Raynaud's syndrome: what it is, what causes it and how to manage Raynaud's when the cold weather arrives

When it gets cold, people with Raynaud's syndrome can suffer a loss of blood flow and agonising knife-stabbing pain in their extremities. The charity Scleroderma and Raynaud's UK (SRUK) explain the condition and the best ways of managing it when the cold weather bites.

What is Raynaud's syndrome?

Raynaud's, also known as Raynaud's Phenomenon, is a condition that affects blood flow to parts of the body such as hands, feet, ears, nose and even nipples. When you live with Raynaud's, cold temperatures and stress can trigger painful 'attacks' where small blood vessels in the body's extremities – such as hands, feet, ears or nose - constrict, reducing the flow of blood.

This can cause the skin of the affected area to change colour to white, and then blue, and to become numb. Eventually, as the blood circulation returns, the skin changes colour again to red and it can be extremely painful.

Many people living with the condition will regularly experience pain and discomfort during a Raynaud’s attack, making some everyday activities such as buttoning up a shirt, opening a bottle or handling keys almost impossible. People have told us how the pain they feel during a Raynaud’s attack feels as if someone has taken a hammer to their hands – it hurts that much. Around three million people with the condition will experience painful Raynaud’s attacks all year round.

There are two types of Raynaud's: primary and secondary. Most people will develop primary Raynaud's, which is when the condition is not linked to another, more serious health condition. For those diagnosed with secondary Raynaud's, this means it is caused by an underlying condition, such as the autoimmune condition, scleroderma. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to recognise the signs of Raynaud’s and visit your GP.

How common is Raynaud's syndrome?

There are about 10 million people in the UK living with Raynaud's. It equates to one in six people, which makes it as common as hay fever. Women are more likely to develop Raynaud's than men, although it can occur in anyone and at any age.

What causes Raynaud's syndrome?

We don’t know for certain what causes Raynaud’s, although researchers have recently identified two genes that can increase the risk of developing the condition. This not only adds to our understanding of the condition but will hopefully lead to more effective treatments for people with the condition. You can read more about this, including our comment on the research, here.

What are the symptoms of Raynaud's syndrome?

The most common signs of Raynaud’s are:

Extremely cold fingers and toes
Colour changes in the skin in response to cold or stress
Colour changes in the affected areas to white, then blue and then red
Numbness, tingling or pain in the fingers or toes when an attack first happens and then stinging or throbbing pain as they warm up

How is Raynaud's syndrome diagnosed?

SRUK encourages anyone who thinks they might have Raynaud's to take their online test at sruk.co.uk/testme in the first instance. It gives people more information about the condition and how to manage it and advises if a GP visit is required.

Your doctor may look at your fingers and toes to check the health of your skin and nails, and blood flow to these areas. There are also some tests that can be performed to check if you have Raynaud’s.

Are there any treatments available for Raynaud's syndrome?

There is currently no cure for Raynaud's, but there are some treatments that can help prevent painful Raynaud's attacks. Unfortunately, these are limited and will not be suitable for everyone.

How can you manage Raynaud's syndrome?

However, there are some other things that people with the condition can do to try to minimise the possibility of Raynaud’s attacks.

Keeping your body warm, for instance, is one of the best ways to manage the condition and prevent painful attacks, so having your home at a warm, consistent temperature is crucial for people living with this condition. Other things include:

Taking gentle regular exercise
If you smoke, try to stop
Wearing a pair of thin cotton or silk gloves under thicker ones can give added warmth when you’re outside in the cold
Putting on insulated gloves before you open your fridge or freezer will help to protect your hands from the cold

How to keep warm when out walking

Many people in our community walk to help reduce stress, which can trigger a Raynaud’s attack. However, they also need to protect themselves from the cold. Here are some of their tried and tested top tips:

You must keep your core warm. As soon as your body's core temperature starts to drop, it starts to reduce blood flow to exposed areas (e.g. hands and feet), which can exacerbate Raynaud's
Wear several thin layers of clothing rather than one thick layer, as the air trapped between the layers will help to insulate your body. Tight clothing should be avoided as this may restrict your blood flow
Ensure your circulation is at its optimum by breathing and stretching before exercise
If you get wet, take the wet clothes off as soon as you get out of wet conditions and dry off quickly
Avoid getting too hot and then suddenly cooling down
Take a thermos with a hot drink that you can also use to warm your hands
Use re-usable or re-chargeable heat packs in your gloves and socks
Gloves and socks made with pure silver minimise the radiative heat loss by actively reflecting 95% of the body’s energy back to the skin. This makes them a lot warmer compared to conventional socks and gloves
Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth when outdoors – this stops cold air being sucked in through your mouth and sent straight to your lungs. The nose acts as a filter
Plan ahead – put gloves and socks on the radiator before you go out and put them on before you get cold
Always have extra socks and gloves ready just in case
Download our leaflet for more top tips

Images: Getty Images