What might help to deal with Reynaud’s disease?

Moving to a warmer climate may help. My fingers used to turn waxy white when my hands got cold. It doesn't seem to happen anymore. Many years ago I had issues with my hands and fingers being stiff and I couldn't hold a golf club. Nothing helped and I started taking flax oil. The stiffness went away and now my hands are normal. Give it a try. I take 2 1000mg gelcaps at bedtime and 3 at lunchtime.

@bajjerfan

Have you considered that it could be CREST Syndrome?
https://www.google.com/search

I used to suffer from blood loss in my extremities, and this was not good as an army officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. I can recall bitter times stamping my feet while waiting my turn on winter-time firing ranges to qualify on my series of small arms each year (a requisite form of annual 'refresher' training where we relearned any drills about weapons, went to the gas chamber to verify that our personal kit and gas mask were in good order, took a first aid refresher, etc).

The obvious is to wear some kind of covering. No, not necessarily on your hands....on your head. The Peruvian aphorism goes, 'When your toes are cold, put a hat on.' Gloves can work, of course, and better footwear or socks. One thing that helped me was doing hard work with my hands and building strong arms. The thing that generates heat in the body are the zillions of mitochondria. They are found in abundance in musculature.....so build it! Crumple paper or use grip-strengthening devices to build bigger hands with more blood supply and more mitochondria. Playing piano is good for the grip.

There is also that old urging that parents use, or used to before hours on digital devices became a thing, to go for a brisk walk or to run around the block once or twice. I used to tuck the kids in bed and then load our vehicle with astronomical gear, including a large and heavy telescope and its mount and tripod. I would drive out west of Winnipeg (AKA 'winterpeg), Manitoba, and then erect the scope and let it cool to ambient over the next 30 minutes (important to get good images because a warm scope has air currents inside that cause 'pluming', which seriously degrades any images...like heat waves on pavement). Well, mid-January on the Canadian prairie, at -26C, near 2300 hrs, and standing around for 30 minutes....you can imagine it wasn't long before I began to get chilled (down-filled 3/4 length parka with hood, lambskin lined helmet, lined cowhide mittens with hand warmers in the bottoms, and Sorel mukluks on my feet rated for -70). I had to move. So, I'd start out at a walk, increase the pace, and then break into a run that must have looked hilarious in all that gear. But by the time I got back to the scope, puffing and steaming (not sweating!!!!!), I was good for the next half hour and the scope was almost ready.

Essentially, you do what ya gotta do!!

@bajjerfan - flax oil? Ok, thanks! I’ll check with my rheumatologist before I buy some to check that it won’t conflict with all the meds I have to swallow to tend to my assortment of other medical issues. I shouldn’t think flax oil should be any problem but I want to be extra-cautious.

Hi @kaps2065 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. If you are comfortable sharing it will help others to read more about why you ask how to decrease pain with Raynaud’s. As you state, there are a couple different types depending on the root cause. Your best option is to work with a doctor to figure out what is behind yours. Different things will help depending on why it is happening.

I am familiar with Raynaud’s, though I don’t quite understand enough to give you a concise answer. My coworker has a type of Raynaud’s where individual fingers will turn bright white, then go away. No pain, no nothing else. Mine has been not so clear cut.

I was referred to Mayo Clinic when I hit a circulation crisis and seeking care from providers locally did not help. My primary care provider told me docs I had seen did not believe I had Raynaud’s. He sent me to:
- a podiatrist to look at my feet, who referred me to PT for plantar fasciitis and dermatology for an open sore on one ankle. The dermatologist looked at my phone photos and told me my fingers were Raynaud’s.
- vascular surgeon, who looked at my feet and confirmed.

Medication is what initially helped me. Amlodipine (calcium channel blocker) and Nitro-Bid nitroglycerin ointment on my foot offered relief. Follow-up at Mayo Clinic where I found integrative care has been game changing.

Definitely protecting skin from weather is important. More information about both types of Raynaud’s is provided in this link:
- Raynaud's Summary https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/raynauds-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20363571

Do you know what type of Raynaud’s you have? What does it look like, and what symptoms are you having?

A rheumatologist told me I had CREST syndrome of which Raynaud's is a part. A Mayo rheumatologist could not confirm it and sent me to a hand surgeon. It was serendipitous that I came into the info about flax oil. It won't help Raynaud's, but if you have crippling issues along with it, it might help that.

@bajjerfan im sorry to hear that you’re having to deal with CREST syndrome. I looked it up and it certainly doesn’t seem pleasant. It doesn’t appear that I have the symptoms that would fit with CREST, though.

@jlharsh - hi , and thanks for chiming in. I don’t know officially yet that I have Reynaud’s but my GP suspects that I do. So does my rheumatologist. I’ve not yet had a an ANA blood test to try to confirm a diagnosis.
35 years ago, I had an official diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and I’ve been treated (and I’m still being treated for RA.)
My possible Reynaud’s symptoms are getting worse now. It feels to me that there are pins & needles in my toes and fingers. This is so painful that the pain has been waking me up 1-2 times in the night. My nose often feels that it’s cold and frozen even inside our home. It only feels bearable when I have to cup it with my two hands and warm it with my own breath.
I was born in coldest Canada and I have lived in Canada for most of my life. I understand that Reynaud’s is common in colder climates.
I don’t have high blood pressure (which I understand could be a triggering factor for a Reynaud’s attack.) I understand, too, that high blood pressure can be a trigger. However my own blood pressure is almost always lower than the average person’s normal.
I don’t quite know what to make of all this, and how to make the pain stop.
I’ll be seeing my cardiologist for my 6-month checkup next week. I plan to share with him what symptoms I’ve been having. He may recommend me to have another visit to my rheumatologist but perhaps he may be able at least to help me with some additional insight. In the meantime, I’ll try to keep warmest. Ginger lozenges also seem to be able to help me out a little.

@kaps2065 Good idea to share symptoms with your cardiologist next week. I am hopeful they will have useful information for you.

I found information about “warming foods” that includes ginger. It sounds like you are on to something. You may have seen this already but in case you have not here is the link:
- Raynauds Organization Warming Foods: https://www.raynauds.org/2017/10/12/raynauds-and-warming-foods/

I am interested to hear what you learn from your cardiologist. Would you come back and provide an update?

@jlharsh Thanks for that link! I hadn’t found it before. The article about warming foods was very helpful and from there I was able to jump on a bunch of other helpful links.
Yes, I’ll post again after I check in with my cardiologist.🙂