The condition, which can be a disease, syndrome or phenomenon, causes blood vessels to narrow in response to cold or stress so that little or no blood flows to the affected body parts. About 5% percent of the U.S. population has the condition.
patients develop it, for example, Makol says. People with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can also experience Raynaud’s.Secondary Raynaud's is linked to diseases and conditions that directly damage the arteries, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute noted. People who work with a jackhammer, drill or other vibrating instruments can also develop the condition, Makol said. Medications, including beta blockers, can cause it, too.
From there, a doctor can determine whether it’s primary or secondary Raynaud’s, which is done with the help of patient history, a physical and additional tests like a nailfold capillary exam.Some secondary Raynaud's patients can experience tissue damage, nail abnormalities, fingertip ulcers or even gangrene that would require amputation, Makol noted.The treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms.
The condition “can be mild and manageable… or it can be very severe: multiple episodes a day with each episode lasting up to 15 to 20 minutes. During that time, you can imagine how painful and discomforting that is,” Makol says. More aggressive treatment includes medications such as calcium channel blockers, which dilate the blood vessels, Makol notes. The drug Sildenafil, which is also the active ingredient in Viagra, can also help.
But patients with mild episodes are simply encouraged to keep their core body temperature warm and use gloves and hand warmers. That’s how Smith deals with her condition, wearing a hoodie year-round and investing in heated gloves that she keeps in her purse “24/7, 365.”This article was originally published on
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