Dr Hilary – Living With Raynaud’s Syndrome

Dr Hilary – living with Raynaud’s Syndrome

If you have Raynaud’s it is very likely that your fingers will change colour at any time during the year depending on where you are and what you are doing. Just touching a cold milk bottle without using protective gloves can cause the fingers to go numb – even in the summer. Air conditioning can also be a problem or a cold wind on a hot beach can have a similar affect. Remember that it is the change in temperature which is the trigger rather than simply the cold.

Making small changes to your lifestyle can help, exercise, diet and clothing are all important factors in dealing with your Raynaud’s.

Exercise

Regular movement and exercise will help to maintain a better blood flow. This doesn’t mean that you have to go to a gym or health club in order to keep fit or do drastic exercises – swimming can be a great and cost effective sport. Some pools have special sessions for people with disabilities and make the water warm at certain times. It may be worth asking at your local leisure centre.
Stress balls can be an effective way of exercising the hands when sitting or watching television.

Diet

There is as yet, no satisfactory medical evidence that diet makes any difference to Raynaud’s but eating a healthily is always a great idea. Your body needs plenty of warming ‘fuel’ so a bowl of hot porridge or cereal with warm milk makes a good start to the day and aim to eat several small meals to maintain your energy heat levels. It is important to have at least one hot meal a day and not go without food for a long time. Don’t forget to include fresh fruit and vegetables.

Clothing

It’s not just in the winter that you need to be aware of keeping warm. Often in the summer, even in a hot climate, air conditioning can cause an attack. It is worth taking a pair of lightweight gloves on holiday and a shawl or wrap to put around your shoulders in the evenings when the temperature drops Wearing several thin layers of clothing will provide more efficient insulation than one thick layer. A great idea on a cold morning is to warm clothing before wearing it – either in an airing cupboard overnight or on a radiator. Don’t forget to wear a hat!

Treatment

There are many drugs to treat Raynaud’s and as always, I would advise for anyone to see their Doctor to ensure they get the right treatment. Many patients with Raynaud’s like to try natural products before using conventional drugs. Ginkgo biloba is one of the few herbs where the activity can be measured a few hours after ingestion. There are numerous studies showing its benefits for circulation, including Raynaud’s.

Smoking

Anyone with Raynaud’s should know that smoking just one cigarette can reduce the body temperature by 1 degree over a 20 minute period.