Weird Circulation problem...

[tyler]

I find that my hands and feet are like always cold. I know this has nothing to do with exercise (hopefully), but didn't know where else to post it. Can anyone think of any reasons for this? I'm thinking bad circulation or something.

[Stephen Johnson]

I find that my hands and feet are like always cold. I know this has nothing to do with exercise (hopefully), but didn't know where else to post it. Can anyone think of any reasons for this? I'm thinking bad circulation or something.

I did a search on "cold hand syndrome" and came up with this link:

List of 9 causes of Cold hands

This section shows a full list of all the diseases and conditions listed as a possible cause of Cold hands in our database from various sources.

* Abdominal Aneurysm - cold hands and feet
* Buerger's disease - poor hand circulation
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - cold hands
* Circulatory disorders
* Cockayne syndrome - cool hands
* Cold weather
* Hip cancer - cold hands and feet
* Meningococcal disease - Cold hands and feet
* Raynaud's phenomenon - see also causes of Raynaud's phenomenon

Some of the possible causes are pretty serious. If your cold hands/feet are of recent onset, you might want to seek a medical opinion.

[tyler]

I find that my hands and feet are like always cold. I know this has nothing to do with exercise (hopefully), but didn't know where else to post it. Can anyone think of any reasons for this? I'm thinking bad circulation or something.

I did a search on "cold hand syndrome" and came up with this link:

List of 9 causes of Cold hands

This section shows a full list of all the diseases and conditions listed as a possible cause of Cold hands in our database from various sources.

* Abdominal Aneurysm - cold hands and feet
* Buerger's disease - poor hand circulation
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - cold hands
* Circulatory disorders
* Cockayne syndrome - cool hands
* Cold weather
* Hip cancer - cold hands and feet
* Meningococcal disease - Cold hands and feet
* Raynaud's phenomenon - see also causes of Raynaud's phenomenon

Some of the possible causes are pretty serious. If your cold hands/feet are of recent onset, you might want to seek a medical opinion.

Holy crap- yea some of it sounds bad. But I forgot to mention in the first post that back when I had more fat it wasn't quite as bad. Now its really bad that I'm thinner. I guess it could still be one of those horrible sounding names though.

[Stephen Johnson]

Holy crap- yea some of it sounds bad. But I forgot to mention in the first post that back when I had more fat it wasn't quite as bad. Now its really bad that I'm thinner. I guess it could still be one of those horrible sounding names though.

Don't sweat it - it's most likely overtraining. Also, do you drink coffee or any other caffeinated beverages? They can cause constriction of the blood vessels, which could result in cold hands. Smoking does that too, although I doubt that you're a smoker.

[Jungledoc]

May I try to reassure about some of those?

* Abdominal Aneurysm - cold hands and feet
I doubt this would cause cold hands--just cold legs. If it were bad enough to do that, you'd be likely to have other symptoms (abdominal pain, leg weakness, skin color change, impotence).

* Buerger's disease - poor hand circulation
Pretty rare, especially in the US. I looked it up, and it is reported at 12-20 cases per 100,000 population. It virtually only occurs in tobacco users. It is progressive and severe. If you had it you probably would be under medical care fairly quickly.

* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - cold hands
This has lots of non-specific symptoms. It is a somewhat vaguely defined (one of those things that is real, but probably not as common as some people think) condition with complex psycho-emotional morbidity. If you are not chronically fatigued, don't worry about this one.

* Circulatory disorders
Just a general term for all of the above and the below.

* Cockayne syndrome - cool hands
OK, you got me on this one. I had never heard of this before now. I just looked it up. It is a devastating disease of childhood, and leads to poor growth starting in the first year of life. Median age of death of 12 years. Incidence in the US is 1 in 250,000. You don't have it.

* Cold weather
Yeah. You should notice this. The main diagnostic feature is being surrounded by air of a reduced temperature.

* Hip cancer - cold hands and feet
Huh? I can't make sense of this. I don't know how this would work. "Hip cancer" is just a location where many types of cancer can occur, and not a type of cancer. I don't know how cancer occurring in the hip could cause cold hands. It might in the feet if the tumor were big enough to actually obstruct the femoral artery. Would only occur on the side of the tumor. You'd notice more than just the cold foot.

* Meningococcal disease - Cold hands and feet
A severe infection that affects the whole body. Fever, shock, pale skin, unconsciousness, etc. You would notice, unless you were already unconscious.

* Raynaud's phenomenon - see also causes of Raynaud's phenomenon
Ah, here's one to think about. This is somewhat common (I've seen a few in my career), but only occasionally serious. It's often (not always) associated with smoking). Usually just annoying. This occurs in attacks, with a color change, usually first going pale then red (or is it the other way around?) and then returning to normal. In more severe cases there is pain in the fingers during attacks. If any of things occur, see your doctor.

I'm wondering if the cold sensation you have is neurological rather than circulatory? Otherwise healthy young people don't just have "bad circulation"; circulatory problems are more involved than that. When people lose weight, some of the places where we tend to put pressure on nerves are now without their accustomed padding, and are more sensitive.

Is the coldness associated with certain positions or activities? Will it go away with movement or change in position?

[tyler]

May I try to reassure about some of those?

* Abdominal Aneurysm - cold hands and feet
I doubt this would cause cold hands--just cold legs. If it were bad enough to do that, you'd be likely to have other symptoms (abdominal pain, leg weakness, skin color change, impotence).

* Buerger's disease - poor hand circulation
Pretty rare, especially in the US. I looked it up, and it is reported at 12-20 cases per 100,000 population. It virtually only occurs in tobacco users. It is progressive and severe. If you had it you probably would be under medical care fairly quickly.

* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - cold hands
This has lots of non-specific symptoms. It is a somewhat vaguely defined (one of those things that is real, but probably not as common as some people think) condition with complex psycho-emotional morbidity. If you are not chronically fatigued, don't worry about this one.

* Circulatory disorders
Just a general term for all of the above and the below.

* Cockayne syndrome - cool hands
OK, you got me on this one. I had never heard of this before now. I just looked it up. It is a devastating disease of childhood, and leads to poor growth starting in the first year of life. Median age of death of 12 years. Incidence in the US is 1 in 250,000. You don't have it.

* Cold weather
Yeah. You should notice this. The main diagnostic feature is being surrounded by air of a reduced temperature.

* Hip cancer - cold hands and feet
Huh? I can't make sense of this. I don't know how this would work. "Hip cancer" is just a location where many types of cancer can occur, and not a type of cancer. I don't know how cancer occurring in the hip could cause cold hands. It might in the feet if the tumor were big enough to actually obstruct the femoral artery. Would only occur on the side of the tumor. You'd notice more than just the cold foot.

* Meningococcal disease - Cold hands and feet
A severe infection that affects the whole body. Fever, shock, pale skin, unconsciousness, etc. You would notice, unless you were already unconscious.

* Raynaud's phenomenon - see also causes of Raynaud's phenomenon
Ah, here's one to think about. This is somewhat common (I've seen a few in my career), but only occasionally serious. It's often (not always) associated with smoking). Usually just annoying. This occurs in attacks, with a color change, usually first going pale then red (or is it the other way around?) and then returning to normal. In more severe cases there is pain in the fingers during attacks. If any of things occur, see your doctor.

I'm wondering if the cold sensation you have is neurological rather than circulatory? Otherwise healthy young people don't just have "bad circulation"; circulatory problems are more involved than that. When people lose weight, some of the places where we tend to put pressure on nerves are now without their accustomed padding, and are more sensitive.

Is the coldness associated with certain positions or activities? Will it go away with movement or change in position?

Wow- thank you for the elaboration. Cleared up a little bit. I doubt its neurological (if by that you mean umm...psychological?) because it's usually only when my hands start getting really cold that I even notice. But usually my feet are worse...even when wearing socks and shoes. I try to wear gloves, but hands will still be cold even in gloves until I take them out and rub them alot. Do u think that if it is to do with weight loss and nerves not having as much protection, that eventually they will get used to not have protection and maybe not have this happen all the time? Cold weather obviously brings it on...usually in temps above 60 or 70 i'm fine. But under 60 is when it gets bad. But it's not like there's much of a difference once it gets below say, 40. 35 degrees and 20 degrees still generally feel about that same.

[tyler]

Oh yea- and I can be active, and they'll still stay just as cold. Usually my feet will be cold till I shower- and hands too unless I take efforts to like warm them up by rubbing them or something.

[Jungledoc]

(if by that you mean umm...psychological?)

No. "Neurological" refers to the functioning of the nerves.

because it's usually only when my hands start getting really cold that I even notice. But usually my feet are worse...even when wearing socks and shoes. I try to wear gloves, but hands will still be cold even in gloves until I take them out and rub them alot.

Well, originally you said that they are "always cold". But it's only in cool temperatures?

You didn't say if you see a color change in your skin when it happens.

Do u think that if it is to do with weight loss and nerves not having as much protection, that eventually they will get used to not have protection and maybe not have this happen all the time?

Maybe, but I'm thinking its probably mild Reynaud's syndrome.

Cold weather obviously brings it on...usually in temps above 60 or 70 i'm fine. But under 60 is when it gets bad. But it's not like there's much of a difference once it gets below say, 40. 35 degrees and 20 degrees still generally feel about that same.

Oh yea- and I can be active, and they'll still stay just as cold. Usually my feet will be cold till I shower- and hands too unless I take efforts to like warm them up by rubbing them or something.

I think it's probably Reynaud's syndrome.

[tyler]

Hmmm...well...yes it is only in colder temps. I mean...every once in awhile in warmer temps, but I really notice now that its like 40 and below out. And uhh...my skin has a mild reddish tone to it (at least the hands), so perhaps your right. But I really don't notice much of a color change...and with the feet there doesn't seem to be any either.