Cold Hands: Causes And Tips To Avoid Them

Do you always have frozen hands? In this article we offer you the causes of the problem and some tips to avoid having cold hands.

It doesn’t matter if it’s winter or summer, you always have cold hands.  The temperature of your hands always seems to stay several degrees lower than other parts of the body. Even if you put them on top of the oven or heater!

Although in the cold months this may be normal, you have to pay attention to the situation if it continues in the warm months. Why? Because it may be due to a health disorder. In this article we show you the causes of the problem and some tips to avoid having cold hands.

Why do my hands always “freeze”?

Even if you wear gloves or are in full sun, your fingers look like they just came out of the freezer. This disorder is more common than you think. Many people suffer from it at any time of the year.

It is true that some individuals are colder than others, but cold hands go beyond a simple consequence of the season in which we find ourselves.

Sensitivity to cold comes on suddenly and we even consider it normal. However, it may be due to a health problem that is worth taking care of.

Our body offers us many signals to indicate that something is wrong. Pain or fever, for example, are signs that it gives us so that we can identify ailments. In the case of constantly having cold hands, it may be due to:

Hypothyroidism

It is a thyroid disorder that, among other things, can cause increased sensitivity to cold, especially in the hands and feet. To find out if hypothyroidism is the reason for your frozen limbs, you can take a blood test that detects abnormalities in this gland.

Raynaud’s syndrome

Although it is not a serious disease, it causes the hands and feet not to receive enough blood. Therefore, they get cold. This syndrome results in vascular spasms and mainly affects the fingers. To a lesser extent it can be suffered in the nose or ears. This is shown by this study.

The same study goes on to explain that it causes discoloration (blue) and even numbness.  Blood circulation problems can be treated by doing certain exercises or through massage.

Anemia

One of the most common symptoms of anemia or iron deficiency in the blood is having cold skin in general and on the hands in particular.

Less than normal weight

Those who are underweight can suffer from temperature problems in their extremities. For example, women who are very thin (with little body fat) have less ability to maintain heat in the body. In that case it is recommended to eat more caloric foods.

Tips to avoid cold hands

With the arrival of winter and low temperatures, the blood has difficulty reaching the extremities. Blood vessels close and this worsens the condition.

People have a mixed defense system against the cold. It is made up of fat and hair. Since the hands do not have hair on the palm and not too much fat, they are more likely to get cold.

Many choose to stand in front of the radiator or heater to warm their hands. However, when they go to the bathroom, go to work or have to prepare food again, the problem appears. Some tips that can help you,  if you tend to suffer a lot from this feeling of frostbite in your fingers, are:

He wears gloves everywhere

Do not leave them forgotten and always have a pair in your bag or suitcase. The materials with which the gloves were made provide warmth, prevent the skin from drying out and help balance body temperature. It is better that they are made with natural fibers (wool or cotton) because they remove moisture.

Gloves should be put on before leaving the house when hands are not yet so cold, as it takes a long time to warm up afterwards. This protection must be followed without exception in those with Raynaud’s Syndrome.

Use hand cream

Since it adds oil to the skin, it allows the pain or cooling threshold to be lowered. Lotions are also recommended, but they are not too liquid. The cream can be applied before putting on the gloves to reduce the feeling of cold in half.

If, in addition, you have chapped hands in the winter, it would be good to use a lanolin-based cream. This natural wax prevents cuts in the skin.

Do not smoke

Tobacco worsens the feeling of cold and blood circulation. The constriction of the vessels causes a drop in temperature. This condition worsens in young people who smoke.

Therefore, if you have a cigarette habit, do your best to quit as soon as possible. In addition, this will bring very good consequences for your body.

Soak in lukewarm water

It is a mistake to think that hot or almost boiling water is the best to remove the cold from your hands. On the one hand, because you can get burned, and on the other, because the change will be too abrupt and it will hurt. In addition, it can cause imbalances in the contrition of blood vessels.

Hug your loved ones

You can hug your partner, your parents or even your pet. Having contact with someone else’s body is the best way to keep your hands or arms warm.

You can also take advantage of the fact that other areas of your body have the right temperature (37 ° C) to warm up the cold parts. Try sitting down and putting your hands between your legs!

Follow these tips and have nice warm hands. However, if these tips do not improve the temperature of your hands, it is recommended that you visit a doctor and rule out any medical problems.