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 familiar and no longer causes discomfort. Freezing feet most often occur in winter or autumn, when a person often gets cold or gets his feet wet.
But if your feet are constantly cold, even when a person is in a warm, heated room, it’s worth looking for the reasons more carefully. This problem is very often faced by women and men over forty years of age. Most often, poor blood circulation or disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system (looseness or low tone of its autonomic part) are to blame.
General information
If a person’s feet are constantly cold, as a rule, this condition gradually becomes familiar to him, and he does not perceive this phenomenon as something alarming.
As a rule, feet get cold in autumn and winter when shoes get wet or a person freezes in the cold. However, if a person constantly has cold feet, even if he is in a warm and cozy room, the reasons for this phenomenon are associated with certain pathologies of the body.
As a rule, such a symptom often worries representatives of both ages after 40 years. If your feet are very cold, most likely this is due to circulatory problems or disruptions in the function of the nervous system. If your feet and hands are cold, what to do will be discussed in the article below, where the reasons for this phenomenon are also analyzed.
Sheep wool socks smell like putty, but they heal well
My feet are cold
My feet were freezing. I couldn't stand being outside for more than 10 minutes. At night, until my feet are warm, I can’t sleep. Even in summer I didn’t take off my wool socks. I carried out a course of treatment, it helped for a while, and then all over again. My foot began to go numb. And then I came across an article from the Healthy Lifestyle newsletter about woolen socks made from unwashed sheep’s wool. Luckily, I had just such socks. True, they smell very much like sheep's fetlock.
I put them on immediately and after about 30 minutes I felt a slight tingling sensation. I wore these socks without washing them, and after a while the blood circulation in my legs began to recover. This is the second year I've been wearing socks and I feel great!
Lukyanova T.I.
Why do healthy people's feet get cold?
The legs are the temperature regulator of his entire body. After all, it is difficult for the heart to pump blood to the lower extremities. Therefore, strengthening your legs is very important. If you walk barefoot at home, and then walk barefoot on the grass in the same way in the summer, you can gradually become more resistant to the cold. You should always choose shoes according to the season. Sometimes, if a person is wondering why his feet are cold at home, all he needs to do is change his indoor shoes to eliminate this problem.
If you are wondering why your feet are constantly cold, the reasons may be related to the fact that you are used to wrapping yourself up and wearing warm socks at room temperature. Most often in such cases, the toes of people with slight deviations in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system .
If your feet are frozen, they will remain cold until they are warmed up. Even if the air temperature is normal and a person is warm, the feet that are in cool water or on a cold floor are frozen. A similar phenomenon is called “ trench foot ” , since it was in the trenches of war that feet often froze even at above-zero temperatures.
If your feet are cold, the reasons for this phenomenon may be due to the fact that a person sits with his legs tucked in for a long time, and the blood flow is disrupted. Gradually, the feet become numb and freeze.
After a person has once suffered frostbite , he periodically notes that his legs are freezing from the knee to the foot. That is, the consequences of frostbite remain for life. Healthy people feel comfortable at a temperature of 15-17 degrees, but those who once had frostbitten feet feel that their feet are getting cold even at this temperature.
Extremities often get cold in people who adhere to very strict diets or starve.
Diagnostic methods
Freezing feet (the reasons for women were discussed in some detail in the article) is only one symptom, which makes it impossible to make a diagnosis. Modern research methods will help clarify the reason. At the initial stage of the examination, after the initial examination, laboratory tests are prescribed.
And then, taking into account contraindications, the following groups of studies are carried out:
- functional (usually used during the initial examination);
- ultrasound (Dopplerography, duplex scanning);
- tomographic (magnetic resonance angiography, computed tomography);
- X-ray (angiography).
Why do my feet always get cold?
Many people are interested in why their feet and hands are cold. The reasons for this phenomenon may be associated with a variety of factors. But most often the causes of cold hands and feet are associated with peripheral vascular disease. This disease affects the vessels that carry blood from and to the heart.
Next we will talk about the reasons why a person often has cold extremities of the hands and feet.
Diabetes
The answer to the question of why your hands and feet are constantly cold may be diabetes . With this disease, the vessels become very fragile, and there is a tendency to thrombosis . Therefore, if a person constantly has cold extremities at a comfortable temperature, this may be evidence of the development of such a formidable disease as diabetes.
If the lower extremities become cold, this may indicate the development of a serious complication called “diabetic foot” . With this condition, the nutrition of the tissues of the leg gradually deteriorates, and, accordingly, the likelihood of developing gangrene . With this complication, the risk amputation .
Raynaud's syndrome
Raynaud 's causes frequent spasms of small arteries. As a result, the limbs react poorly to cold water and low temperatures. Therefore, if your limbs are very cold even at room temperature, you should visit a vascular surgeon and try to find the causes of this phenomenon.
Anemia
If the patient has low hemoglobin , then the supply of oxygen to the tissues is significantly deteriorated. As a result, metabolic processes occur slowly, as does heat generation. In acute anemia (this happens with severe blood loss after injuries, etc.), the limbs also become sharply cold.
Venous stagnation
The limbs feel cold if there is congestion in the superficial or deep veins of the legs. With venous stagnation, you feel not only coldness in the legs, but also pain and swelling , especially at night after heavy exertion. This condition can be complicated by phlebitis - inflammation of the veins, as well as thrombosis. In such conditions, surgical intervention is necessary.
Obliterating endarteritis (intermittent claudication)
This disease usually develops in those who smoke. Due to the development of a chronic inflammatory process in the inner lining of the arteries, their lumen narrows or it becomes thrombosed for the second time. As a result, the flow of arterial blood deteriorates significantly, and the patient suffers from severe pain in the lower extremities, even if he walks a little. If the process progresses, it can end in necrosis of the leg tissue and amputation of the fingers, foot or leg.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia
If a person constantly asks himself the question why am I constantly freezing, the reasons for this may be related to manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia . This disease most often affects young people aged 20 to 30 years. With VSD, the width of the vessels does not change in a timely manner when external conditions change.
Low or high blood pressure
Blood pressure disorders can also cause cold extremities. With low blood pressure, blood flow in the periphery worsens. If the pressure is elevated, then a deterioration in blood flow occurs due to vasospasm.
Birch saved me from swelling
Swelling of the legs
I used birch brooms to treat swelling of the legs as one folk method. The treatment result is excellent. My legs were swollen from my knees to my toes. The swelling was severe.
My son picked birch branches, and at night I covered my legs with them from toes to knees and wrapped them in a down scarf. Oh, miracle! My legs felt like they were in an oven, and warmth spread throughout my body. It was like I was in a bathhouse. The next morning the swelling was reduced by half. For seven days in a row I did this procedure at night until the swelling and pain in the ankle joints completely disappeared.
She kept the plucked branches in a bucket of water on the balcony. And whoever has the opportunity, you can pick off branches every day and apply fresh ones to your feet - it’s better. Don’t make an application from leaves - it won’t help, you need to apply the branches (50-70 cm).
Zinovieva N.I.
Causes of cold feet not related to vascular disorders
If your feet get cold and your hands get cold, the reasons for this are not always related only to blood flow disorders. There are a number of other, non-vascular factors that provoke such manifestations.
Age-related changes
With age, various changes occur in the body. the immune system functions worse , hormonal changes occur, the amount of muscle mass decreases, blood flow worsens and metabolic processes slow down.
Hypothyroidism
A decrease in the functionality of the thyroid gland leads to a slowdown in metabolic processes, including a deterioration in heat transfer. At the same time, the patient feels tired, he is often cold, and his interest in life decreases.
The limbs with hypothyroidism are constantly cold, the skin is pale and dry, and swelling is noted. Nails become brittle and hair falls out.
, hypoacid gastritis occurs . This is a condition in which appetite decreases and secondary iron deficiency anemia . This condition develops in women after thyroiditis , resection of the thyroid gland, or radiation therapy .
Atopic dermatitis suffered in childhood
If a person suffered from atopic dermatitis , then in adulthood he will complain that his limbs are cold. Allergic manifestations are combined with autonomic disorders and appear in the form of white dermographism . This phenomenon is characterized by the fact that if you run your finger over the skin of the forearm, not a red, but a white stripe will appear, which indicates vascular spasm.
Use of certain medications
The extremities sometimes become cold if a person takes certain medications. This can occur if treatment is carried out with beta-blockers ( Atenolol , Anaprilin ). Chilliness is also caused by ergot preparations - they are prescribed for some gynecological diseases.
Acute allergic manifestations
With a sharp expansion of small vessels, which occurs with urticaria or Quincke's edema , severe heat loss occurs and, as a result, chilliness of the legs is noted.
Other reasons
- An active increase in the number of fungi of the genus Candida, which causes candidiasis , provokes vascular spasm.
- With severe dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, when the amount of magnesium and chlorine in the blood decreases, the skin becomes cold and the extremities become chilly.
- acrocyanosis may occur , in which the extremities turn blue and become cold.
- As a result of infectious-toxic shock or sepsis, the temperature decreases due to vasospasm, gluing of red blood cells in capillaries, and a crisis of microcirculation.
- If there are worms or other parasites in the intestines, they release toxins that cause vasospasm .
Neurological diseases
Peripheral nerve diseases can cause a feeling of numbness and coldness in the legs for a long time. This occurs with radiculoneuritis of the lumbar segment, polyneuropathy , inflammation of the lumbar plexus, and neuromas .
The consequences of acute cerebral circulatory disorders, paresis or paralysis , are accompanied by trophic disorders, in particular coldness of the skin. People with herniated intervertebral discs of the sacral and lumbar region also often have cold feet.
What to do if your feet are cold?
If your limbs are constantly chilly, you need to take certain measures to feel comfortable. First you need to apply the simplest methods that will help warm your feet. You need to put on wool socks, take a hot water bottle or bottle of water, and prepare a foot bath with mustard. All these methods will help you warm up quickly.
If a person regularly expresses complaints like “I’m constantly cold,” what to do depends on the diagnosis. But provided that no diseases were identified during the study, it is necessary to take certain preventive measures.
It happens that the methods described above help for a short time, and a person does not know what to do if his feet and hands are cold. What to do in such cases? It is important to take care of long-term prevention measures by doing the following:
- completely stop smoking;
- always dress correctly, and in cold weather avoid things that tightly squeeze the lower part of the body;
- choose high-quality and warm shoes that should not be too big or tight;
- try to avoid stressful situations and strong emotional stress;
- constantly practice physical activity - do exercises, run, swim;
- consume more protein foods, also include in the menu a variety of hot seasonings and spices that have a warming effect on the body;
- do not drink too strong tea or coffee, preferring herbal teas with lemon balm, mint, valerian.
If a person not only has cold feet, but also sweats, he needs to regularly take warming foot baths, adding mustard or sea salt to them.
To prepare a warming bath with salt, you need to dissolve pharmaceutical sea salt in hot water - two spoons and two spoons of milk. After the bath, you should immediately put on woolen socks.
Those who spend time standing at work throughout the day should take baths in the evening, adding mustard to hot water. This procedure helps to activate blood circulation and relieve swelling .
If signs of freezing feet appear, massage should be done immediately. To do this, actively rub the sole of each foot in turn and massage the toes. If possible, you should pre-warm your socks and put them on immediately after the warming massage.
Another effective procedure is suitable for those who do not suffer from varicose veins . You need to prepare two containers - one with cold water, the other with hot water. First, lower your feet into warm water for 10 minutes, then lower them into cold water for the same time. You need to change containers until the warm water cools down. This procedure is completed by immersion in cold water.
Prevention
In order not to encounter the problem of your feet getting cold in a warm place, you should practice prevention from childhood:
- walk barefoot on the ground, on pebbles, stones, sand, grass;
- at home, walk more often without slippers;
- massage the feet using a massage mat or a special massager;
- do not insulate your feet unless necessary (dress according to the weather);
- be physically active in any weather;
- carry out hardening procedures: contrast showers, contrast foot baths;
- maintain correct body position when walking and sitting (the legs should have support);
- cycling, swimming, skiing, walking;
- include in your diet foods containing fatty acids (fatty fish, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds).
These measures, if carried out in a system, will help both children and adults feel comfortable in any weather.
How to warm your feet - folk recipes
If a person has constantly cold feet due to a certain disease, the causes and treatment should be determined by a doctor. But if you need to warm up icy feet that are frozen in the cold, you can use one of the folk methods, of which there are a lot.
Cold feet can be relieved using the methods described below.
Compress with alcohol
For such a compress, you need to moisten the bottom of warm socks with alcohol and put on these socks after your feet have been warmed up in warm water. You need to put another pair of socks on top. After this, even at a temperature that is not too high, your feet will warm up well within a few minutes.
Pepper
Hot ground pepper warms the skin well when applied to the feet. Pepper causes skin irritation, but this is temporary. Therefore, if the question of why your feet are always cold is pressing for a person, in cold winter weather you can pour hot pepper into your socks before going out into the cold.
Mistletoe leaves
You need to grind dry mistletoe leaves and pour a teaspoon of this mixture into a glass of boiling water. After infusion overnight, the infusion should be drunk before meals, 2 tbsp. l. You need to drink mistletoe for several months. Mistletoe tincture normalizes heart pressure and calms.
Sophora fruits or flowers
50 g of Sophora fruits or flowers should be poured with half a liter of vodka and left to infuse for one month. Drink the tincture three times a day, 1 tsp. within four months.
Gymnastic exercises
Exercise can significantly warm up your extremities. There is a whole range of special exercises to warm your feet.
Shaking
When you shake your legs alternately, vibration affects the capillaries. The vessels then contract and blood flow is activated. You should lie on your back on a hard surface, raise your legs and arms so that they form a 90-degree angle with your torso. In this position, you need to shake your arms and legs for 1-2 minutes.
Reeds in the wind
This exercise is done while lying on your stomach. You need to relax your limbs, bend your knees. At the same time, you should imagine that this is a reed fluttering in the wind. In this case, the legs should periodically touch the pelvis.
Massage with walnuts
With this exercise you can effectively activate blood flow, relieve fatigue and stress. Place 2-3 walnuts between your palms and rotate them for several minutes. In this case, a certain amount of force should be applied so that the nuts are pressed tightly against the palms. Next, the exercise is repeated with the feet. This massage is done in the morning and evening.
Onion peel saved me from cramps
Leg cramps
It’s been five years since I got rid of leg cramps. I suffered, especially at night, terribly. The onion peel saved me. That's what I did. Place a pinch of onion skins in a glass of boiling water and let it brew for 10 minutes. Then she took out the husk and drank the resulting golden drink at night. When I woke up in the morning, I couldn’t believe that I slept peacefully and my leg didn’t bother me. Since then I have been drinking onion tea every evening. Not only did the cramps disappear, but I also coped with severe headaches.
Meshcherina Yu.P.
conclusions
If such methods do not help or are effective only for a short time, the causes of cold hands and feet are obviously related to diseases, and a doctor should look for them. A doctor can determine why your hands are constantly cold and your feet are frozen by conducting the necessary research. At the appointment, the doctor asks about complaints, conducts an examination, and sends the patient for laboratory tests. Sometimes an ECG, ultrasound of the blood vessels of the legs, consultation with a vascular surgeon, endocrinologist, or neurologist are required. Once a diagnosis is made, the doctor will prescribe treatment to eliminate the problem or reduce the severity of symptoms.
