Chilblains

Many people sometimes have cold hands and feet in the winter. But that's why not everyone has chilblains and hands. What exactly are chilblains and hands and what can you do about them?

Chilblains and hands are characterized by local red-blue swellings of the fingers and toes. There is often itching, pain and a burning sensation on the tops of fingers and toes. It is typical that the complaints increase with warming up.

Normally, the small blood vessels in fingers and toes contract when cold and expand when warm. In people with chilblains and hands, this adaptation mechanism does not work well or works too slowly. This causes the small blood vessels in the toes and fingers to expand too much, causing redness and other complaints.

What can you do about chilblains and hands? You can wear warm clothing, exercise sufficiently, avoid cold/warm alternating baths and prolonged cold. If this does not work enough, your doctor can diagnose any underlying disease and/or give you medication.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 0000-00-00 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024