Raynaud's in Seniors – Symptoms, Types, Causes

Cold Hands or Cold Feet? Learn about Raynaud’s Disease

Sep 10, 2009 Katrena Wells

Seniors who experience unusually cold hands, feet, or other body areas may have Raynaud's Disease or Raynaud's Phenomenon. Learn symptoms, types, and causes of Raynaud's.

What might a veteran of the Korean War, chemotherapy patient, person with heart disease, and a smoker have in common? Each of them has a risk factor of Raynaud’s.

Raynaud’s Disease, Syndrome, or Phenomenon can leave seniors with cold, numb, and often painful and tingling hands, feet, or other body areas. This disorder affects the arteries and occurs in approximately 5% of the population. Seniors are more likely to have secondary Raynaud’s, which has an identifiable cause but tends to have more severe symptoms.

Symptoms of Raynaud’s

People with Raynaud’s typically experience problems with blood flow to some or all of the following areas:

Fingers
Toes
Nose
Ears
Nipples
Lips

Stress or exposure to cold temperatures (below 60 degrees) can trigger certain blood vessels, particularly those providing blood to the extremities, to narrow so that very little or no blood reaches that area. These areas may become white or pale and later may turn blue. Pictures of areas affected by Raynaud’s in this article show some examples of how the areas may appear.

Color changes may be accompanied by numbness or pain and tingling. Raynaud’s attacks may last from seconds to hours, may worsen over time, and in rare severe cases could result in sores or gangrene. Those affected by Raynaud’s might have the same symptoms with each attack or may experience a progression of symptoms in which more areas become affected with time.

Types of Raynaud’s

Primary Raynaud’s, also known as Raynaud’s Disease, typically affects women under the age of 30 but can affect men and those in older age groups. Primary Raynaud’s may run in families. The cause for Raynaud’s Disease is not known, and symptoms are usually milder and can often be managed with lifestyle changes.

Secondary Raynaud’s, often called Raynaud’s Phenomenon, tends to be more severe than the primary type. According to the National Institutes of Health’s February 2009 article entitled “Raynaud’s,” this type occurs more frequently in people older than 30 and has a known cause, such as:

Diseases or conditions, such as schleroderma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, cryoglobulinemia, polycythemia, Sjogren’s, Buerger’s, pulmonary hypertension, or thyroid problems
Repetitive actions, such as typing, playing the piano, or using vibrating power tools
Previous injuries to the areas, including frostbite or surgery
Chemical exposure, including nicotine from smoking or vinyl chloride, which is used in making plastic
Certain medications, such as those used for treating migraine headaches, cold and allergy symptoms and other drugs including beta blockers, birth control pills, and chemotherapy medications, especially cisplatin and vinblastine
Living in cold climates

Raynaud’s in Seniors

Seniors experiencing symptoms of Raynaud’s should check with their doctor regarding diagnosis and treatment. Some seniors may have an undiagnosed chronic illness that is associated with Raynauds, so further testing may be indicated to determine if another condition may be causing the circulation problems. If the symptoms are related to a known cause, the healthcare provider may be able to offer alternative medications or lifestyle changes to help decrease the severity of symptoms related to Raynaud’s Phenomenon.

This article is for infomational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice.

The copyright of the article Raynaud's in Seniors – Symptoms, Types, Causes in Seniors' Health/Medicare is owned by Katrena Wells. Permission to republish Raynaud's in Seniors – Symptoms, Types, Causes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Raynaud's Disease Can Make Fingers Change Colors	Raynaud's Phenomenon Can Affect Seniors	Raynaud's May Cause Sores
Raynaud's May Affect One or All Fingers	Raynaud's Disease Causes Arteries to Narrow