Raynaud Phenomenon
- Raynaud Phenomenon Overview
- Raynaud Phenomenon Causes
- Raynaud Phenomenon Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Raynaud Phenomenon Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Next Steps
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Multimedia
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Raynaud's Phenomenon - Describe Your Experience
Raynaud Phenomenon Overview
Raynaud phenomenon is a vessel abnormality caused by overactivity of smooth muscle in the wall of arteries, causing contractions, or vasospasms, of the small vessels that supply blood to the arms, legs, hands, and feet. Raynaud phenomenon is usually diagnosed in persons younger than 40 years and occurs 5 times more frequently in women than in men.
Next: Raynaud Phenomenon Causes »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Raynaud's Phenomenon - Describe Your Experience
The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:
Please describe your experience with Raynaud's phenomenon.
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Autoimmune Disease Resources
- Heavy Sweating Can Signal a Medical Problem
- Cold Weather Tips for Psoriasis
- See Symptoms of Psoriasis
Featured Centers
- 12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Viruses
- 10 Surprising Benefits of Treating Depression
- Healthy Home: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic?
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Raynaud Phenomenon
Cold Hands & Feet Overview
When your hands or feet (and sometimes other parts of the body, especially your ears and nose) get too cold, they can be injured or react in different ways.
- The most severe cold injury is frostbite, which is true tissue freezing (ice crystals form in skin and other tissues of the body). Frostbite causes permanent damage to blood vessels and other structures. Frostnip is also ice crystal formation in tissues but only in the very outer layer of the skin. It causes no permanent damage.
- Immersion injury results from exposure of wet feet (or hands) to cold temperatures at or above freezing. It develops over hours to days and damages the nerves and muscles. Like frostbite, immersion injury causes permanent damage.
- Other injuries due to cold hands or feet are pernio, Raynaud syndrome, cryoglobulin formation, and cold urticaria.
Cold H...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Raynaud Phenomenon »
Raynaud phenomenon refers to reversible ischemia of peripheral arterioles.
Featured Topics
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds
