Why hands are cold

Diagnosis: Your doctor will ask about your medical history, including injuries, accidents, or surgeries involving the hands or fingers. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical exam. If not, other specialists such as a rheumatologist, a hematologist, or an oncologist determine if you might have a cold-related systemic hand disease. Toes and nails to detect abnormalities.

Some tests involved in primary and secondary Raynaud's diagnosis include: Cold stimulation test: A small device is attached to the fingers to measure their response to changes in temperature. Hands, mostly by immersing them in ice water, exposed to cold. The unit detects how long the fingers take to return to their usual temperature. Capillaroscopy of the nail fold: A drop of oil is placed at the base of the nail before it is examined under a microscope.

If the arteries appear abnormal, it could indicate a disease such as scleroderma. Analysis of Blood can perform blood tests to look for other conditions and causes of secondary Raynaud's disease or rule out other conditions. Treatment: Treatment will depend on the underlying illness or disorder.

There is no way to avoid or cure Raynaud's primary disease. However, the number or severity of attacks can be reduced by adopting certain lifestyle changes or by taking various medications. In the case of secondary Raynaud's disease, the underlying cause needs to be determined before it can be treated.

Treatment for cold hands or related illnesses may include: Add activities that are helpful for blood flow Proper hand hygiene and skin care Wear the appropriate warm and protective hand gear Medication Steroid injections Surgery Limit or avoid the use of tobacco products Avoid sudden temperature changes Exercise regularly Avoid alcoholic beverages Protect your hands and feet from injuries, including cuts and bruises Avoid caffeinated drinks When to visit a Doctor?

If your hands and feet are cold all the time, regardless of the weather outside or the surrounding temperature, see your doctor. An underlying disease or disorder that needs to be treated can exist. Your doctor should check to see if your cold hands are affected by a nerve or blood circulation problem. Treatment is directed at the underlying cause of your cold hands. Your doctor can prescribe lifestyle changes to help improve the symptoms, depending on your condition.

Signs that indicate a doctor visit may be necessary include: Pain in the hands and fingers that occurs many times a day, for several days. Changes in skin color. Fingers may appear white, blue, or purplish. Thickening or stretching of the skin. Tingling, throbbing, numbness, or burning sensations when blood flow resumes.

The skin may appear red. Changes in the appearance of the nails. Cracks or sores on the fingertips that are difficult to fit.

Home Remedies: Consider clothing options: In cold weather, wear a hat, gloves, warm socks, and a warm coat. Wear layers to keep your core warm and don't wear tight clothing. Some people find a turtleneck or scarf helpful to keep warm. For children, make sure they are well dressed and should come inside if they feel cold or if their hands or feet get cold.

Wear socks or slippers: Wear a sweater and warm socks if you are cold inside. You may need to be given iron via IV or a blood transfusion. Thyroid hormones are involved in many body processes, including metabolism. When thyroid hormones are low, your metabolism slows down. This increases your sensitivity to temperature changes, so your hands may feel colder than they usually do. Hypothyroidism can be caused by several conditions, such as an autoimmune disease in which your body mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland , surgery or radiation to the thyroid gland, certain medications, pregnancy, or an iodine deficiency.

Iodine is an important mineral for thyroid hormone production. Hypothyroidism is easily treated with synthetic thyroid hormone. They can worsen and cause very low blood pressure and body temperature or even a life-threatening coma. Sometimes cold hands can be a symptom of blood vessel disease, such as blockages or a build-up of a fatty substance called plaque. This can reduce blood flow to your limbs, causing peripheral artery disease PAD. While it more commonly occurs in the legs and feet, PAD can affect the hands.

PAD occurs more often in adults 50 years of age and older because the risk of blockages increases with age. It also affects smokers and people with diabetes.

Your doctor can treat PAD with medications that improve your circulation, such as blood thinners and cholesterol medication. But if you experience a sudden change in hand color and temperature and a decreased or absent pulse, go to the ER. These are signs of an acute blockage that needs to be treated immediately, possibly with surgery. Treatment also includes quitting smoking, regular exercise, and a healthy diet low in cholesterol.

It can affect your entire hand or just a few fingers, and can also cause cold feet. An attack can last from a few minutes to a few hours and may be triggered by a stressor, like cold temperatures. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Frequent or long attacks can cause skin sores ulcers or even deformities of the hand.

Anxiety can make your hands feel cold and clammy at the same time because it causes sweating and constriction of the blood vessels. If your cold hands are caused by anxiety, it is often brief and will go away on its own or once the anxiety has improved. If you start hyperventilating, try breathing into a paper bag that covers your mouth and nose. This helps increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your body, which restores sensation to your hands and feet.

See a doctor or mental health provider if your anxiety interferes with your daily life. Treatment may include therapy and medication. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by problems with your peripheral nervous system, which is made up of the nerve connections that are outside of your brain and spinal cord. Damage to one nerve mononeuropathy or multiple nerves polyneuropathy most commonly occurs in the hands and feet and can make them feel cold.

Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by a variety of conditions. These include injuries, infections, genetic diseases, exposure to toxins or chemicals like tobacco , autoimmune diseases, medication side effects, vitamin B12 deficiency, or diabetes.

Treatment may include pain medications like gabapentin to reduce symptoms, lifestyle changes like physical therapy and exercise, and safety measures to prevent injury and infection of the affected body parts. The thoracic outlet is the space on either side of the base of your neck.

If these become compressed or damaged, you can develop a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome TOS. TOS has a variety of causes, including trauma from a fall or car accident, repetitive injury caused by a job or sport that requires frequent use of your shoulder and arm, and sometimes from a birth malformation, like being born with an extra rib. Treatment of TOS includes physical therapy and pain relievers.

Surgery is sometimes necessary if these treatments are not effective or if there are signs of worsening neurological damage. You may also be referred to a specialist like a vascular surgeon, rheumatologist, or endocrinologist.

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Try our AI assistant here. Informed by current CDC guidelines. Skip to main content Skip to accessibility services Buoy Logo. In addition:. Babies lose body heat more rapidly in the cold because they have a large body surface area compared to their weight.

They may not have a lot of fat under their skin as insulation. Also, their natural body temperature regulation is not fully developed. Older people lose the ability to regulate their body temperature well. The metabolism tends to slow with age, and this can contribute as well. They may have an increased risk of cold extremities because of chronic conditions and medications.

If you have cold hands and feet all the time, no matter what the weather is outside or temperature around you, see your doctor. There may be an underlying disease or condition that needs to be treated. If you have additional symptoms, such as fingers or toes that change color, trouble breathing, or hand or leg pain, see a doctor.

Many people will experience cold feet at some point in their lives. Some causes are harmless, but others could indicate more serious health conditions. Is sleeping with socks on bad for you? We'll tell you the many benefits and one risk of keeping your feet cozy at night. If you suffer from plantar hyperhidrosis, or sweaty feet, here's how to handle it. Poor circulation is most common in your extremities, such as your legs and arms.

Learn more about the symptoms and causes of poor circulation. Temporal arteritis occurs when the temporal arteries, which supply blood to the head and brain, become inflamed or damaged. Everyday factors can make veins more noticeable. But there are a few causes that are an emergency.

Green veins are superficial veins located near the surface of skin. Learn more. Mesenteric artery ischemia is a condition that restricts blood flow to your intestines. Find out what causes it and how to treat it. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Ways to warm up your feet and hands. Expert tips on keeping your hands warm. What else causes cold feet and hands? Other things that affect cold hands and feet. When to see a doctor.