Forever cold limbs - this is an urgent problem. Sometimes even gloves and warm socks do not save . No matter how warmly he dresses, his legs and arms are still freezing. The reasons for this "coldness" are rarely taken seriously. Often this causes a smile among others - they say love does not warm. However, there is no laughing matter!
Women's "disease"
Approximately one in three women has a cold limb problem. Numerous studies have confirmed that thermoregulation in a woman’s body is weaker than in men. That is why the limbs of the arms and legs so often freeze at the young ladies, causing severe discomfort.
Moreover, it is women who, paying tribute to fashion, love to dress not according to the weather - thin tights, light boots. More practical young ladies pull on woolen socks. But even such tricks do not always save from the cold. The fact remains: feet and hands are freezing. The causes of this condition may be associated with diseases.
Consider which pathologies often underlie this phenomenon.
Iron-deficiency anemia
Hemoglobin is the main vehicle of oxygen. Iron is its main component. Deficiency of a substance disrupts metabolic processes, as well as energy. This picture is observed as a result of poor nutrition, increased blood loss, impaired absorption of iron in the digestive tract.
This is especially noticeable in the case of rapid growth, pregnancy, lactation, when there is a special need for this substance. In addition to the fact that the legs and arms are constantly freezing, additional symptoms may be observed:
- fast fatiguability;
- pallor of mucous membranes and skin;
- heart palpitations;
- noise in ears;
- dizziness.
Methods for dealing with anemia
A person who has cold feet and hands, the doctor will help establish the causes of this phenomenon. If the problem is iron deficiency, then a blood test is the first thing to do.
For children under 6 years of age, normal hemoglobin is 110 g / l. For older children and adults - 120 g / l.
Depending on what hemoglobin is, a specific diet may be recommended. In this case, you should consume more vegetables, fruits, meat, and as little milk as possible. If the result is extremely low, then the doctor will prescribe special iron preparations in combination with ascorbic acid.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia
VVD is a classic disease of our civilization. It is found in almost every second resident. With pathology in the vessels, spasms occur, as a result of which the blood flow is disturbed. This leads to a headache, a pressure drop. Also for this reason, the limbs of the hands and feet of the patient are frozen.
VVD has quite characteristic symptoms:
- hot flashes, heat;
- feeling of lack of air;
- pressure surges;
- dizziness;
- high fatigue;
- irritability;
- heartache;
- periodic tingling in different areas of the body.
Clinical examination in this case, failures in systems and organs, as a rule, does not reveal. After all, the reason for this symptomatology lies in the disruption of the functioning of the autonomic system, which is involved in the work of the whole organism.
Treatment methods
Often with VVD, the limbs of the arms and legs are not only frozen. In most cases, the symptoms described above are observed. With such manifestations, you should definitely contact your therapist. He will schedule a full examination.
Sometimes, such symptoms can signal a variety of pathologies. If necessary, you will need to consult a neurologist, endocrinologist.
With the classic case of VVD, in which the legs and arms always freeze, they will help to cope:
- psychotherapy;
- physiotherapy;
- physiotherapy.
Thyroid disease
Why are legs and arms freezing? The thyroid gland is an important link in the regulation of hormones throughout the body. Failure in such a system necessarily makes itself felt. Hypotheriosis (insufficient production of hormones) slows down metabolic processes. The patient has the following symptoms:
- retardation;
- lethargy;
- overweight;
- depression
- swelling of the face (especially the eyelids);
- slow heart rate;
- dry skin (often flaky).
With this pathology, the functioning of mechanisms responsible for normal body temperature malfunctions. That is why with a reduced level of hormones in a person, his arms and legs are very cold.
Methods of combating pathology
It is mandatory to consult with an endocrinologist. The patient will need to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, take urine and blood tests. If necessary, additional studies will be prescribed, such as MRI, CT, X-ray.
After the examination, the patient is determined by special therapy, which allows to restore the level of hormones. With this treatment, it is possible to eliminate all the factors that provoke unpleasant symptoms, including the reasons why the legs and arms are constantly freezing.
Atherosclerosis Disease
If the patient's legs and arms freeze, the reasons may lie in the loss of elasticity and tightening of the walls of the arteries. This leads to a narrowing of the lumen in them, and subsequently seriously disrupts the blood supply to the organs. Inadequate blood flow is the main cause of cold extremities.
The following symptoms indicate the damage to the vessels of the brain:
- dizziness;
- noise in ears;
- memory impairment;
- headache.
Such a pathology can provoke malnutrition, inactivity, psychoemotional overstrain.
What should be done?
Atherosclerosis is a rather serious pathology. Violation of blood circulation leads not only to the fact that a person has severely frozen hands and feet. It can provoke quite serious consequences. This disease should be treated in a timely manner.
To prescribe adequate therapy, studies will be required:
- ECG;
- rheovasography;
- Ultrasound of the heart, blood vessels;
- coronarography;
- research on cholesterol level;
- blood sugar test.
Adequate therapy should be prescribed only by a doctor. No self-medication methods for such a disease are unacceptable.
The reason is in osteochondrosis
Legs and hands are very cold during deformation or thinning of the intervertebral discs. Such pathologies lead to spasms of muscle tissue, compression of the spinal cord, blood vessels and surrounding nerves.
As a result of osteochondrosis in the body, blood circulation is disturbed. Pathology makes itself felt by the following symptoms:
- cold limbs;
- dizziness;
- feeling of aches, numbness;
- frequently occurring aching pain in the back;
- headache.
Treatment methods
Be sure to consult a neurologist. He will recommend the necessary comprehensive treatment. As a rule, it consists of:
- drug therapy;
- physiotherapy exercises;
- Massage
- physiotherapy;
- reflexology;
- spinal traction;
- manual therapy.
In extreme cases, with sufficiently advanced stages of the pathology, surgery may be required.
Raynaud's syndrome, scleroderma
With this pathology, the fingers and toes freeze. Often a tingling sensation appears in them. Fingers can acquire white, and sometimes a bluish tint. This condition occurs under the influence of temperature exposure or stress. Its duration can vary from a couple of minutes to several hours. After the attack, the skin turns red, there is a pain syndrome, fever.
Unfortunately, this is a symptom of Raynaud's syndrome - one of the manifestations of scleroderma. The disease is characterized by damage to the blood vessels. Pathology affects most organs and tissues. The skin is especially affected. The face may take on a mask-like appearance. The mouth opens extremely hard.
There is a theory that viruses, congenital predisposition, and poisoning stimulate this pathology.
What to do to the patient?
If such symptoms are observed, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. Treatment will be prescribed only after the following laboratory tests:
- urine and blood tests;
- immunodiagnosis;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- cardiodiagnosis;
- X-ray of joints, bones.
Diabetes
The disease can be both a cause and a complication. Vascular damage often leads to quite serious consequences:
- heart attack;
- renal failure;
- stroke;
- blindness.
However, the source of such diseases is insufficient circulation. And, as you know, with this violation, hands and feet often freeze.
How to protect yourself from pathology?
With this disease, it is very important to diagnose it in the early stages. This will protect the pancreas, the supplier of insulin, from irreversible changes.
It should be remembered that glucose tolerance testing for patients under 45 years of age must be done every three years. People over 45 years old are recommended to take such tests annually.
Condition Prevention
To eliminate the problem of forever cold extremities, you should get rid of the cause of the pathology in which hands and feet are freezing. Treatment, if the condition is based on a specific disease, is prescribed by the doctor. But when serious pathologies are excluded, preventive measures should be taken to train the vessels and strengthen immunity.
To do this, it is recommended to use the following rules:
- Always wear shoes and clothing that are fully weather-resistant. Frozen toes can indicate the wrong shoes. You may be wearing too tight or very light boots.
- Wear woolen socks. The limbs should always be warm, even at night.
- To strengthen the vessels, a contrast shower is very useful. Try to take it regularly. Do hot foot baths daily. It is very useful to add sea salt to a warm bath. Before going to bed, such a procedure will not only have a beneficial effect on the body, but will also have a calming effect.
- Be sure to include a small charge in your daily routine. The following physical activities are useful: dancing, running, cycling. Such procedures improve the condition of blood vessels and the functioning of the heart.
- If during the walk you are very cold, make a warm bath for your feet by adding a couple of tablespoons of mustard to it.
- In the evening, a foot massage is recommended. Pay particular attention to the feet. Rub the heels vigorously and each finger alternately. After the massage, put on warm socks.
- Correct your diet correctly. To increase immunity, it is recommended to consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. Very useful sea fish, buckwheat. Decoctions, fruit drinks, compotes can improve blood circulation.
- If possible, give up poisoning habits of the body. In extreme cases, significantly limit them. Remember that nicotine leads to spasms of blood vessels.
- When you are sitting, try not to cross your legs. Staying in this position, even for 10-15 minutes, leads to circulatory disorders.
- In the absence of contraindications and pathologies of the heart, it is useful to go to the bathhouse. Such procedures help to warm up the cold body perfectly.
- Redefine your wardrobe and shoes completely. Get rid of tight clothing. Those things that squeeze organs warm extremely badly. At the same time, they contribute to the violation of the body's own thermoregulation.
- Drink ginger tea. Such a drink perfectly warms the body. In addition, ginger helps to establish good blood circulation.
- If hemoglobin is reduced, enter iron-containing foods in your diet . It is advisable to diversify the diet with pomegranate, almonds, dried apricots, raisins, fresh vegetables, fruits, pumpkin.
- A cup of hot broth drunk before going outside will have a beneficial effect.
- Many experts recommend limiting the consumption of coffee and drinks that affect the heart and pressure to get rid of the unpleasant condition. This is especially true if the VSD becomes a source of constant freezing.
The most important thing is not to freeze in bad weather. Try to dress appropriately and take good care of the warming of your home.