Raynaud’s phenomenon is a disease characterized by a periodic narrowing of the small blood vessels in various parts of the body, usually the extremities, such as fingers and toes. Other areas such as the tip of the nose, the earlobes, tongue and sometimes, the cheeks can also be affected.
Raynaud’s disease (primary) is thought to be triggered by exposure to low temperatures, emotional stress, and is also linked with certain types of occupations which involve vibration-type action, such as pneumatic drilling, pounding, or even typing. There also appears to be a genetic link, as there are many sufferers of Raynaud’s syndrome who have at least one member in their family tree that had the disease.
Raynaud’s phenomenon (secondary) has similar characteristics to primary Raynaud’s syndrome. The difference is that it is a secondary symptom of another underlying disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus).
Raynaud disease can also lead to scleroderma symptoms (gradual tightening of the skin), but not necessarily in all cases.
Constriction of the blood vessels results in decreased blood flow in the specific area, causing paleness cyanosis to the extent that the body part takes on a blue, purple, or even a ghostly-white color. For some unexplained reason, Raynaud’s syndrome affects women five times as often as it does men, and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40 years. A full understanding of the cause of Raynaud’s disease has defied researchers.
There are many theories surrounding the origin of the disease, but to-date, no real cure has been discovered. The good news is that Raynaud’s syndrome and its symptoms are generally easy to control by removing the stressors that are causing each particular episode, for example, avoiding exposure to cold by wearing raynauds gloves or layers of clothing can usually bring the sufferer to a more acceptable level of comfort as blood starts flowing to the stricken areas again.
