Medication
The diseases most often linked with Raynaud’s are autoimmune or connective tissue diseases such as:
- Lupus (systemic lupus erythematous)
- Scleroderma
- CREST syndrome (a form of scleroderma)
- Buerger disease
- Sjögren syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Occlusive vascular disease, such as atherosclerosis
- Polymyositis
- Blood disorders, such as Cryoglobulinemia
- Thyroid disorders
Procedures
How To Get Rid of Raynaud’s Disease – 15 Natural Remedies
- Hot baths. Relaxing in a hot scented bath to which you have added some essential oils can increase circulation to the extremities.
- Clench your fists. If you feel Raynaud’s symptoms coming on suddenly especially while waking from warm areas into the cold, ball up the fists of your hands and keep ...
- Stay warm. ...
- Take vitamin E. ...
- Astragalus. ...
Self-care
If you're interested, talk to your doctor about:
- Fish oil. Taking fish oil supplements could help improve your tolerance to cold.
- Ginkgo. Ginkgo supplements could help decrease the number of Raynaud's attacks.
- Acupuncture. This practice appears to improve blood flow, so it may be helpful in relieving Raynaud's attacks.
- Biofeedback. ...
Nutrition
If lifestyle changes don't control Raynaud's, you may need medicines or surgery. Medicines are used to improve blood flow to the fingers and toes. Examples of medicines used to treat Raynaud's include calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers, prescription skin creams, and ACE inhibitors (used less often).
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What kind of Doctor treats Raynauds?
How to cure Raynaud's disease naturally?
What is the best treatment for Raynaud's disease?
How to treat primary Raynaud's?
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How do you get rid of Raynaud's?
Things you can do to help Raynaud'skeep your home warm.wear warm clothes during cold weather, especially on your hands and feet.exercise regularly – this helps improve circulation.try breathing exercises or yoga to help you relax.eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Can Raynaud's disease be cured?
Although there is no cure for Raynaud's, it can be treated. The key to managing Raynaud's symptoms is to try to prevent an attack - planning ahead is vital. Here are some ways you can manage Raynaud's phenomenon symptoms and live as normal a life as possible.
What triggers Raynaud's disease?
Raynaud's is usually triggered by cold temperatures, anxiety or stress. The condition occurs because your blood vessels go into a temporary spasm, which blocks the flow of blood. This causes the affected area to change colour to white, then blue and then red, as the bloodflow returns.
What foods to avoid if you have Raynaud's?
Some of the foods listed below may not be suitable for those on medication, pregnant people and those with other illnesses.Oily fish. ... Dark chocolate. ... Walnuts. ... Ginger. ... Blueberries. ... Unpeeled apples. ... Evening primrose oil.
What vitamins help with Raynaud's?
Inositol hexaniacinate , a form of vitamin B3 or niacin, may reduce frequency of Raynaud's attacks.
How do you restore circulation in your fingers?
Exercise is the simplest way to improve your blood's ability to circulate through your hands. Your body's muscles require oxygenated blood in order to function, and as you work the muscles in your hands, the surrounding blood vessels will dilate to allow more of this oxygenated blood to flow through.
How do you get tested for Raynaud's?
A cold stimulation test involves placing your fingers in an ice water bath to find out if you have Raynaud's syndrome.
What medications make Raynaud's worse?
People who experience Raynaud's should avoid medicines which reduce blood flow to the peripheries, such as: Serotonin receptor agonists, e.g triptans used to treat migraines. Ergots (Claviceps fungi derivatives), e.g. ergotamine used to treat migraines. Clonidine (which decreases cardiac output)
Does Raynaud's syndrome get worse with age?
It is a progressive condition, meaning it tends to worsen as a person gets older. Initially it may only affect the tips of the fingers or toes, but over time may affect whole fingers and toes.
What is the best medication for Raynaud's?
Calcium channel blockers are the class of drugs most widely used for treatment of Raynaud syndrome—especially the dihydropyridines (eg, nifedipine, nicardipine), which are the most potent vasodilators. Nifedipine is the customary first choice.
Does drinking water help Raynaud's?
They make blood vessels constrict. Beta-blocker medicines, often used to treat high blood pressure, also can make Raynaud's worse. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, which can lower the amount of blood moving through the blood vessels.
Is Raynaud's an autoimmune disease?
Summary. Raynaud's phenomenon is the short-term interruption of blood flow to the extremities, such as the fingers and toes. Raynaud's phenomenon may be a sign of an underlying autoimmune disorder such as scleroderma or lupus, so it's important to see your doctor for diagnosis.
How to handle Raynaud's disease?
Most experts agree the best way to handle Raynaud’s is to avoid cold temperatures and stress. Such avoidance measures, obviously, are not always practical.
How to help Raynaud's attacks?
Self-help, relaxation techniques, such as biofeedback and tai chi, work for some people to minimize the severity of Raynaud’s attacks. These methods require a great deal of practice and commitment to achieve real results. They won’t be effective for everyone, particularly for more severe secondary Raynaud’s sufferers.
What to do if a doctor suspects Raynaud's phenomenon?
If a doctor suspects Raynaud’s phenomenon, he or she will thoroughly evaluate the patient’s medical history and perform a complete physical exam to rule out other medical problems. Often, it is fairly easy to diagnose Raynaud’s, but more difficult to identify the form of the disorder.
What is secondary Raynaud's?
Secondary Raynaud’s Phenomenon. Less common than the primary form, however, secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon is often a more serious disorder. Secondary Raynaud’s is caused by an underlying disease or condition. It is especially common in people with connective tissue diseases. Some of these diseases reduce blood flow to the fingers ...
How does Raynaud's disease affect the fingers?
Some of these diseases reduce blood flow to the fingers and toes by causing the blood vessel walls to thicken and the vessels to constrict too easily . Raynaud’s phenomenon occurs in about 85 to 95 percent of patients with scleroderma and is present in about one-third of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).
What causes Raynaud's syndrome?
Other possible causes of secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon include: Traumatic vasospasm from vibrating tools or repeated pounding with the palm of the hand (hyothenar hammer syndrome) Carpal tunnel syndrome.
How old is the primary Raynaud's disease?
About 75 percent of all cases of primary Raynaud’s phenomenon are diagnosed in women between ages 15 and 40. People with the primary form rarely develop the other diseases associated with Raynaud’s such as lupus or scleroderma.
What is Raynaud's phenomenon?
What is Raynaud’s phenomenon? Raynaud’s phenomenon (also called Raynaud’s disease or Raynaud’s syndrome) is a disorder that affects the blood vessels in the fingers and toes. Blood vessels in the nose, lips or ear lobes may also be affected.
Can Raynaud's be treated with medication?
Medications: People with secondary Raynaud's phenomenon are more likely than those with the primary form to be treated with medications.
What are the best treatments for Raynaud's disease?
When the above drugs aren’t enough, what are the treatment options for severe Raynaud’s sufferers? The article lists the following: 1 Sympathetic Nerve Block Injections 2 Botox ® Injections (still experimental and not clinically proven) 3 Surgical Sympathectomies 4 Spinal Cord Stimulation (a new one we haven’t heard before)
Can Raynaud's be treated?
The above treatment options for severe Raynaud’s won’t be needed for most sufferers, but it’s good to know there are alternatives for those who require more than the standard medication s.
Can you treat Raynaud's disease with lifestyle issues?
For most people living with Raynaud’s, they have the primary form which can often be addressed with lifestyle issues. But for those with more severe symptoms, particularly ...
What are the goals of a raynaud therapy?
Goals of therapy — The goals of therapy are to improve quality of life and to prevent tissue loss (ie, ulceration, gangrene). At least a moderate reduction in the intensity of attacks and the prevention of tissue loss are achievable in most patients. However, abolishing cold sensitivity and eliminating all Raynaud events is not likely with available treatment options, particularly in patients with secondary Raynaud phenomenon (RP), due to the complexity and sensitivity of the regulation of thermoregulatory vessels in the skin. (See "Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of Raynaud phenomenon", section on 'Primary versus secondary Raynaud phenomenon' and "Pathogenesis of Raynaud phenomenon" .)
What are nonpharmacologic measures for Raynaud attack?
These nonpharmacologic measures include avoidance of provoking factors such as cold temperature, vasoconstricting drugs, smoking cessation (when applicable), and other measures discussed further below. (See 'Nonpharmacologic measures' below.)
What is the first line of treatment for RP?
The initial treatment of RP in most patients includes patient education and lifestyle modifications to maintain body warmth and avoid other triggers for RP. Pharmacotherapy is initiated if nonpharmacologic therapy is inadequate, with dihydropyridine CCBs being the preferred first-line agents. However, for patients who have contraindications to or do not tolerate CCBs, monotherapy with a phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 5 inhibitor, a topical nitrate, an angiotensin receptor blocker, or a serotonin reuptake inhibitor are alternative options.
What is Raynaud phenomenon?
Raynaud phenomenon (RP) is an exaggerated vascular response to cold temperature or to emotional stress, which is manifested clinically by sharply demarcated color changes of the distal skin of the digits as well as toes, nose, and earlobes. Initial treatment includes patient education and general measures taken by the patient to prevent ...
How effective are CCBs for RP?
When one of the studies with the largest reduction in frequency of attacks was excluded [ 37 ], CCBs reduced attack frequency by 2.93 per week (95% CI -3.44 to -2.43). Although CCBs were also found to reduce attack severity, it is uncertain whether the reductions are clinically meaningful. Improvements in pain and disability also favored CCBs, but the effect estimates were likely underpowered. Subgroup analyses from the same meta-analysis also suggested that CC Bs in higher doses may be more effective for primary RP than for secondary RP [ 36 ].
How often should a patient be evaluated for RP?
Routine follow-up — Patients should be evaluated periodically, ideally every three to six months, to identify the need for ongoing or additional treatments. It is important to take into account the risk of the treatment, the clinical evidence for its effectiveness, and the need for continued therapy at the time of the evaluation, balancing the risks of therapy and the level of severity of the RP.
How long does a RP attack last?
A maneuver similar to throwing a Frisbee can also be used [ 4 ]. Rubbing the hands together can also help warm the hands and restore blood flow. A typical attack lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes after rewarming.
What supplements can help with Raynaud's?
Some older research had suggested that taking essential fatty acid supplements may be mildly effective in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon. 4 And vitamin B3 (also known as niacin) was also thought to benefit people with Raynaud's since the nutrient causes blood vessels to dilate and stimulates circulation to the skin.
What are the other diseases associated with Raynaud's syndrome?
In some cases (known as "secondary Raynaud's"), the syndrome is associated with other conditions or lifestyle issues, including: Atherosclerosis. Buerger's disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome. Connect ive tissue diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis. Repeated injury.
How effective is nifedipine?
After treatment for eight weeks, nifedipine was found to be more effective at reducing the number of attacks , with improvement in those taking nifedipine at 50.1%, compared to 31.0% in those taking ginkgo.
Why do people with Raynaud's have a constricting blood vessel?
Scientists have yet to determine why the blood vessels of people with Raynaud's tend to spasm and constrict in response to cold temperatures and stress. However, the condition appears to be more common among women, as well as people who live in colder climates and/or have a family history of Raynaud's. 2
Why does Raynaud's disease turn white?
Raynaud's Symptoms. Although symptoms vary from person to person, Raynaud's typically causes the affected body parts to turn white, then blue, in response to stress or exposure to cold. An attack can last a few minutes to more than an hour.
Does biofeedback help with Raynaud's disease?
Although some practitioners encourage using biofeedback to help control body temperature and lessen the severity and frequency of Raynaud's attacks, a research review published in 2009 concluded that biofeedback does not work for Raynaud's disease. 3 .
Can Raynaud's cause ulcers?
While Raynaud's isn't always uncomfortable, people with secondary Raynaud's often experience stinging or burning sensations and can develop painful ulcerations or even gangrene. 1
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