Dr. K.K. Pandey
In winters especially during morning hours, if the colour of the skin of your fingers or toes changes to pale, then blue & finally red, or your fingers or toes have mild swelling & tingling sensation or they develop round red patches especially during cold morning hours or your finger tips or toes have non healing ulcers, believe me you are suffering from Raynaud’s disease or syndrome. This problem generally affects people who are below the age of 40. Ladies between the age group of 18-40 years are affected most.
Who Are The Worst Sufferers of Raynaud’s Disease ?
The Raynaud’s disease is widely prevalent in India. According to one estimate, in India 8 to 10 percent of population is suffering from Raynaud’s syndrome, the majority of them (90%) are females. Some ladies who are suffering from Raynaud’s syndrome, tend to suffer from mental depression too, sometimes to an extent that they have to seek psychiatric help.
As new occupations & profession are opening up in India so is the incidence of Raynaud’s syndrome increasing. The employees working in food processing industry are more vulnerable to develop the symptom of Raynaud’s syndrome, because the workers in this industry are repeatedly exposed to hot & cold water alternatively. The labourers working in ice & ice-cream factories are always at risk to develop Raynaud’s syndrome at any stage.
Raynaud’s disease attacks those people who use quite regularly vibratory tools like drilling machine, mixi, hair drier used in beauty parlour. Sometimes people who spend a lot of time on piano, harmonium or computer key board may become vulnerable to Raynaud’s attacks.
Scleroderma is an Important Cause of Raynaud’s Disease
The half of the patients of Raynaud’s syndrome, suffer from autoimmune disease too. Scleroderoma, one of the important autoimmune diseases happens to be the commonest cause of Raynaud’s syndrome. The other possible causes of Raynaud’s syndrome may be an excessive pressure exerted either by the neck muscles or an abnormally grown bony rib (cervical rib) from the back bone. Patients of Raynaud’s syndrome may contain in their blood a special substance called cryoglobulin.
Treatment Options in Raynaud’s Disease
Generally, Raynaud’s syndrome is treated with non surgical methods including medicines. Sometimes biofeed back technique is also helpful to control the temperatures of toes or fingers. If medical management altogether fails, an operation named cervical sympathectomy or periarterial digital sympathectomy is done which slackens the constriction mechanism of small arteries. In majority of the cases with some precautions one can control this disease, without surgery. Sometimes in neglected & untreated advanced cases, finger tips need amputation if they have already developed gangrene. However, if fingers & toes have only ulcers, they can be managed with proper care & medication under direct supervision of a Vascular or a Cardiovascular surgeon.
Ladies should avoid smoking & use of any tobacco product, because this will keep the arteries of hand & foot constricted, these already constricted arteries when exposed to a slight cold climate will further aggravate the problem.
What to do if you are suffering form Raynaud’s syndrome.
* Avoid exposure to cold weather at all cost always cover your feet & hands with woollen socks & gloves during winter season. Hand warmers, hot water bottle, and heat pads are helpful. Avoid exposure to cold water and ice. Always wear cotton gloves while searching the food in freezer. You should, wear rubber gloves while washing dishes and utensils. Keep yourself warm with proper clothings.
* Avoid Barefoot walking even inside your home.
* Must avoid tight-fitting wrist bands, wrist watches, rings on your fingers or shoes.
* Must guard your hands and feet from direct injury and wounds. Any wound or infection should be treated early to prevent from developing more serious infections. Avoid activities like sewing and piano playing. Avoid using detergent.
* Always think that your fingers and toes are warm. This will help to decrease the severity and frequency of Raynaud’s Phenomenon.
* Avoid contraceptives.
* Avoid oily and cholesterol-rich food. Intake of ginger, and fresh pineapple is beneficial. Pineapple when cut fresh contains Bromelain that will help in reduction of inflammation and swelling. Bromelain is lost if pineapple is not consumed immediately after cutting.
* Avoid drugs, which narrow down the diameter of small arties of your hand and finger & toes. Ergot used for headache and migraine, B-blockers (Atenolol, Propranolol, Metoprolol, Nadolol) used for cold control, Phenylpropanolamine (Ephedrine) (Allerest, Dexatrim, Sucrets, Naldecon) Pseudoephedrine (Actifed, Sudafed, Cotylenol) for cold control.
* Avoid exposure to vibrations and vibratory tools. Avoid using mixi, drilling, hair drier.
* Do massage of your fingers, hand, toes and feet with olive oil or ginger oil.
* Eat cucumber, tomato, carrot, oranges daily in significant amount. Use of ginger is very helpful in controlling the disease.
Fingers turned blue due to cold : Raynaud’s Due to recurrent attacks of Raynaud’s Disease
Disease ulcer developed on finger tips
(The author is is a Senior Consultant in the Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi India.)
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