Raynauds and Osteoarthritis

GalaxyA12

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

frogmorton

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

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

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

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.