Why Do I Always Have Cold Hands and Feet?

Just like other mammals, humans are warm-blooded and tend to prefer a warmer environment.

Whether you just came in after a run or a bike ride, finished building a snowman or work in an office that feels like the air conditioning is set to arctic temperatures, it’s perfectly healthy to feel your hands or feet chilly sometimes. In fact, quite often the first thing you’ll notice is a cold nose or the ears! Ever wondered why?

The human body is in constant flux to stay at a safe and viable temperature to keep our vital organs warm. When it’s chilly outside, the body’s main priority becomes diverting blood to our core organs [read heart, brain and lungs] to conserve heat. It does so by constricting the blood vessels in our extremities, esp. hands and feet, preventing the much desired vital body heat from escaping our core. The reduced amount of blood flow and thus oxygen to our hands and feet make them feel cold.

Men have a higher body fat percentage and muscle mass compared to women. Akin to this difference in body composition, they can maintain their core temperature better than women.

Having cold extremities is usually not a sign of anything other than that you’ve been in a cold space or have touched something cold. You just need to load up on fluffy socks, tights or gloves to keep your extremities warm.

But if your hands or feet are cold perpetually, even when you haven’t been in or near cold, it can be a sign of some deeper issue or health condition that affects blood flow to your hands/feet.

Other Symptoms to Watch Out For

You should be concerned and must visit your physician if you have cold hands or feet along with other symptoms, viz.–

skin ulcers
Pain
Tingling, numbness or ‘pins and needles’ sensation
Change in your skin texture (if it feels tighter or harder than usual) or has changed color (red, purple-blue or pale white)
Cold hands or feet/toes all the time that take longer than they should to warm up

People who spend prolonged periods in freezers, like meat packers, army men, mountaineers, rescue workers, hunters, sailors, etc., are at a greater risk of permanent and very painful damage to the hands and feet with frostbites, and cold injuries.

What are the Potential Causes?

The most common cause of cold hands or feet is nothing but a safe and healthy reaction to temperature change. However as our blood plays a major role in keeping our bodies warm, a lot of ‘cold hands and feet’ causes boil down to bad circulation.

Health conditions that can cause cold extremities as a symptom include:

Anaemia: Is a blood disorder and has several different types, but every anaemia disorder is categorised by a lack of red blood cells which contain haemoglobin – a protein that helps transport oxygen throughout the body. One of the most common symptoms of anaemia is cold hands and feet, as not having enough red blood cells may cause the body to struggle to transport blood to distant body parts.
Raynaud’s syndrome: This is a condition that causes blood vessels in your fingers and toes to constrict suddenly or go into a vasospasm even if you’re at a comfortable temperature – when you’re stressed, cold or anxious. While this can make your hands/feet cold, frequent vasospasms can cause damage to tissues in your hands/feet and cause skin sores (ulcers). The skin on your hands and fingers might also change color and have a white (pallor), blue or purple (cyanosis) tint. There can be added pain, pins and needles or numbness and difficulty moving the affected area. When blood flow resumes, your hands and feet change color back to normal and feel warm (rubor).
Hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t release enough thyroid hormone into your body. This makes your metabolism slow down, affecting your entire body and may make you feel cold all over including your hands and feet, even if you’re in a warm place.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD): PAD is a buildup of fatty plaque in your arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis causes narrowing of the arteries that can block or restrict blood flow to your legs and/or arms. This can make them feel cold. PAD can cause severe complications if it’s not treated in time.
Lupus: Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that causes swelling and inflammation throughout your body. It can affect your skin and blood, which can make you more sensitive to temperature changes. It may also be associated with Raynaud’s syndrome.
Scleroderma: Again an autoimmune disorder, this can make the skin on your fingers and hands thicker than it should be. People with scleroderma often have Raynaud’s syndrome too.
Diabetes: Diabetes per se and the complications that usually come with it can cause cold hands and feet. Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease or narrowed arteries, both of which may contribute to cold feet and hands. It also increases your chances of developing nerve damage, especially of feet due to sustained high blood sugar levels over a period of time. One of the earliest signs of this type of damage is a feeling of ‘pins and needles’ in your hands or feet.
Smoking: Tobacco causes damage to our blood vessels. The damaged vessels become narrower and constrict blood flow, which can sometimes result in cold hands and feet. The longer you smoke, the higher the chance of damage to the blood vessels in your heart, which makes it harder for it to pump blood through your whole body. This can especially affect your feet and legs.
Vitamin B12 deficiency: Pernicious anaemia – a Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia, is an autoimmune condition that prevents your body from absorbing vitamin B12 (necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells) from the foods you eat. It generally happens due to an autoimmune inflammation of the stomach and the small intestine. The resulting lack of red blood cells can cause poor circulation of blood, especially in hands and feet, which can then become cold. Older adults are affected more. If left untreated, pernicious anaemia can cause serious medical issues, including irreversible damage to the nervous system.
Excessive stress and anxiety: When a person is under stress or anxiety, adrenaline is pumped into the bloodstream. This results in constriction of the blood vessels at the periphery of the body causing reduced blood flow to the extremities, making them cold.
Sedentary lifestyle: If you spend a lot of time seated and have an inactive lifestyle, it may result in decreased blood circulation to the lower limbs resulting in cold feet.

What you can do about it?

# Improve blood circulation to your hands and feet

If you are getting cold hands and feet simply because you work, live or hang around in very cold places, here are some tips on how to improve your blood circulation and help keep them feeling nice and toasty:

Slippers and socks: try wearing them even when indoors.
Choose warmer clothes: add to your winter wardrobe and stock up on high-quality hats, socks, gloves/mittens and a nice warm coat or jacket.
Daily exercise: keeping a good daily exercise routine can help improve your blood circulation.
Hold something warm: make yourself nice warm drinks to hold (and drink!)
Heating pads: using heating pads for your feet and lower back can help warm you up and help your blood vessels dilate, which allows for better blood flow to your hands, feet and whole body.
Massage the cold away: massaging your hands and feet gently can get you nicely warmed up in a short duration of time.
Moist heat packs: use heat packs filled with rice, beans, or other grains that cause moisture when microwaved and moist heat penetrates better.
Stay away from the freezer: try to avoid delving your hands into supermarket freezers or the fridge at home. Use gloves if you have to reach into freezers for frozen foods.
Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet: to avoid build-ups in your blood vessels and keep obesity at bay.
Stop smoking or using tobacco: as it may precipitate peripheral artery disease compromising your blood flow.

# Seek Medical Help

If there is an underlying cause which is causing you cold extremities, you need to consult your healthcare provider to get to the root of the issue and start feeling better.

Homoeopathy Can Help!

Homoeopathy treats holistically. The medicines are very effective in managing cases of cold hands and feet, whatever the cause may be. The system takes into account the symptom totality and treats you as an individual; straight away targeting the root cause to bring about long-lasting relief.

This season, medicines like Calcarea carb, Agaricus muscarius, Silicea, Kali phos, Cinchona officinalis, Thyroidinum, Nux vomica, Carbo veg, Sepia, Digitalis purpurea, Ferrum met, and Menyanthes trifoliata stayed as top remedies in my medical chest to combat the extra chill that many of my patients felt.

Since all these remedies are prepared from naturally occurring substances, the aid they instil is very safe, gentle and without any side effects.

Do not self-medicate and consult your physician to rule out any serious disease condition behind your feeling Extra Cold this winter!