Why do feet get cold. Why hands and feet get cold - causes and treatment of cold hands and feet

Constantly cold feet are not just a discomfort or feature of the body. Often, icy legs are a symptom of diseases. When feet are cold, a qualified therapist will help find out the reasons for women. Often this problem is associated with disturbances in the functioning of the vascular system, but there are other sources that can be determined after examining the patient and a series of examinations.

Why do women's feet get cold?

Compared to men, women feel cold more and more often. This is due to the structural features of the female body and the work of the hormonal system. The female body produces heat worse and is more difficult to keep warm with the help of shivering. In women, heating is directed to the pelvic organs and the brain, and the arms and legs are heated last. The small diameter of female vessels also interfere with the full heating of the limbs.

If a woman's legs are cold, the reasons may be hidden in the following problems:

1. Vegetative-vascular dystonia. This disease hides a complex of vascular problems that lead to a deterioration in capillary circulation. In this disease, cold feet are combined with increased moisture in the extremities, which in the cold increases the force of freezing.
2. Anemia. The lack of hemoglobin is the cause of the deterioration of blood quality and blood supply. This leads to a deterioration in the nutrition of the organs and the appearance of a feeling of chilliness.
3. Imitation shoes and synthetic tights. Artificial fabrics trap air, lead to moistening of the feet and freezing of the legs.
4. Jumps in blood pressure. The body can react to this problem with temperature fluctuations, which increases the risk of freezing of the limbs.
5. Hypotension. Low blood pressure almost always entails an increased tendency to freeze.
6. Hormonal disorders. Body temperature and body heating are controlled by the hormonal system. Violations in the activity of this system can cause a feeling of chilliness, throwing into heat, cold extremities.
7. Diabetes. This disease affects the state of blood vessels, making them more brittle and inelastic.
8. Tobacco smoking. Cigarette smoking leads to vasoconstriction and deterioration of their condition. The consequence of this is the deterioration of blood circulation in the peripheral vessels.
9. Unbalanced diet especially on low calorie diets.

Why do my feet get cold even when warm?

When feet and hands are cold outside in the cool season, this can be called the norm, but how to understand why feet are cold even at home in socks? The main reason for this discomfort is a violation of blood circulation and a problem with blood vessels.

By their structure, our limbs already have all the prerequisites for freezing:

• in the legs and arms the thinnest vessels;
• blood flows to the extremities worst of all;
• there is almost no adipose tissue in the limbs.

These structural features lead to the fact that the limbs freeze more than other parts of the body. Therefore, even when a person is in a warm environment, and he has socks on his feet, his feet will quickly feel a lack of heat in the body. The thermoregulation system tries to warm the vital organs first, and it can start heating the legs when the body does not feel a lack of heat. If a person has problems with blood vessels and blood circulation, these features of thermoregulation will be even more pronounced, which will lead to a feeling of coldness in the legs.

Sweaty and cold feet

A person may notice that his feet are cold after they sweat. The main cause of sweaty feet is poor-quality shoes or tights. Synthetic shoe fabric, artificial insoles, tights and socks impair air circulation and lead to fluid accumulation in shoes. Incorrectly selected shoes can also lead to sweating and chilliness of the feet. Narrow shoes in the foot or a narrow top cause a deterioration in blood circulation, which leads to a weakening of the heating of the extremities.

Cold toes

When a person's toes get cold, the reason always lies in the violation of blood flow and the deterioration of the vessels. If the feet are cold, the causes in women may be associated with such factors:

• smoking, alcohol;
• sedentary work;
• excess weight;
• pregnancy.

Cold toes can be symptoms of:

• atherosclerosis;
• varicose veins;
• diabetes;

Freezing left leg

There are several reasons why the legs get cold, so a thorough examination by several specialists is required to accurately determine the diagnosis. If the left leg becomes cold, it is better to immediately contact a vascular surgeon. A common cause of chilliness in one leg is. If an aneurysm forms in the leg, the person will feel cold, tingling, and numb. Sometimes there is a syndrome of intermittent claudication. An aneurysm that is not removed in time can cause a rupture of the vessel and a stroke.

Freezing right leg

If a person's right leg becomes cold, he should seek advice from a vascular surgeon and a neurologist. Chilliness of one leg may indicate blockage of blood vessels in the leg, thrombophlebitis, or problems with the spine. If the legs are cold, the causes of discomfort in women can also be associated with intervertebral hernias, leading to clamps on nerve endings, pain in the legs, impaired heat transfer, tingling and numbness.

Cold feet at night - causes

At night, blood circulation changes due to a change in the sleeping posture, and with it the heating of body parts also changes. For this reason, some people feel chilly in the limbs during sleep. Among the main reasons why legs get cold at night is a problem with blood vessels. With vascular diseases, it can be difficult for a person to fall asleep due to cold feet, which do not warm up even in socks and under a blanket. Such uncomfortable sensations are often experienced by hypotension and people with VVD. Atherosclerosis also leads to the fact that at night a person feels cold in the legs.

Constantly cold feet - reasons

There are various reasons why feet are constantly cold. They are divided into three groups:

1. Various diseases associated with the vascular system or affecting the state of the vessels. Blockage, narrowing of the gaps, fragility and inelasticity of blood vessels cause poor blood circulation and problems with heating the limbs.
2. Neurological diseases associated with pinched nerves. This leads to a deterioration in nerve conduction, a weakening of heat transfer in the limbs.
3. Hormonal disorders. The hormonal system is responsible for thermoregulation in our body, failures in which can lead to a violation of the heating of parts of the body or to insufficient heat production.

What to do if your feet are cold?

If there is a problem, when the limbs freeze, what to do with it is suggested by neuropathologists and vascular surgeons.

1. Find out the cause of cold feet.
2. Increase physical activity, walk more, ride a bike, swim.
3. Reduce weight if overweight.
4. Smokers should quit smoking.
5. Minimize alcohol consumption.
6. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting shoes made from natural materials.
7. Women can wear shoes with heels for no more than 4 hours.
8. Monitor the level of hemoglobin, do not allow it to decrease.
9. Eat in a balanced way.
10. Perform a foot massage.
11. Do contrast baths.
12. Walk barefoot using a massage mat.
13. Before going to bed, you can warm your feet with a warm heating pad.

Update: October 2018

Usually people do not pay attention to such an unimportant thing as cold feet or do not attach much importance to it if the feeling has already become habitual and has ceased to cause discomfort. Cold feet occur most often in winter or autumn, when a person often gets cold or gets their feet wet.

But if your feet are constantly freezing, even when a person is in a warm, heated room, it is worth looking for the reasons more meticulously. This problem is very often faced by women and men over forty years of age. Most often, poor blood circulation or disturbances in the activity of the nervous system (looseness or low tone of its autonomic part) are to blame.

Cold extremities in healthy people

The feet are the temperature regulator of the entire body. The fact is that the lower limbs are a distant part of the body, where it is difficult for the heart to deliver blood. And doctors strongly recommend hardening your feet, for example, walking barefoot in the summer or at home. Shoes must be selected carefully, according to the season.

Causes of constantly cold feet

The most common cause of cold feet is PBP (peripheral vascular disease). BPS often affects the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the periphery, as well as those vessels through which blood moves, on the contrary, to the heart. Below is a complete list of vascular causes of cold feet:

Diabetes

If the feet are constantly cold, the cause may be diabetes mellitus, in which small and large vessels become more fragile and prone to thrombosis. Cold feet can be a harbinger of such a formidable complication of diabetes as a diabetic foot, in which the nutrition of the leg tissues gradually becomes worse and the risks of its amputation increase (see,).

Anemia

Anemia (low hemoglobin) impairs the supply of oxygen to the tissues, which slows down metabolic processes and heat generation. A sharp cold snap of the extremities gives acute anemia due to blood loss, for example. with injuries (see).

Raynaud's disease or syndrome

Symptoms of poor blood flow

• Fatigue and pain, as well as the appearance of swelling in the lower leg or foot. At rest, the pain should decrease.
• Feeling tired during even slight exertion.
• Convulsive involuntary twitching of the muscles of the leg and buttocks.
• When in a stationary state, for example, during sleep, convulsive twitches in the feet and legs can also occur.

Nonvascular Causes of Cold Feet

Age

Various changes associated with age. After fifty years, the immune system is very often weakened, and hormonal changes also occur, the volume of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat decreases (disrupting heat transfer), blood circulation worsens, metabolism slows down, and the body's ability to self-regulate decreases.

Hypothyroidism

Or in other words, a decrease in the functionality of the thyroid glands - this condition causes a slowdown in all metabolic processes in the body. Heat transfer suffers and slows down. Characterized by a feeling of fatigue, a feeling of cold, a drop in interest in life, a slowdown in perception and memorization. The release of energy is significantly reduced.

Constantly cold feet are combined with pallor, dryness and swelling of the skin, brittle nails and. It worsens the condition and hypoacid gastritis, leading to a decrease in appetite and secondary iron deficiency anemia. This disease is mainly found in people over 40 years of age, in women after undergoing thyroid resections, radiation therapy.

Atopic dermatitis in childhood

Cold feet are an almost inevitable phenomenon if you suffered in childhood (in simple terms - a pronounced diathesis). It has long been known that allergic manifestations remain forever and are combined with autonomic dysfunctions, manifested in the form of white dermographism (when you run a finger over the skin of the forearm, a persistent white appears instead of a red stripe, indicating a prolonged vascular spasm).

Taking certain medications

Some drugs can also be a factor that causes "cold feet". Feet get cold in heat when taking beta-blockers (atenolol, anaprilin). For gynecological diseases, women may be prescribed ergot preparations, which also cause chilliness.

Acute allergic reactions

Acute allergy in the form or due to a sharp expansion of small vessels gives a significant heat loss and may be accompanied by chilliness of the skin.

Provocateurs of cold feet

In addition to diseases, cold feet can be caused by the following habits and factors:

• obesity
• smoking
• hypodynamia
• improper and irregular diet
• diabetes
• pregnancy or nerve disease.

Cold feet: what to do?

And so what to do if such a misfortune happened? To get started, you should use simple recommendations to help warm your feet: use woolen socks, a knee-length bath with mustard, or just warm water.

Long-term events look like this.

• It is imperative to quit smoking.
• You need to dress strictly in accordance with weather conditions, avoiding tight clothing for the lower half of the body.
• Shoes must be chosen carefully and according to size.
• Get regular exercise, such as exercising.
• Eat more protein foods, as well as various spicy foods, spices and seasonings, such as red pepper or mustard.
• Avoid any stress.
• It is advisable not to abuse strong tea, as well as coffee. You need to drink tea with motherwort, mint, valerian.
• If the feet are not only cold, but also sweaty, then it is advisable to make warm foot baths using sea salt or mustard. For example, salt baths are made as follows: two tablespoons of salt (sea salt, can be purchased at the nearest pharmacy), two tablespoons of milk must be dissolved in boiled, hot water. After the bath, you must wear thick, woolen socks (you can knit slippers).
• If you stand at work all day, then in the evening you need to take baths with the addition of mustard. This will improve blood circulation and relieve swelling.
• When even the slightest signs of freezing of the legs appear, it is necessary to give them a massage. First, rub the soles of each foot, then massage your fingers. After that, put on warm socks (preferably preheated).
• There may be contraindications to the next procedure (for example, varicose veins). Prepare two containers with hot and cold water. Feet must first be placed in a container with warm water for 5-10 minutes, while doing a massage. Then the legs should be put in cold water for 10-20 minutes. The procedure is repeated until the warm water cools down. Also, it must necessarily end with immersion of the feet in cold water.

Folk remedies for cold feet

There are many more folk ways that help to recover from this disease. For example:

Alcohol compress

It is done as follows: it is necessary to moisten the soles of the socks with alcohol or vodka, warm the feet in warm water and put on these socks. It is also recommended to wear woolen socks over the top. After that, within five minutes you will feel that your feet are completely warmed up.

Hot pepper

Pepper in a ground state will perfectly warm the skin if it is applied to it. The irritation it causes is not significant. A great solution is to put pepper in your socks or grease your legs before you go outside.

Sophora tincture

Insist for one month 50 grams of fruits (you can flowers) Sophora per half liter of vodka. You need to drink this tincture three times a day, one teaspoon. It is necessary to drink tincture from three to four months.

mistletoe leaves

It is necessary to completely grind the dried mistletoe leaves to flour. Pour one teaspoon (with a slide) of ground mistletoe with one glass (200 milliliters) of boiling water and leave overnight in a thermos. Mistletoe is taken in small sips of two tablespoons 10-20 minutes before meals. Mistletoe also needs to be drunk for three to four months. Mistletoe regulates blood pressure, especially cardiac, has a calming effect.

Gymnastics

As mentioned above, exercise helps get rid of cold feet. Below we will consider a set of gymnastic exercises aimed specifically at the problem of cold feet.

leg shake

For example, shaking the legs is a very useful procedure. When shaken, the capillaries are subjected to vibration, which in turn leads to contraction of blood vessels and improvement of blood circulation. It is necessary to lie on your back on a flat and hard surface (for example, the floor), then you need to raise your legs, as well as your arms so that they form an angle of 90 degrees with the body. In this position, you need to shake them for one to two minutes.

Reeds in the wind

Lie on your stomach, relax your legs and at the same time bend them at the knees. Next, you need to give them freedom of movement, you need to imagine that they are a reed that sways from gusts of wind (the exercise, by the way, is called “Reed in the Wind”). It is necessary that the legs hit the priest.

Massage with walnuts

This exercise will not only improve the circulation of the body, but it can also help relieve stress. This exercise is performed as follows: nuts (walnuts) are placed between the palms and rotational movements are made for two to three minutes. It is very important at the same time to make an effort so that the nuts are pressed tightly against the palms. After that, it is necessary to do the same, but not with the palms, but with the feet. These exercises must be performed twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.

If all household tricks do not help to cope with cold feet, you should go to see a doctor. The therapist, after asking about complaints, taking an anamnesis and examining, will recommend taking blood and urine tests, as well as performing an ECG. If necessary, a consultation with a vascular surgeon and an ultrasound examination of the vessels of the legs will be scheduled. With the exclusion of vascular pathologies, a visit to a neuropathologist and endocrinologist follows.

Freezing of the feet in the cold season or in the warm season, but under the influence of cold - all this is understandable from a physiological point of view.

Heat generated by organs and muscles is transferred to the surface of the skin by blood vessels and retained in the body by adipose tissue. If the fat layer is small, then at low ambient temperatures there is an intense heat loss, which happens in the limbs (arms and legs) - there is almost no fat layer there.

Heat loss also occurs in the process of blood movement through the vessels - the distance to the lower extremities is greater than to other organs.

In addition, the blood vessels narrow under the influence of cold, the blood flow to the legs decreases, respectively, the amount of heat brought by the blood decreases, and the legs begin to freeze.

But why do feet get cold in a warm room? Is this normal or shouldn't it be? Of course, this indicates some violations. What is the reason, and what to do if such problems occur.

Let's try to answer these questions.

Cold feet in the warmth of a healthy person

There are reasons why feet get cold even in warmth, not related to the disease:

1. The habit of warming the legs (socks, slippers). The limbs, accustomed to a certain temperature, freeze without the usual "insulation" even in the room.
2. The habit of tucking your legs under you when sitting, crossing, throwing one leg over the other and staying in this position for a long time. There is a feeling of numbness, cold due to impaired blood flow and insufficient supply of blood to the extremities.
3. Wearing uncomfortable, tight tights and synthetic socks (feet either sweat or freeze).
4. Prolonged stay of the feet at lower temperatures than the whole body: walking in wet shoes, on cold ground or water.
5. in people with physical characteristics: tall, thin.
6. Hormonal disorders in women during menopause: after profuse sweating, the body cools down (feet and hands get cold).
7. Pregnancy affects heat transfer in the limbs (maintaining the temperature of the reproductive organs in certain numbers occurs due to a decrease in the blood supply to the capillaries of the legs).
8. Excessive emotionality: in a stressful situation, the vessels spasm, blood circulation is disturbed.
9. Old age is often the cause of impaired blood supply to the limbs.
10. Infant: the mechanisms of thermoregulation are still imperfect.

All of the above points can be the answer to the question why in the heat. Many of these reasons are easily eliminated: hardening, the correct posture when sitting, comfortable shoes and, of course, according to the weather, an improvement in the state of the nervous system.

Cold feet in the heat - pathological causes

It is not always possible to explain the reasons why feet get cold even at home in warmth by physiological conditions, weather, some kind of temporary situation. A feeling of coldness in the extremities can signal abnormalities in the functioning of the organs. This condition may be associated with disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, and metabolic disorders.

• In diabetes, blood vessels become thinner, blood clots often form, and the limbs are not supplied with enough blood.
• Intermittent claudication is the result of atherosclerosis, when the lumen of blood vessels is disturbed due to plaques, the supply of blood to the extremities decreases.
• Hypertension, hypotension. Hypertension (pressure above normal) - due to vasospasm, blood supply is disturbed. Hypotension (low pressure) - blood moves through dilated vessels at insufficient speed. It comes slowly, the temperature drops.
• Varicose veins cause stagnation of blood, which leads to a violation of the movement of blood through the vessels.
• changes in vascular tone and blood circulation in tissues and organs.
• Raynaud's syndrome: there is a circulatory disorder in the vessels of the extremities as a result of exposure to cold, emotional arousal.

Vascular problems may be accompanied by:

• swelling of the limbs;
• painful sensations;
• weakness, fatigue even at low loads;
• convulsions.

neurological problems

The reason why the legs and hands are cold in the heat can be the following neurological problems:

• intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine (infringement of nerve endings, impaired blood supply to the lower extremities);
• violation of cerebral circulation (one of the accompanying conditions is cold extremities);
• some diseases of the peripheral nervous system are accompanied by impaired blood circulation in the vessels of the legs.

Problems of a different nature

Why do men and women of different ages get cold feet in warm weather? The reasons can be very diverse:

Children's feet get cold when they are warm

Why do children's feet get cold even when warm? The reason may be the same conditions of the body as in adults:

• circulatory disorders as a result of the disease;
• physical condition of the body (low weight, thinness);
• psychosomatic problems;
• avitaminosis;
• insufficient physical activity;
• violation of posture, leading to impaired blood supply to the limbs;
• metabolic disease;
• allergy;
• improperly selected shoes, clothes.

It must be borne in mind that the physiological characteristics of the child's body play an important role in heat exchange processes:

• the thermoregulation of the newborn is not yet perfect, so it can freeze at a temperature comfortable for an adult;
• there is almost no fat layer in the limbs of the child, the muscle mass is small.

The task of parents is to analyze situations when the child's temperature in the warmth of the legs is much lower than the body temperature, try to understand what they are connected with, and, if you have not found the answer to this question on your own, consult a pediatrician.

What will help get rid of the symptom of "cold feet"

If cold feet cause discomfort, interfere with the normal functioning of the body, you should try to get rid of the factors provoking this condition:

• any kind of alcohol (affects vascular tone);
• smoking (the lumen of blood vessels narrows, heat transfer is disturbed);
• low physical activity;
• increased body weight;
• improper and excessive nutrition;
• wearing tight clothes and shoes;
• incorrect posture when walking and sitting.

Traditional medicine to help "cold feet"

Why do feet get cold when warm? What to do? Folk methods contain many recommendations on how to act in such cases, because the problem is not new, a person has been familiar with it for a long time. Consider methods based on the impact on the biologically active points of the feet.

• Rubbing the feet with apple cider vinegar (6%), vodka, triple cologne. This method helps to dilate blood vessels, improves blood flow. First you need to perform a foot massage (until a feeling of warmth appears), rub the ankles, fingers. Then rub the selected product well, put on socks.
• Add mustard (powder) to hot water and warm your feet until the water cools. After putting on (the villi act on the points of the sole).
• Pour dry mustard or red pepper into cotton socks, put them on (wipe your feet dry), put on another socks on top. The procedure is good to carry out at night.
• Prepare a tincture of 200 ml of vodka and 2 teaspoons of red pepper (keep 10 days in a dark place), rub into the feet overnight. Be sure to wear socks.
• Use a warming cream to warm the feet: add fir oil to any neutral cream, rub into the feet until absorbed, put on warm socks.
• Warming up the legs over hot boiled potatoes: put a plank on the pan, legs on it, wrap it up and sit for half an hour.
• Foot baths. Prepare a decoction of spruce or pine needles, warm the legs for half an hour, then keep them warm.

From 3 or 4 bags of green tea, prepare a hot infusion in 1-2 liters of water (10 minutes), warm your feet until the infusion cools. Wrap up.

Recipes for decoctions and teas

A variety of teas will help improve blood circulation.

Ginger tea: stir half a teaspoon of ground ginger in 250 ml of boiling water, soak for 15 minutes. Drink hot, adding a slice of lemon, in the morning (on an empty stomach) and in the evening (an hour before bedtime).

Ginger tea: when brewing black tea, add fresh ginger (grated) or powder - half a teaspoon to a cup. You can add ground nutmeg along with ginger (to taste).

Dandelion drink: fresh or dried dandelion flowers (1 teaspoon) steep in a glass of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drink two glasses a day (morning and afternoon, regardless of meals).

Drink from hawthorn: a teaspoon of dry (crushed) hawthorn fruits insist in a glass of boiling water for 5 minutes, add honey and drink like tea.

Exercises to improve circulation in the legs

Why do feet get cold at home in the heat, we figured it out. Something needs to be done about this problem. Among the many exercises to improve blood circulation in the legs, you can always choose the right ones for yourself and perform them, which is very important, systematically (in the morning and in the evening). When performing, concentrate on the muscles of the legs.

Exercise 1(to restore blood circulation in the capillaries): lying on your back (on the floor), put a roller under your neck, raise your legs and arms up at a right angle. Perform vibrating movements with arms and legs (shake), without bending them, from one to three minutes.

Exercise 2. Standing, perform rolls from toe to heel with both legs (20-30 times).

Exercise 3 Sitting on a chair, stretch your straight leg forward, move your toes up and down (10-20 times).

Exercise 4 It is performed similarly to the previous one, only make the movement with the foot.

Exercise 5 Lying on your back (on the floor), stretch your arms along the body. Pull alternately the socks of the legs towards you (10-15 times with each leg).

Exercise 6 Perform half-squats, straining the muscles of the legs (10-15 times).

Exercise 7 Walking on the outside of the foot (1-2 minutes).

Exercise 8 Goose walking.

Exercise 9 Lying on your stomach (on the floor), put your hands under your head, bend your legs at the knees. Perform rocking movements from side to side (1-2 minutes).

Exercise 10 Lying on your back, raise your straight legs and lean them against the wall, bring your buttocks as close as possible to the wall. Stay in this position for 5 minutes.

Exercise 11 Sitting on a chair (back rests on the back of the chair), raise straight legs parallel to the floor, perform leg movements as if swimming.

Exercise 11 Pick up small objects on the floor with your toes.

Exercise 12 Standing on toes, reach straight up with your arms, trying to stretch your spine as much as possible (by counting from 30 to 60).

The order of execution can be chosen arbitrarily. With the systematic implementation of the exercises, a feeling of lightness in the legs will appear, the feeling of cold in the feet will gradually disappear.

Prevention

In order not to run into a problem when your feet get cold in the heat, you should be engaged in prevention from childhood:

• walk barefoot on the ground, on pebbles, stones, sand, grass;
• at home more often walk without slippers;
• carry out foot massage using a massage mat, a special massager;
• do not warm your legs unnecessarily (dress for the weather);
• be physically active in any weather;
• carry out hardening procedures: contrast shower, contrast foot baths;
• maintain the correct position of the body when walking, in a sitting position (the legs should have support);
• cycling, swimming, skiing, walking;
• include in the diet foods containing fatty acids (fatty fish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds).

These measures, if carried out in the system, will help both children and adults feel comfortable in any weather.

Many people do not pay attention to such a "trifle" as cold feet. For them, it has become a familiar state that does not cause much discomfort. In summer, you can warm your feet in the sun, but problems arise only in winter, when your feet get cold even in a warm room. Most often this is faced by women after forty years. But many people wonder: "Why cold feet?" and diligently looking for ways to solve this problem.

Causes

Before you start treating cold feet syndrome, you need to understand what is the cause of the cold. How often do feet get cold? Does this always happen or only under certain conditions? Perhaps this is due to the peculiarities of their structure. As you know, muscle mass is responsible for the function of saving heat, the amount of which in the feet is insignificant. Adipose tissue is completely absent, therefore, in the cold season, the legs begin to freeze, and this is not a sign of a disease.

Nowadays, many girls dress lightly: short skirts, open shoes that are not suitable for the weather, shoes that are too tight. These are all factors that cause cold feet. The problem can be solved by dressing warmer.

Circulatory disorders, vegetative-vascular dystonia and low blood pressure

Why are my feet constantly cold? The reason is not always the wearing of light clothing not suitable for the weather. Sometimes this condition indicates the presence of various diseases. Circulatory disorders, or vegetovascular dystonia, is another factor that provokes such a phenomenon. But only a specialist can make a diagnosis. Deviations in the structure of blood vessels, varicose veins and many other nuances indicate a violation of blood circulation. Pay attention to whether there are spider veins and edema on the legs. Low blood pressure is often accompanied by a symptom of cold feet, as the vessels are severely constricted, and blood does not enter the capillaries well.

In most cases, such a sign as cold feet is an unkind sign. The reasons that disrupt blood circulation can be different. They cannot be ignored, but, alas, a larger percentage of people consider this a trifle.

Lack of magnesium and iron

If you have cold feet, the reasons may lie in the lack of trace elements and other nutrients. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body. About 50% of it is found in bones, and only 1% in human blood. It is not easy for the body to maintain this percentage constantly, but meanwhile magnesium is involved in all biochemical processes.

When there is a lack of iron, anemia occurs, that is, anemia. Do you know about such an illness firsthand? By adjusting your diet and adding more animal foods to it, you can correct such a disadvantage as cold feet. The causes that cause this phenomenon must be eliminated immediately, without wasting time in vain.

Heart problems

If there is weakness, shortness of breath, swelling of the limbs and upper eyelids, cold feet, it is likely that you have heart problems. So, you need to immediately contact a cardiologist.

Diabetes

A symptom such as cold feet is manifested in people with diabetes. This is explained by a violation of capillary circulation. As a result, this leads to insufficient blood supply to the peripheral nerves of the extremities. With the passage of the examination and proper treatment, the problem of cold feet can be dealt with without problems. The specialist will prescribe competent and adequate treatment.

Metabolic failure

With such a serious illness as indigestion, it is quite difficult to cope. If a person has diseases of the endocrine system, this can lead to obesity. Why can there be cold feet? The reasons are that they "carry" the weight of a person, so the blood flow slows down. The consequence of this is cold feet, swelling and varicose veins.

Sweating feet

Cold wet feet (the causes of the pathology, as already mentioned, are varied) are often the result of hyperhidrosis. Previously, they did not want to recognize this problem as a disease, considering it just a cosmetic flaw. Recently, it has become clear that this is still a disease that is directly related to the endocrine system and is inherited.

Other causes of wet feet

Excessive sweating is provoked by the following factors:

• infectious diseases;
• problems of the cardiovascular system;
• thyroid disease;
• oncological diseases;
• consequences of a stroke;
• menopause;
• age changes.

To reduce sweaty feet, change socks daily and use foot baths, massage using essential oils. Air out your shoes every day. The material should allow the feet to breathe, so in summer it is recommended to wear sandals with a wicker top. Buy cotton socks. Change the insoles every six months, and even better - every three months, if possible.

If you spend most of your time on your feet, wash your feet thoroughly as soon as you take off your shoes to prevent infection.

Cold feet in children

Parents are often interested in the question of why the child has cold feet. And it's not that he got them wet while walking on the street. According to pediatricians, this is not at all the norm, but a symptom of a specific disease or malfunction of the internal organs.

If a child has a low temperature and wet feet, this indicates a violation of blood circulation. Probably, the baby has low blood pressure, and the blood cannot circulate well in the limbs.

Often there are cases with rickets. The opinion that children practically do not get sick with this disease is erroneous. Often it just flows in a mild form. In such a situation, the pediatrician prescribes the child vitamins and an individual diet.

cold feet syndrome

This syndrome never appears just like that. You should be especially wary if even in summer there are cold feet. The reasons in this case are far from harmless. The condition is determined by the presence of diseases characterized by an implicit course.

When the patient has poor elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, in the cold season the capillaries narrow, which slows down the blood flow even more. In this case, the body temperature may rise.

Why are cold feet an unkind signal that should not be ignored? If you do not treat this syndrome, then in the future, a person can get hypothermia, followed by inflammation of the appendages and the urinary-genital system. Due to obstructed blood flow, venous insufficiency develops, small knots of varicose veins appear, which begin to hurt from time to time.

What can I do to keep my feet warm?

If the feet are cold, the reasons must be eliminated, as well as follow a few rules:

• Dress and shoes appropriate for the weather. Shoes should not be tight or, conversely, too big.
• Sleeping at night is better in woolen socks.
• A contrast shower will help you strengthen your blood vessels and at the same time improve skin condition.
• After a walk in cold weather, make special foot baths.
• Do a foot massage.
• Exercise daily.
• Adjust your diet, eat more protein foods.
• Give up bad habits.

What is good for blood vessels?

Why can there always be cold feet? The reason may lie in an implicit disease. This is a signal that you need to immediately consult a doctor. With proper and timely treatment, you will have a positive result.

Follow the recommendations: dress warmly, eat right, be active, take foot baths, massage with warming creams or essential oils. This is not only useful, but also very pleasant.

A constant feeling of coldness in the legs can be a symptom of a serious illness, overwork, or a signal that it's time to change your usual lifestyle. People whose feet are cold even in spring and summer need a doctor's consultation, a full examination, and, if necessary, complex treatment with traditional and folk methods.

Why do healthy feet get cold?

The cause of cold feet is not always chronic diseases. A constant feeling of coldness in the feet can be caused by bad habits, unbalanced nutrition, physique and age.

body constitution

The problem of cold feet is often faced by asthenics - people with low weight, a fragile figure and a narrow chest. It is the narrow chest that is the main reason for the constant feeling of cold in the limbs. The heart may be cramped, because of this, blood circulation is disturbed and those parts of the body that are located below suffer.

Sedentary lifestyle

The feet are also cold in people who do not play sports and like to sit or lie in one position for a long time. With a sedentary lifestyle, spasms can occur in small capillaries. The walls of blood vessels are compressed, blood circulation is disturbed, there is a feeling of coldness in the limbs.

Frequent stress

Spasms in the vessels also occur with a strong emotional shock. Stress stimulates the release of hormones that cause capillaries and veins to constrict. Blood circulation is disturbed, the soft tissues of the feet begin to starve, a feeling of cold appears. With frequent stress, spasms in the vessels can become chronic, provoke soft tissue ischemia, pain and dysfunction of the lower extremities.

Bad habits

Cold feet syndrome is formed in people with alcohol and tobacco addiction. Cigarettes and strong drinks reduce vascular tone, lead to spasms in the circulatory system and circulatory disorders.

low calorie diets

Feet can get cold due to fasting and low-fat diets. The feet are made up of ligaments, tendons, and neurovascular bundles. They have practically no muscles that are responsible for the production of thermal energy, and the fat layer is very thin, so it does not protect against cold and temperature extremes.

The body uses the fats it receives from food to heat the limbs. If a person adheres to a low-calorie diet or sits on a rigid diet, he deprives the body of vitamins and nutrients, which are converted into energy and maintain an optimal temperature in the lower extremities.

Mature age

Chilliness of the legs after 60-65 is normal. In adulthood, metabolic processes and blood microcirculation slow down, the fat layer of the feet becomes even thinner, and the activity of the immune system decreases. In the body, the function that is responsible for the regulation of the temperature regime is disrupted, and the upper and lower extremities are the first to suffer.

frostbite

Chronic chilliness of the feet is formed in people who have experienced frostbite of the feet. The feeling of cold occurs when the temperature in the room or outside drops below +15-17 degrees. It appears in the feet and often rises to the ankles or knees.

Teenage years

Spasms in the vessels of the legs can occur during puberty. The main reason is the restructuring of the body and hormonal imbalance. The feeling of chilliness is not considered a pathology and disappears closer to the age of 16-18, when the hormonal background stabilizes.

Climax

Due to hormonal imbalance, the legs are also cold in women during menopause. The reason is the restructuring of the hormonal background, which leads to spasms in the vessels and capillaries.

Cold feet as a sign of illness

If the constant feeling of coldness in the extremities is accompanied by other unusual symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Chilliness in the legs can signal a malfunction in the internal organs.

The cardiovascular system

Diseases of the cardiovascular system that can cause a feeling of cold in the legs include:

• varicose veins - accompanied by "asterisks" on the legs, heaviness and pain that occurs when walking;
• iron deficiency anemia - accompanied by pallor of the skin, seizures in the corners of the lips, increased fatigue and asthenia;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia - causes weakness, palpitations, heaviness and pain in the region of the heart, a sharp increase or decrease in pressure, shortness of breath;
• atherosclerosis of the lower extremities - in the initial stages it is asymptomatic, the characteristic signs include pain and weakness in the calf muscles, numbness of the feet, pallor of the skin, peeling and dryness of the skin on the legs.

If cardiovascular disease is suspected, consultation with a cardiologist, ECG, ultrasound of the heart, as well as a blood test for cholesterol levels are recommended.

Endocrine system

Constant chilliness occurs when the endocrine system malfunctions. When the function of the thyroid gland is disturbed, the metabolism and metabolic processes in the body slow down, hypothyroidism appears.

Also, disruptions in the endocrine system lead to diabetes. With the disease, the sensitivity of nerve endings decreases, blood circulation in soft tissues is disturbed, and hypoxia of the feet and toes begins.

Failures in the endocrine system are accompanied by:

• drowsiness and increased fatigue;
• weight loss with normal appetite;
• decreased libido;
• memory problems;
• slow heart rate and arrhythmia;
• decrease in body temperature;
• strong thirst;
• greasy hair and brittle nails.

If hypothyroidism and other diseases of the endocrine system are suspected, consultation with an endocrinologist, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, as well as a blood test for thyroid hormones, sugar levels and glucose tolerance are recommended.

Gastrointestinal tract

The causes of cold feet include infection with helminths. Worms lead to intoxication of the body, a decrease in vascular tone and a slowdown in blood circulation.

Helminthiasis is accompanied by:

• decreased immunity;
• frequent SARS and diseases of the nasopharynx;
• allergic reactions and skin rashes;
• nausea, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation;
• pain in the navel and / or hypochondrium;
• migraines and dizziness;
• pain in the joints.

Musculoskeletal system

Circulatory disorders and chilliness in the legs cause pinching of nerve endings in the cervical, sacral or lumbar back. The most common reasons include:

• osteochondrosis - accompanied by numbness of the arms and legs, pain in the neck or back, increased fatigue, dizziness, muscle spasms and stiffness of movements;
• intervertebral hernia in the lumbar region - accompanied by severe pain radiating to the arm and / or leg, numbness and tingling in the fingers or groin, constipation, diarrhea, urinary incontinence, problems with erection;
• intervertebral hernia of the sacral region - accompanied by slight swelling at the site of the hernia, shooting pains that appear when coughing or sneezing, curvature of the spine, limitation of mobility of the muscles of the abdominal wall and lower back.

If osteochondrosis or a hernia is suspected, an X-ray examination of the back, CT or MRI is recommended, as well as a consultation with a surgeon, neuropathologist and osteopath.

Other reasons

The reason that the feet are cold even at home or in the warm season may be the use of medications that belong to the group of beta-blockers.

Other common causes of chilly feet include spontaneous hypothermia of older age and Raynaud's disease, a spasm of small blood vessels. Raynaud's disease is more commonly diagnosed in young women. Pathology leads to blanching and blueness of the skin, their numbness and even death.

People with constantly cold feet should start with a visit to a therapist or phlebologist. The doctor must collect an anamnesis, conduct an initial examination, and then refer to other specialized specialists: a cardiologist, surgeon, neurologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist or psychiatrist. Women may need an additional consultation with a gynecologist to rule out hormonal imbalances associated with the reproductive system.

What to do if your feet are cold?

Healthy people with chronic cold feet should make lifestyle changes and add a few healthy habits to their daily routine:

• Salt bath with cinnamon or clove essential oil. Approximately 5-6 liters of water is heated to 37-40 degrees, 3-4 tablespoons are dissolved in it. l. sea ​​salt and 5-6 drops of essential oil. The feet are kept in the bath for 15 minutes, then wiped dry with a hard towel.

• A little workout. People with sedentary work are recommended to do exercises in the morning and evening to improve blood circulation in the feet. It is necessary to stand in the middle of the room and smoothly roll from toe to heel and back for 5-6 minutes. This exercise can also be done in the office, if possible.

• Cold and hot shower. You need to take a contrast shower daily, 1-2 times a day. Do not immediately turn on the cold water. It is better to stay in the range from 45-50 degrees to 40-36. The procedure will strengthen blood vessels and improve blood circulation, increase resistance to stress. If a shower is contraindicated, you can do contrast baths: lower your feet for 20-30 seconds in a basin of cold water, and then in hot water, and vice versa.

• Bath or sauna. Going to the bath tones up and accelerates the microcirculation of blood in the legs, cleanses the body of toxins. After the sauna, you need to take a cool shower or swim in the pool. The procedure is contraindicated if chilliness in the legs occurs against the background of cardiovascular diseases.

• Drinking balance. Circulation in the feet can be impaired due to lack of fluid in the body and increased blood viscosity. 2-2.5 liters of non-carbonated water will help improve microcirculation. This amount of liquid must be drunk daily, dividing the daily allowance into several small portions.

Feeling cold in the legs is a reason to reconsider the diet. The menu should have a lot of products containing omega-3 acids, iron and iodine. These include:

• red meat;
• salmon;
• pangasius;
• mackerel;
• seaweed;
• pomegranate juice;
• seafood;
• natural cocoa;
• buckwheat;
• dried apricots;
• raisin;
• unroasted nuts.

People who often go on diets and starve are advised to take vitamin complexes with beta-carotene, retinol and tocopherol, but you should consult a doctor before using any drugs.

How to warm cold feet?

You can quickly warm your feet at home in several ways: folk remedies, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic creams, special massage and a set of exercises.

Folk remedies

Popular recipes for cold feet include:

• Fats of animal origin. Feet after salt baths or before going outside are lubricated with natural fat of nutria, badger or mink. The product is applied in a thin layer on clean skin and rubbed thoroughly, woolen or terry socks are put on top.

• Mustard and hot peppers. Pour 2-3 pinches of mustard powder or cayenne pepper into warm socks and put on your feet after bathing for 20-40 minutes.

• Ginger tea. Ginger root, 1 cm in size, finely rubbed and poured with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, strain and drink warm with honey and lemon.

• Warming cream. Ordinary petroleum jelly is heated in the microwave or in a steam bath, mixed with red pepper extract and essential oil. You can take rosemary, sesame or camphor. The cream is infused until hardened and rubbed daily into the feet before going to bed.

• Warming powder. Oak bark, dry mustard and calamus are mixed in equal proportions. The ingredients are ground into powder and poured into warm socks. The powder is left for 3-4 hours, the remnants are washed off with warm water or the feet are wiped with a damp towel.

• Cold feet syndrome reduces lavender oil. The essential component can be added to base oils or regular foot cream and rubbed into the skin daily before bedtime.

Burning pharmaceutical ointments

Popular foot warmers include:

• Apizartron is a drug based on bee venom. It is used in sports medicine to improve blood circulation and warm up muscles. Apizartron ointment is recommended for violation of blood microcirculation in soft tissues, pinched nerve endings and inflammation of the joints.

• Helpex Effect - ointment with menthol, camphor oil and eucalyptus. Used for colds and muscle pain. It has a powerful warming effect and quickly removes chilliness of the feet.

• Nicoflex is a drug based on capsaicin. Shows a vasodilating and warming effect. Helps with neuralgia, and is also recommended for athletes to quickly warm up muscles before training.

• Viprosal B is a preparation with viper venom, turpentine oil and salicylic acid. It has irritating and analgesic properties, stimulates blood flow and quickly warms the feet. The ointment can be used for chilliness, as well as for muscle pain.

• Finalgon is a product based on a synthetic analogue of capsaicin and nicotinic acid. Shows a vasodilating and stimulating effect. The ointment irritates the nerve endings, causes blood flow and provides a long-lasting feeling of warmth. Recommended for neuralgia, injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Warming ointments should not be used on a regular basis. They are suitable for occasional use when feeling very cold in the legs. All drugs have contraindications, so before using them, you should consult your doctor and carefully study the instructions.

Cosmetic creams with a warming effect

You can replace medications with cosmetic creams and gels. Caring products have a minimum of contraindications and are suitable for daily use.

The most popular warming creams include:

• Northern fur boots from Natura Siberica. The remedy with extracts of horse chestnut, white cedar, moss and wild centaury stimulates blood circulation, tones blood vessels and has a slight warming effect. The cream helps with chilliness, fatigue in the legs and dry skin.

• Warming cream from Veda Vedic. The product based on sesame, castor, olive and rosemary oils contains extracts of Himalayan cedar, psoralea corylifolia, luxuriant gloriosa and resin of commiphora mukul. Ayurvedic product helps with swelling, feeling cold and tired in the legs, has warming, tonic and vasodilating properties.

• Warming cream from Natur Cosmetics. The product with camphor, extracts of celandine, black pepper and parsley has regenerating and stimulating properties. The cream strengthens blood vessels, helps with swelling, dry skin, irritation and a feeling of cold in the legs.

• Warming product from Baehr. The cream contains extracts of pepper, ginkgo biloba, seaweed, ivy, panthenol and nicotinic acid. The caring agent irritates the nerve endings, stimulates blood flow, improves metabolic processes and gives a persistent feeling of warmth. The product is especially relevant for people who are cold even at room temperature and do not tolerate winter well.

• Dia C+ by Galeno Pharm. The cream contains extracts of red pepper, St. John's wort, arnica, essential oils of lavender, rosemary and fir, glycerin and allantoin. The care product disinfects, accelerates blood circulation and provides a mild warming effect. The product is suitable even for people with diabetes and reduced sensitivity of nerve endings.

• Delicate and prone to dry skin is more suitable for a warming cream from the Our Mom trademark. The product is made from badger fat with the addition of aloe vera, red pepper extract and lavender essential oil. It moisturizes, soothes and gently warms the feet at any time of the year.

Exercise and massage

A special complex will help normalize blood microcirculation in the legs. A small exercise tones up blood vessels, removes spasms and is suitable even for people with Raynaud's disease.

Necessary:

• Sit on a chair with your knees bent at a right angle. Lean forward and grab the toe of your left foot with your right hand. Gently raise the body with the leg and try to straighten the knee. Pull the sock with your hand towards you, do not bend your back, do not raise your shoulders. Bend and unbend each leg 5 times.

• In a sitting position, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. Leave the left leg to the side and turn the hip inward. The heel points to the ceiling, the toe rests on the floor. The body is slightly turned to the right, the back is straight. Rest your hands on your right leg and push off, leaning back. Do 5-10 tilts, return to the starting position and repeat for the right leg.

• Sitting on a chair, roll from heel to toe, lifting your knees. Buttocks from the chair can not be torn off, hands in a free position.

Daily workouts can be supplemented with massage. Warm oil or cream should be rubbed into clean feet in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes. It is also helpful to massage the skin with a stiff brush. In circular motions, you need to gently rub the skin until slight redness.

Warming insoles

Special ones will help to warm the legs of people who are forced to spend a significant part of their time outdoors during the cold season. They can only be used if the feet are cold due to the cold, and not for other reasons.

Prevention

To keep your feet from freezing, you must:

• stop drinking alcohol and smoking;
• wear comfortable shoes with low heels or flats;
• buy socks and tights made of natural fabrics;
• often walk barefoot on the ground or at least on the floor in the apartment;
• take air and sun baths;
• temper;
• exercise regularly.

If the feet are cold due to health problems, the main prevention of this symptom is the timely contact with a specialized specialist and the implementation of all his instructions.