Raynaud's Syndrome

Among Peripheral Vascular Diseases that are often senior-related is found Raynaud's (pronounced ray-nose')Syndrome which can also affect younger people. This condition is sometimes referred to as Raynaud's Phenomenon or Disease, White Finger, Wax Finger, and Dead Finger.

What is Raynaud's Syndrome

Raynaud's is a non-life threatening condition due primarily to poor circulation to the fingers. This happens when the vessels become cold, or respond secondarily to an emotional upset that the body has experienced. While the condition causes pain in some, others suffer little to no actual pain, though the affected tips of a few fingers do give a sense of discomfort from numbness, followed by a throbbing sensation as the fingers receive circulation once again. The one good thing about the condition is that it serves as an accurate glass ball of future autoimmune rheumatic disease.

What Are the Symptoms of Raynaud's?

Symptoms of the condition are few. The finger tips, excluding the thumb, become pale, cold, and numb, with a sense of hurting that is not actual pain. A person may be driving a car and all of a sudden sense no feeling in one or two fingers. As he looks at his hand, he sees that the tips of the fingers are deadly gray. He shakes his hand, rubs his fingers together and blows his warm breath on them. He may even attempt to sit on his hand or hold it in front of the car's heater. After anywhere from ten to twenty minutes to two hours, the paleness and numbness abate as the fingers tingle. These are the only symptoms of Raynaud's.

Causes of Raynaud's

Some of the causes may be due to occupational vibrations; blood vessel blockage; poor circulation; emotional upsets; some medications such as oral contraceptives, ergotamines, and Beta blockers; connective tissue conditions such as arthritis, hair loss, or skin rashes; and photosensitivity, muscle weakness, and respiratory or cardiac problems. The cause may also be unknown.

Diagnosis

The best diagnosis is from direct viewing during an episode. Short of this, the problem is getting to the doctor's office and waiting to be seen before the episode terminates. Subsequently, there can be an assessment of peripheral pulses, blood pressure checks in both arms, and detection of neck tenderness, but without the doctor seeing the fingers, don't bet the farm on a definite diagnosis! Approximately 5% of those with Raynaud's will sooner or later develop an autoimmune rheumatic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, or scleroderma.

The copyright of the article Raynaud's Syndrome in Senior Fitness is owned by Virginia Marin. Permission to republish Raynaud's Syndrome in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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