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Symptoms of Raynaud's

The symptoms of Raynaud's tend to depend on the frequency, duration and severity of the attacks. Attacks may just affect just one or two fingers or toes, or they may affect other areas of the body such as the nose, cheeks, earlobes, nipples or tongue.

In general, the sequence of events is as follows:

  • As the arteries begin to constrict, the affected area becomes white.
  • As the oxygen to the nerves is depleted, the area then becomes numb.
  • When the oxygen in the tiniest blood vessels (the capillaries) has been used up, the blood changes colour from red to a purplish blue, giving the skin a blue-ish hue. The area is then said to be cyanotic.
  • When the attack starts to subside, the circulation improves and the area may turn red and tingle, throb or swell as it comes back to life.

Steps to Take During an Attack

  1. Move to a warmer area.
  2. Place your hands under your armpits.
  3. Wiggle your fingers and toes.
  4. Make wide circles (windmills) with your arms.
  5. Run warm (never hot) water over your fingers and toes.
  6. Massage your hands and feet.

An attack may last less than a minute to several hours. Over time, attacks may grow more severe.

The symptoms of primary Raynaud's tend to be relatively mild, whereas secondary Raynaud's tends to cause more severe symptoms, in addition to other symptoms related to the underlying condition, such as joint pain and swelling, and rashes.

Raynaud's sufferers tend to take longer to heal. Women also stand a greater risk of pre-eclampsia (toxemia of pregnancy), a potentially serious set of complications that can occur during pregnancy. This heightened reaction to cold can also cause chilblains (or perniosis), which can result in severe damage if left untreated.