Dr Sarah Jarvis
My Weekly’s favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you
The most common answer to “what’s causing my cold feet?” is “being a woman!” The fairer sex are naturally inclined to ice-blocks for feet and hands. However there are medical conditions that can be to blame too.
Our bodies have amazingly sophisticated mechanisms to keep our internal organs at the right temperature. One is shutting off circulation to your extremities – mostly hands and feet – and directing all the warm blood to your inner organs. Blood flow can reduce by 99% in the cold – and women do it best.
Part of this is hormonerelated, so your tendency to cold feet will vary during your monthly cycle. Women also have a higher proportion of fat under the skin – great for insulating internal organs but bad for blood supply to the skin.
Women (including me) are also more prone to a condition called Raynaud’s syndrome. In Raynaud’s, your fingers and sometimes toes turn cold and white, then go blue and numb when exposed to cold. Episodes last from minutes to several hours. There’s usually no obvious cause but some auto-immune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma can be to blame.
Raynaud’s can be brought on by medicines that affect blood flow like beta blockers for heart conditions, some cancer drugs and decongestants.
Prolonged use of vibration tools used in building work can damage tiny blood vessels in your hands, making you prone to Raynaud’s. A tablet called nifedipine, daily or in cold weather, may help.
Blockage or furring-up of bigger blood vessels (arteries) supplying your feet with blood
WHATEVER THE CAUSE OF YOUR COLD FEET, STOPPING SMOKING CAN HELP. SMOKING SHUTS DOWN WARMING BLOOD CIRCULATION
JUST FOR ONCE, I’M NOT BANGING ON ABOUT THE DANGERS OF OVERWEIGHT! BEING VERY UNDERWEIGHT CAN CAUSE COLD FEET AND HANDS
can lead to cold, numb feet, as well as pain – usually starting in your calves. Peripheral Arterial Disease or PAD is mostly due to all the same risk factors as heart attack and stroke – which are caused by blocked arteries in other parts of the body. While high blood pressure and cholesterol are the top culprits for stroke and heart disease, the most important cause of PAD is smoking.
The first symptom of PAD is usually pain in your calves after you’ve walked a set distance, which settles when you stop. The distance shortens as the condition progresses, as well as if you’re walking uphill. You can lose hair on your legs and get numb, cold feet and ulcers. Stopping smoking is key, but regular exercise is also vital to improve circulation. Several medicines can help, and in severe cases surgery to restore blood flow may be suggested.
Damage to your nerves can also cause cold feet. Diabetes is a major cause – high blood sugar affects your nerves, with feet most often the first to feel the strain. If you have diabetes, keeping blood sugar well controlled will cut your risk of foot problems dramatically. Your doctor should check your feet at least once a year, but it’s vital to examine your own feet regularly. As well as feeling cold, you may get burning, shooting pain at night. You can lose the ability to feel pain, so may be more prone to injuries which don’t heal well. Foot ulcers are also a real risk without proper attention to your feet. If in doubt, see your doctor.
Finally, an underactive thyroid gland can leave you with freezing feet. Your thyroid regulates your metabolism so if it slows down you can feel the cold more. You may also be tired and constipated, and gain weight for no reason. Regular tablets will put your thyroid back into balance. Next week: Suffering from SAD?
STOPPING SMOKING IS KEY, BUT REGULAR EXERCISE IS ALSO VITAL TO IMPROVE CIRCULATION’’