Q: I tend to run cold, especially in my hands and feet. Is that something to worry about?
When you get cold, it’s normal to first feel it in your fingers and toes. They’re farthest from the body’s core, where most heat is generated.
Cold hands and feet are usually nothing serious, said Dr. Nicholas Morrissey, a vascular surgeon at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. But experts told us when a chill might signal a medical problem, and gave us their best tips for warming up.
Why do hands and feet get cold?
Our internal organs keep us warm when we’re sedentary, and our muscles become the primary source of heat when we’re active.
But there aren’t any organs or major muscles in hands and feet — just plenty of area for heat to escape and little insulation (or fat) to keep it in, said Stephen Cheung, a professor of kinesiology at Brock University in Ontario.
Instead, hands and feet stay warm thanks to a dense web of tiny vessels that circulate blood from the heart. These vessels narrow in the cold, as your body tries to reduce heat loss and redirect the warm blood toward your vital organs.
“Your brain says: ‘I can live without my hands and my feet. I can’t live without my heart, lungs, liver,’” Dr. Cheung said.
Some people can be more susceptible to cold hands and feet.
For example, women generally feel colder than men because the blood vessels in their hands and feet tend to constrict more rapidly in the cold, said Mike Tipton, a professor of human and applied physiology at the University of Portsmouth in England.
Children and people who are underweight also have less muscle mass and fat to generate and retain heat, he added.
Older people are at greater risk of having cold hands and feet as well, Dr. Tipton said, because their nerves and blood vessels tend to deteriorate over time.
When is this a medical problem?
Cold hands and feet can sometimes signal more serious issues.
For example, about 5 percent of Americans have Raynaud’s syndrome, in which spasms of the arteries in the hands and feet, usually caused by cold or stress, temporarily cut off blood flow. This can cause the fingers and toes to change color, said Dr. Jessica Gordon, a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York — white and blue in lighter skin, or more yellow and purple in darker skin. While Raynaud’s is generally harmless, it can occasionally be caused by serious autoimmune diseases like lupus or scleroderma, she added.
Other causes of cold hands and feet include clots in the arms and legs; peripheral artery disease, or the narrowing of vessels in the limbs; and nerve injuries, which can damage the body’s ability to sense temperature and control blood vessels, Dr. Morrissey said.
Hypothyroidism and anemia can also cause cold hands and feet, as can certain medications like stimulants, beta blockers and pseudoephedrine, said Dr. Neha Vyas, a family medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic.
Experts say that you should see a doctor if cold hands or feet are a recent development or the cold feeling is suddenly more severe; if you feel intense pain; if you develop sores, scabs or ulcers on your fingers or toes; or if the cold feeling persists, even if you should otherwise be warm.
What can I do to warm up?
Keeping your whole body warm is the best way to protect against freezing toes and fingers.
So, before you step outside, layer up with a sweater, a wind-resistant jacket and a beanie. “If you can keep your core warm, the brain is going to be less selfish,” and less likely to cut off blood flow to your hands and feet, Dr. Cheung said. In fact, research suggests that, to keep your fingers warm and working, you’re better off heating your torso than your hands.
It’s important to know when to peel those layers off, too. “Sweat destroys the insulation provided by clothing,” Dr. Tipton said, because it fills the tiny pockets of air that normally trap heat between the fabric and your skin.
Holding a warm cup of coffee can also offer temporary relief, and wearing gloves and thick socks can help you retain heat. But the best way to warm up is to increase your heart rate, Dr. Cheung said, whether that’s working out, walking a little faster or stepping in place. When you exercise, about 70 to 80 percent of the energy you burn is released as heat, and as your core warms up, your body pushes more blood to your hands and feet, he added.
At home, experts recommend warming up with slow, gentle heat — think snuggling under a blanket — instead of a sudden blast, like running your hands under hot water. This slower approach is easier on your nerves and blood vessels.
Cold hands and feet can be uncomfortable, but the good news is that the solution is often small, common-sense adjustments.
Simar Bajaj covers health and wellness.
The post Why Are My Hands and Feet So Cold? appeared first on New York Times.
