BACKGROUND :

This contidtion usuall affects women – and it starts during their teens or early twenties. Some of the symptoms are associated with other conditions such as Rheumatoid Athritis and Scleroderma. The condition develops from an abnormality in the fingers’ blood vessels. At times, the toes are affected too. The blood vessels are very sensitive to the cold. In a typical case, cold fingers can stop the flo of blood to the skin. In the case of a Raynauds sufferer, the flow of blood can totally stop because the blood vessels tighten. There isn’t a special reason for this, and it doesn’t affect other parts of the body. The Rayunauds phenomenon is very similar. One of the most common causes fr ti is vibration. Its can affect people who play the piano often or people who use vibrating tools (such as a chain-saw, etc.). The vibration is more than likely to affect the nerves that run into the blood vessels – theis affect the blood vessels’ reaction to the cold.

SYMPTOMS :

Both hands are usually effected, although only 2/3 of the hands ar affected. Pain is sufferd for a period of time, usually when out in the cold weather, or after pl;acing the hands in cold water. The first part of the fingers that gets cold will turn white, and it can be very painful. A line can appear between the affected fingers and the skin on the rest of teh hand. After about half an hour the fingers can turn dark blue and then purple and then dark red before retunring to a normal feeling.

TREATMENT:

The first step is, try to avoid the cold. If you must go out into the cold, then you should wear two pairs of thick, warm gloves, or even specialist ones that heat up. If the pain is unbareable, drugs can be prescribed by a doctor. If the drugs don’t work, then a treatment that stops the nerves from tightening the blood vessels is available.