It's normal for your hands to get cold when you're outdoors in the winter or in an air-conditioned room, but when that feeling of cold continues nonstop, there may be other causes.
In a report published by the American "livestrong" website, writer Mary Grace Taylor said that constantly cold hands or fingertips mean that blood is not flowing to them as it should, which is a sign of a health problem.
Dr. Alan Tanby, a vascular surgeon at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, explains that “clogged arteries that prevent blood from reaching a certain point in the body can cause coldness in the hand. Exposure to cold also causes blood vessels to spasm or narrow, causing It eventually reduces blood flow to the hands."
This may cause a feeling of pain in the hands,
but there are some other symptoms that you should pay attention to because they may indicate the presence of larger problems, including:
1- Raynaud's Syndrome
Hands that are cold, pale or numb to the point of excruciating pain can be a sign that you have Raynaud's disease.
This condition causes the blood vessels in the hands and fingers to constrict when a person is cold or stressed, resulting in reduced blood flow.
Raynaud's syndrome often occurs when the ambient temperature changes suddenly, such as when entering an air-conditioned building, where cold or discomfort begins in one finger and then spreads to the rest of the fingers on both hands.
Raynaud's syndrome can also be a secondary condition caused by other health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, atherosclerosis, or pulmonary hypertension.
Exposure to chemicals in the workplace, such as vinyl chloride, or heavy hand use such as writing or playing a musical instrument, can also cause secondary Raynaud's disease.
Basic Raynaud's treatment often involves avoiding triggers that cause cold and discomfort, and rewarming the hands when they become too cold.
For severe symptoms that cause pain, Dr. Tanbe says that oral medications or creams, including calcium channel blockers and vasodilators, can help relieve pain.
2- Diabetes
People with diabetes may have neuropathy or nerve damage that can lead to uncomfortable sensations in the hands and feet.
Some people describe this feeling as numbness, tingling or painful burning in their hands, and sometimes it's like being stabbed.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle, such as maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure, exercising regularly and taking diabetes medications as directed by your doctor, can help slow or reduce the progression of neuropathy.
Nerve damage cannot be reversed, but neuropathic pain can be controlled with a combination of medications and physical and occupational therapy to help improve hand nerve strength and function.
3- Anemia
If cold hands or feet are accompanied by extreme fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, and dizziness, this may be a sign that you have anemia.
The treatment of this problem and the symptoms behind it is simple, and requires only adequate intake of iron.
Eating more iron-rich foods helps treat anemia, but sometimes iron supplements may be needed.
4- Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland is among the common causes of cold hands.
This condition occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, which slows down the body's metabolic rate.
A person may become more sensitive to low temperatures, in addition to other symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, dry skin, hair loss, and even changes in mood.
Hypothyroidism is easy to treat with synthetic thyroid hormone, which is in pill form that the patient takes daily in order to reverse symptoms.
5- Take some medicine
If you notice cold hands after taking a new medication, the medication may be the cause.
Some medications have the potential to trigger secondary Raynaud's syndrome, such as birth control pills, over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, migraine medications, high blood pressure medications, and some chemotherapy drugs.
In some cases, it's possible to change medications or adjust the dose you're taking to relieve this minor problem.
But if this option isn't available, avoid anything that triggers the cold, and try warming your hands when you get cold. This may help control the pain.
The best remedies for cold hands
There are some steps you can take to reduce discomfort and control the feeling of a cold, and they include:
1- Protect your hands from the cold
To protect hands from the cold, wear gloves before going out in cold weather or touching cold objects, such as frozen food or a cold steering wheel.
Dr. Tanby also recommends warming your hands when the weather is very cold.
2- Avoid cold triggers
Some people with Raynaud's syndrome find their hands become cold in response to stress, but simple techniques such as yoga, meditation or even listening to music can help manage stress.
3- Warm hands quickly
When your hands get cold and feel uncomfortable, do everything you can to keep them warm.
For example, if you are outside, you should quickly return indoors and soak your hands in warm water if possible, and if warm water is not available, place your hands under your armpits to warm them, as well as moving and shaking your fingers to speed up blood circulation.
When should you visit the doctor in case of cold hands?
It's normal for your hands to feel cold when you're outside in the cold, but if exposure to constantly cold temperatures makes your hands very uncomfortable, or your hands feel cold even when it's warm, then you should call your doctor.