is not a problem with circulation, it is actually a problem with the microcirculation (the smallest blood vessels in the body).”
Poor circulation is when the arteries are blocked or narrowed, restricting the blood flow through the vessels. This is often caused by lifestyle habits such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and old age, advises Professor Whiteley.
So what exactly is reactive microcirculation?
There are several possible causes of reactive microcirculation, says Professor Whiteley.
“Many people who suffer from this problem are very slim, and therefore lose heat more quickly during the cold weather. Other people may experience problems with cold hands and feet due to a low metabolic rate, particularly if they have a low thyroid function or if they are on drugs that cause poor flow in the small vessels such as Beta-blockers.”
How can reactive microcirculation be treated?
It might sound obvious, but wrapping up warm is the easiest way to prevent these problems occurring, says Professor Whitely.
“If you wear sensible clothing you will not lose body heat, and your fingers and toes will stay nice and warm. However, if you are wearing inefficient layers that do not keep the warm in then you will start to lose heat and, once your temperature starts to drop, your body will take action to preserve heat to the core.”
So if you’re out and your fingers and toes are feeling the cold, ask yourself if you’ve wrapped up enough for the weather. If not – well, that’s the perfect excuse to buy a new jumper you’ve been eyeing up.
What else could be triggering cold feet and hands?
Another reason your hands and feet get so freezing is that some people are just more prone to feeling the cold than others, and when they do so, their peripheral arteries go into spasm, otherwise known as Raynaud’s syndrome.
Raynaud’s phenomenon is a disorder that affects blood vessels, mostly in the fingers and toes. It causes the blood vessels to narrow when you are cold or under stress. The treatment of Raynaud’s disease aims to reduce the number of attacks occurring, making them less severe, preventing tissue damage and stopping the loss of any tissues of the fingers and toes.
There are some simple measures that you can take to prevent Raynaud’s:
Keep your hands and feet warm and dry
Warm your hands and feet with warm water
Avoid air conditioning
Wear gloves to touch frozen or cold foods
Wear multiple layers of loose clothing and a hat when it’s cold
Use chemical warmers, such as small heating pouches that can be placed in pockets or gloves, boots or shoes
Don’t smoke
Exercise regularly
