# Raynaud's phenomenon



## OmegaSlayer (Dec 17, 2015)

From wikipedia


> In medicine, Raynaud's (ray-NOHZ) disease or Raynaud's phenomenon is excessively reduced blood flow in response to cold or emotional stress, causing discoloration of the fingers, toes, and occasionally other areas. This condition may also cause nails to become brittle with longitudinal ridges. Named after French physician Maurice Raynaud (18341881), the phenomenon is believed to be the result of vasospasms that decrease blood supply to the respective regions.
> 
> When the disorder's cause is idiopathic it is referred to as Raynaud's disease (also called primary Raynaud's); if the syndrome is secondary to another disease such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or other connective tissue disorders, it is correctly referred to as Raynaud's phenomenon (secondary Raynaud's).[1] If Raynaud's Phenomenon is suspected to be secondary to systemic sclerosis, one tool which may help aid in the prediction of systemic sclerosis is thermography.[2]
> 
> ...



I discovered to be suffering from it, and I'm a guy that in Italy never feels cold, but this thing is quite crazy.
The hands hurt like mofos and it totally lacks any kind of sensitivity.
70% of my daytime I'm in this condition, and doing any simple action with the hands it's not impossible but a big pain.
For a guitarists...it makes me cry...

Anyone else suffering from this?


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## Explorer (Dec 17, 2015)

I don't suffer from it, but you have my deepest and sincerest sympathies.

I've gone through periods where severe problems took away my ability to play guitar, so I'm sad when someone is put into the same position.


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## Hollowway (Dec 17, 2015)

Yep, I do. I was just showing it to my kids last night, in fact! I came in from outside and my hands were pink, but several of my fingers were chalk white from the second knuckle to finger tip.


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## OmegaSlayer (Dec 18, 2015)

Hollowway said:


> Yep, I do. I was just showing it to my kids last night, in fact! I came in from outside and my hands were pink, but several of my fingers were chalk white from the second knuckle to finger tip.


How much does it take you to get back to a normal condition?
I'm using glycerine creams, but they don't seem to work that much.
I've also been suggested acupuncture, so I'll try to contact an acupuncturist.


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## Hollowway (Dec 18, 2015)

I guess I'd say maybe 20 minutes? I usually run them under warm water. I'm not sure if that helps, since it's cold from the inside out, but it seems too. I don't know that much about it, other than to say there is probably a spectrum of intensity, so you may be worse than I am. I live in California, too, so it's not that cold here. But when I go to cold areas, I have to be careful, and I'll typically put those Hot Rocks things in my mittens and boots to prevent it from happening. Mine happens almost exclusively from cold. And I generally run cold anyway - even in 100 degrees my nail beds are purple and people tell me I have cold hands.


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## OmegaSlayer (Dec 18, 2015)

Sometimes it takes up to 2 hours for the hands to start to get warm again :/
AND I usually never had problems with cold, the opposite, people look at me like a crazy guy when I walk around in a simple t-shirt with 50 F outside.


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## Axayacatl (Dec 18, 2015)

hey buddy super sorry to hear that. I lost mobility in my right hand for quite some time so I know the pain, particularly if guitar is your way to 'emote' (see below). 

I'm not a doctor and I don't even know you. 

But for what it is worth:

- notice that in your own Wikipedia quote it mentions 'emotional stress' as a cause.
- our Western culture is light years behind neuroscience: emotional experiences/stress leave a physical imprint on the body.
- remember this blood flow problem is merely a _symptom_ of something else... it is OK to be Mr. Macho 'I feel no cold and slay omegas'... not trying to put you in a little stereotype bin just make sure you're not suppressing important feelings
- case in point, it is OK to be from Europe's boot where Stoic thought flourished... just don't let bad science disguised as philosophy ruin your life or your main hobby 
- ask yourself, have you had any recent setback in your life that caused you emotional distress? What about long ago?
- emotional stress is known to leave a physical imprint, a classic one being circulation issues and 'dead' spots where blood flow (and neurological signals) are deadened. 
- when your hands get cold, have you ever checked in with your mood? Just curious


Treatment: I absolutely recommend acupuncture 100%. It restores vital connections in your body. It re-awakens pathways in your brain and body that may have been lost due to traumatic physical/emotional events. It can be focused on your circulation and targeted very specifically to your hands if you like. 

I also strongly suggest you find somebody in your area that does Feldenkrais (look it up!).

Stoic thought has been loooong dead. Acupuncture is results driven and survives the test of time.


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## OmegaSlayer (Dec 19, 2015)

Can't type much at the moment.
Will do when fingers work
Yes, I'm very stressed for loads of reasons.

EDIT: Ok, fingers work again now.
About feeling cold...yeah, I always had low body temperature, around 35.5°C, so yeah, I'm a bit more resistant to cold, and I like cold...makes me feel alive 
I indeed have loads of problems, even with feelings, but mostly due to other situations...and last 4-5 years have been so full of crap.
Though this is just adding insult to the injury, as playing is the only really working way to relax a bit.

I had a look into Feldenkrais' method.
I will research more, but yeah, I read that in Roma (where I live) and Milan there are 2 of the biggest worldwide formation centers, so...yeah, it's available


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## Axayacatl (Dec 19, 2015)

TLDR focus on noticing how your body gets tense and try to relax that through breathing, acupuncture, etc, then the rest will be easier to deal with. 


Sucks about the extra stress and stuff going on. Obviously I can't help with that (and I'm sure the problems are serious enough that you can't either anytime soon) but at least you yourself can influence how your own body reacts to these stressful events. But you have to do a bit of work. I'm sure you can use your rational brain to put your situation in perspective, but unfortunately there is a whole other non-rational part of the brain that you can't talk to with reason. If you've had certain bad events in your life then that part of your brain can get locked in a fight/fright state which manifests itself physically through your central nervous system, your breathing, your circulation, etc. The good news is that in your central nervous system's main highway of communication, 80% of the information goes from the body to that part of the brain I mentioned. The implication is that though you cannot talk to it rationally, you can definitely affect it by doing breathing exercises and things like that (and acupuncture, etc). By convincing that part of your brain that you are 'safe' you can start restoring the connections in your body that shut down when you're in run/fight mode (including your hands).


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