Cold hands and feet all the time

Why Are My Hands and Feet Always Cold?

There are certain people who experience coldness in their hands and feet quite often or, some of them, even all the time. Many different conditions may be causing this problem. Most usually, this happens due to sudden drop of temperatures, where our body feels cold and directs most of our blood to our vital organs, leaving the extremities with less blood.

Yet, there are people who feel cold even when they are in warm places, indoors, feeling freezing once they step outside, their hands and feet being ice-cold. This can be a cause for worrying, especially if warm socks and/or gloves fail to help.

Reasons behind Constantly Cold Hands and Feet?

This condition may be a sign of a circulation disease triggered by constraints in the blood vessels, lack of oxygen in the blood or iron deficiency, blood poisoning, heart and lung issues as well as stress.

If the hands and feet are cold and blue or purple most of the time, cyanosis may be the cause. Namely, your skin turns blue or purple due to lack of oxygen in your blood. This indicates that you may be having heart or respiratory problems. This is a serious condition and requires immediate medical assistance, especially when infants are concerned.

Alternatively, if coldness is accompanied with numbness, carpal tunnel syndrome may be the culprit. This condition takes place once the median nerve in our wrist gets pinched, resulting in pain and the above mentioned symptoms.

Sometimes, small arteries and veins in hands and feet get inflamed, leading to Buerger's disease, resulting in blue or purple hands and feet which are cold most of the time. Also, a spasm may affect the arteries, obstructing blood flow, causing pain and paleness in fingers and toes along with coldness in the area. This is called Raynaud's syndrome and is usually followed by arthritis.

One of the worst case scenarios involves pulmonary edema, which is a life-threatening condition. Basically, the tissues in your lungs swell, slowing down your heart, triggering a decrease in blood supply to hands and feet.

Finally, smoking is known to cause blood flow obstructions, leading to atherosclerosis and complications regarding blood circulation.

Adequate Treatments for Cold Hands and Feet

First and foremost, seek medical treatment if the condition remains persistent. Alternatively, keep your hands and feet warm and avoid caffeine as well as exposure to cold items. Stretch these body parts often and keep them in good shape, wiggling your toes and moving your fingers often. Naturally, stop smoking and avoid wearing shoes which are too tight.