Skin Diseases

Raynaud’s disease is rare disorders that affect by narrowing of the blood vessels. Raynaud’s is a condition in which the blood supply to the extremities usually happens to the fingers and toes, but they are also affected the ears and nose too. This disease is characterized by episodic attacks, called vasospastic attacks that cause the blood vessels in the fingers and toes to constrict. Raynaud’s syndrome could be secondary to another condition such as scleroderma or lupus. Raynaud’s disease has seen more in women than in men. And it could occur at any age. It is almost 4 - 5% of American population is affected.

Causes of Raynauds’s disease

Doctors don’t really understand what’s the cause of Raynaud’s attacks, but blood vessels in the hands and feet seem to overreact to stress or cold temperatures.

When you are exposed to cold temperatures, your body started losing heat and slows down blood supply to your fingers and toes to preserve your body’s core temperature. The body specifically reduces blood flow by narrowing the small arteries under the skin of your extremities. In people with stress, Raynaud’s disease response is exaggerated. Stress causes a similar reaction to cold in your body, and likewise the body’s response may be exaggerated.

Symptoms of Raynaud’s disease.

1. When Raynaud’s disease patients exposed to cold temperatures, the blood supply to the fingertips, toes, nose, and earlobes are reduced and the skin turns pale or white, the patient becomes cold and numb.
2. When the oxygen supply is depleted, the skin color turns blue (called cyanosis).

Treatment of Raynaud’s disease

There is no available method to prevent the development of Raynaud’s disease. Further, there is also no known to cure for this disease. Therefore, the best supportive management available is avoidance of the trigger. The most proper methods are medical care and avoidance of Reynaud’s disease.

The simplest way is adjusting your lifestyles will be effective for relief that found by many people. Patient need to stay warm, and keep their hands and feet well covered in cold temperature. Gloves alone allow heat to escape, so needed layered clothing, scarves, heavy coats, heavy socks, and mittens under gloves are suggested. Patients should also cover or close the space between their sleeves and mittens. Indoors, they should wear socks and comfortable shoes. Nicotine will worsen the problem with smoker, so quit smoke will benefit. Avoid the use of vibrating tools as well.

Non-medication treatment of Renaud’s disease

Biofeedback has been known to be safe and effective for some Renaud’s disease patient. These designed techniques to help a person gain control over involuntary body functions, such as skin temperature, heart rate, or blood pressure. Biofeedback training is necessary and several methods are available on the web.