Raynaud’s Disease
Whether you have Primary or Secondary Raynaud’s (ray-NOHZ) disease, it’s still the narrowing of smaller arteries that supply blood to your skin, limiting blood circulation to the affected areas. This typically happens in the fingers and/or toes but on occasion can occur in other areas of the body, such as the ears, nose, and lips.
Doctors don’t understand the complete reasoning of Raynaud’s attacks except that the vessels in the hands and feet become overly active to cold temperatures and stress.
The symptoms of Raynaud’s are known as • Cold fingers and toes. • Skin color changing in response to coldness or emotional stress. • Numbness, prickly feeling or painful stinging when warming or relief from stress occurs.
During an episode the skin of the affected areas usually turns a deadly white color and then often turns blue or grayish, while a feeling of coldness and numbing of the area appears.
As the fingers or toes warm and circulation returns, the area can turn red and painfully throb, tingle or swell. It can take around fifteen minutes for normal blood flow to return sometimes longer.
Raynaud’s disease shouldn’t be disabling but it can affect the quality of life for those who have it.
There are many reasons for people having Raynaud’s disease but listed are the things that can cause increased chances: Rheumatoid Arthritis, frostbite, Lupus, smoking, Carpal Tunnel, injuries of hands or feet, repetitive action or vibration, and certain medications.
As long as the skin is healthy and intact, a great option to consider for relief from Raynaud’s is reducing stress levels and improving local circulation through massage therapy. Hot stone therapy is also another great option for Raynaud’s disease.
Massage and hot stone therapy can provide the area with localized circulation providing better blood flow throughout the area, increase the body’s endorphins to reduce pain and elevate the levels of stress that can trigger a flare up.
Be sure to let your therapist know you are suffering from Raynaud’s disease so they can help you better.
~Best of Health & Positive Energy, ~ Healing Feather Wellness ~ “Balancing Body, Mind & Spirit” ~ ©2018
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