Raynauds and Osteoarthritis

GalaxyA12
GalaxyA12 Member Posts: 73
in Chat to our Helpline Team

Please could you advise thabkyou.Saw a GP today re hands going numb and very cold spasms intermittently.Raynauds had been suggested as my diagnosis possibly. Please do you have any information.

Thankyou

Galaxy A12

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,057
    edited 19. Dec 2023, 09:30

    I have Raynaud's when it happens (tried to find you a photo but failed sorry) my fingers look like a deceased person's fingers they are white almost blue and stone cold.

    After a time they recover then the go bright pink and are very painful.

    I expect the helpline will give you some useful information.

    For me it's wear gloves especially if you are in the freezer at the supermarket!

    Take care

    Toni x

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,784

    Hi @GalaxyA12

    Thank you for posting on our Online Community, sorry to hear that you could possibly have Raynaud's.

    To confirm a diagnosis for this condition can be through a blood test to show how many white and red blood cells you have, x-ray and a cold stress test, have you had those carried out yet.

    Keeping warm is very important part of managing the condition, as Toni has suggested, especially this time of year.

    I have attached a links below, hopefully this will help if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/raynauds-phenomenon/

    Best wishes

    Chris (Helpline Advisor)

  • ChelleFox
    ChelleFox Member Posts: 16

    I have Raynaud's as well, and keeping warm BEFORE I start to get cold is key. I have battery operated heated gloves that I wear to drive in the morning, even if it's above freezing...just touching the chilly steering wheel is sometimes all it takes to set off an episode. I also have a little heater on my desk - if I start to feel chilly, I point it at my keyboard to help mitigate things.

  • Moira
    Moira Member Posts: 110

    Yes, keeping warn is the best advice. It is often an inherited condition through the female line. My gran, mum and sister all have it - but my lucky brother doesn't.

    Keep moving your hands, when you feel them strating to go. Ortho-putty is good to be squeezing in your pocket (blur-tak and plasticene is messy!!!). A good pair of insultaed gloves helps. Also as mentioned heated pads.

    I even get it in summer! The GP I had a nuber of years ago, advised me on keeping the hand moving with exercises and wearing gloves, even when not too cold.

    Just don't do what I did a few years ago:

    I was playing my guitar for outdoor carols. My hands, of course went numb, but schooled in music, I stupidly kept going. Later when I got home and the circulation moved again, I realised that I had done a lot of damage!!! My own stupid fault. Although saying that I have played the piano indoors with numb fingers - not a good idea either!

    There is lots of advice on the Verus Arthritis site.

    Happy Christmas.

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