Ways To Treat Raynaud's Disease

Raynaud's disease, commonly referred to as Raynaud's phenomenon is a vascular illness characterized by blood vessel spasms. During an 'attack' caused by this illness, the blood vessels narrow and blood circulation is slowed down or even completely restricted causing the affected area to first turn white to blue and then red once the blood returns. As a result, a person may experience numbing, stinging, and mild to excruciating pain.

While other areas of the body can be affected, Raynaud's disease mostly targets the fingers and toes, and cold climates or stressful events mostly trigger its attacks. The cause of this disease has not yet been identified, and unfortunately, there is no actual cure available. Although you cannot completely rid your body of Raynaud's disease, there are many ways to ease its symptoms and avoid frequent attacks.

Medications

As with most illnesses, there are medicines patients can take to treat this disease. For mild cases of Raynaud's disease, medication isn't necessary, but if you suffer from a severe case or experience frequent unbearable pain, consult with a doctor. Generally, a doctor would recommend a vasodilator, such as losartan or prostaglandin, to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure or a calcium channel blocker, such as amlodipine or felodipine, to relax constricted blood vessels.

Topical nitroglycerin ointment can also be applied directly to the affected area to lessen symptoms by promoting better blood circulation and decreasing blood pressure. Also, you can purchase blood thinners like acetylsalicylic acid or dipyridamole over the counter and take them in small doses. These medications will make it easier for the blood to squeeze through the constricted vessels. While these medications will better your circumstances with Raynaud's disease, unfortunately, are not a cure.

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Surgery

Because Raynaud's phenomenon is an illness of the nervous system, simply cutting certain nerves in the body can prove to be an effective treatment. If medications fail to the improve symptoms of this disease, your doctor may suggest undergoing a surgical procedure instead. The surgery method used to treat Raynaud's disease is called a sympathectomy. During a sympathectomy, a surgeon makes small incisions to strip the nerves from the blood vessels to decrease the pain and frequency of attacks. This procedure is minimally invasive and only requires local anesthesia. While a sympathectomy holds a fair success rate, unfortunately, it may not work for everyone.

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Avoid Rapid Changes In Temperature

To minimize the frequency of attacks caused by Raynaud's disease, avoid rapid changes in temperature. Be careful when entering a cool, air-conditioned room after spending time outside on a hot day or even shopping in the frozen food area at a grocery store. To avoid triggering an attack, you must properly prepare your body for the temperature change. Instead of leaving your air conditioner on when you are not at home, try leaving it on a warm temperature or turning it off completely. This will allow your home to better mimic the temperature from outdoors so you will avoid shocking your body. Once you feel your body has properly transitioned, gradually adjust your thermostat. As a preventative measure, always carry around gloves, mittens, a jacket, and anything else that can help you preserve heat within your body.

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Reduce Stress

Your mental and emotional health also affects Raynaud's disease. Specifically, heightened stress and anxiety levels can trigger attacks. Naturally, blood vessels constrict when an individual experiences overwhelming emotions, and it is worse within those with Raynaud's disease.

Avoid emotionally draining situations and maintain better control over your state of mind. To reduce stress, incorporate meditation or physical activity in your day to day routine. Frequent exercise will not only improve your blood circulation, but it will also release endorphins in the body that promotes positive emotions and minimizes the likelihood of depressive episodes. If you have trouble managing stress levels on your own, try speaking with a therapist for a more professional mental health examination.

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Warm Hands And Feet

Be sure to keep warm hands and feet, especially if you are in a cold environment. If blood supply becomes limited for prolonged periods, the extremities can become permanently deformed. It's a good practice to dress warmly and even layer your clothing, so always wear or travel with thick mittens or gloves, long heat-preserving socks, thermal undergarments, and a hat or earmuffs. Drink only from insulated cups or use napkins or some sort of insulated cover to keep your fingers from getting too cold. If you feel you are at risk for an attack, run warm water on your hands and feet. Be sure the water is not too hot as it can cause further damage. You can also perform a light jog in place and rotate your arms in a windmill fashion in efforts to obtain more heat within the body.