Raynaud’s phenomenon: symptoms, causes and treatment

Reviewed by Dr. Michael Kessler, DC— Raynaud’s phenomenon, also called Raynaud’s syndrome or Raynaud’s disease, is a condition that affects blood circulation. People with Raynaud’s syndrome experience restricted or interrupted blood flow, known as vasospasms, to the fingers, toes, ears, nose, or nipples.

Raynaud’s disease can be a symptom of various underlying medical conditions. In such cases, it is called secondary Raynaud’s.

Otherwise, healthy people may also suffer from Raynaud’s syndrome. This form is called primary Raynaud’s disease, and although it’s more common, doctors aren’t entirely sure what causes it. Stress and cold temperatures have been identified as risk factors for this phenomenon.

As fall and winter approach, you may want to look out for this rare disorder. Fortunately, there are natural ways to help reduce the discomfort of attacks.

Symptoms of Raynaud’s phenomenon

Although Raynaud’s phenomenon can affect different parts of the body, it most commonly develops in the fingers and toes.

Blood vessels in these areas will temporarily constrict or spasm in response to cold, stress, or an emotional event. Then the skin color changes as blood flow is cut off. When blood vessels open, the skin often flushes red.

Symptoms can vary between people, but are likely to include one or more of the following:

• Discoloration of the fingers or toes (they may turn pale, white, or even blue when exposed to cold or stressful situations)
• Skin that feels cold to the touch
• Loss of sensation in affected areas
• Swelling and/or pain in the hands when heated
• Sores on finger pads (serious cases)
• Gangrene of the fingers leads to infection (rare)

Individual differences also occur within the different types of Raynaud’s disease. Some people with primary Raynaud’s disease may feel a drop in temperature in the affected area, but no pain. The pain may occur for about 15 minutes as blood begins to flow back to the area and warm.

Those with secondary Raynaud’s are more likely to experience severe pain, numbness, or tingling in the fingers and toes.

Causes of Raynaud’s phenomenon

Raynaud’s phenomenon is referred to as a phenomenon because its cause is still somewhat unclear. Primary Raynaud’s causes are difficult to pinpoint, while secondary Raynaud’s causes an underlying condition.

Several autoimmune and connective tissue diseases are associated with secondary Raynaud’s disease. They include:

Doctors don’t fully understand where the primary form of Raynaud’s disease comes from. However, risk factors may include:

• Cigarette smoking
• Cold temperatures
• Emotional stress
• Working with vibrating hand tools
• Work on carpal tunnel syndrome/computer
• pharmaceutical
• Injury near the affected area

Primary Raynaud’s disease is less serious and generally affects younger people. Most cases appear in people under 30 years of age. Secondary Raynaud’s disease generally affects older people, usually appearing in their 30s or 40s.

Climate also appears to play a role in the risk of developing Raynaud’s syndrome. Those who live in cold climates are more likely to develop this condition than their counterparts in warmer regions.

Raynaud’s disease also appears to be more common in women than in men.

Treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon

Unfortunately, there is no cure for Raynaud’s disease. It is often recommended to find ways to control and treat seizures.

Managing symptoms can be fairly simple, especially in mild cases. Wearing gloves or thick socks may be sufficient. If symptoms appear even in moderately cold temperatures, wearing a pair of light gloves may help. It may also be helpful to apply, remove, and add layers of gloves and socks as necessary.

More serious cases may require medications, injections, or surgery.

pharmaceutical

There are different forms of medications used to treat recurrent cases of severe vasospasms. These medications generally relax and widen blood vessels.

Examples include:

• Blood pressure medicationsIt is taken seasonally by people who do not suffer from high blood pressure to reduce blood vessel constriction. Talk to your doctor before taking any medication or nutritional supplements.
• Topical nitroglycerin ointments: It can be applied to the affected area to help relieve symptoms by improving blood flow.
• Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers: It may help relax small blood vessels in the hands and feet.
• Vasodilators: Medicines that relax and expand the veins. Viagra and Prozac are vasodilators, as are calcium channel blockers.

Injection

Injecting local anesthetic or “Botox” into the area may help prevent nerve fibers from causing constriction. It may not be an effective treatment for everyone. It is also worth noting that the effects are short-term and continuous injections will be needed.

Sympathectomy

Sympathectomy is a form of neurosurgery that may reduce the frequency and severity of seizures or seizures. Surgery involves making small incisions to separate nerves from blood vessels. In theory, this would relieve vascular constriction. However, the procedure is not always successful.

Alternative treatments for Raynaud’s phenomenon

There are alternative natural ways to control Raynaud’s symptoms.

If your Raynaud’s disease is stress-related, finding ways to reduce or control stress may reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

You may find the following activities and lifestyle measures helpful:

• Aerobic exercise (to relieve stress and encourage better circulation)
• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Mindfulness meditation
• Get better sleep quality
• Transcendental mediation
• Deep breathing

You may also notice a difference in symptoms by including foods that promote vasodilation in your diet. These foods generally promote nitric oxide (NO) production:

• Beets and beetroot juice
• Leafy greens
• garlic
• Dark chocolate
• pomegranate
• Woof
• Nuts and seeds

Diets rich in these foods usually result in lower blood pressure and improved blood flow. Eating these healthy foods regularly may play a role in managing Raynaud’s symptoms.

Including protein supplements may help boost NO as well. Supplements are rich in nitric oxide substances that can promote better blood flow.

There are also specific products to improve nitric oxide. “Neo40,” for example, is a daily herbal supplement used to help the body naturally increase NO levels. Contains a combination of beetroot and hawthorn berry extract and does not contain L-citrulline.

It is important to note that some supplements containing L-arginine are not suitable for everyone due to individual genetic makeup. Ask your doctor about the best L-arginine-free NO supplement for your needs.

Other potentially effective alternative treatments for Raynaud’s disease include:

• Fish oil: Fish oil supplements may improve cold tolerance.
• Ginkgo: Ginkgo supplements may help reduce the number of Raynaud’s attacks.
• Acupuncture: Research suggests that acupuncture can improve blood flow, which may make it useful in relieving or preventing seizures.

Living with Raynaud’s phenomenon

There are a number of things you can do to help reduce the severity and duration of attacks. They include:

• Not smoking
• Increased activity
• Stress control
• Avoid extreme temperatures (i.e. the frozen food section of a grocery store) or moving from a very hot environment to a cold environment, when possible
• Keep warm using gloves, socks, hats, scarves, etc.
• Wear finger guards if you have blisters
• Avoid shocks or vibrations of the hand (instruments, writing instruments, playing instruments)

When an attack occurs, try:

• Move indoors to a warmer location
• Wiggle of fingers and toes
• Place the hands under the armpits
• Make wide circles with your arms (windmills)
• Run warm — not hot — water over your fingers or toes
• Massage the affected area

In most cases, primary Raynaud’s disease will not progress to secondary, and the symptoms will be more of an inconvenience than a health concern. Find the Raynaud’s treatments that work for you to reduce the impact of this condition on your life.