Raynaud's Phenomenon Causes

The classification of Raynaud's phenomenon is usually separated in two categories: idiopathic or primary Raynaud's, when no associated disease is identified; and secondary to other diseases.

• Factors that can bring on Raynaud's phenomenon (all vasoconstrictive influences), include the following:
  
  
  • Cold environments
    
    
  • Mental stressors
    
    
  • Certain occupations (vibration from tools, like jackhammers)
    
    
  • Smoking (nicotine is a stimulant/vasoconstrictor)
  
  
• Diseases causing Raynaud's phenomenon
  
  
  • Collagen vascular diseases - Seventy percent of patients with scleroderma (or those who have systemic sclerosis) develop Raynaud's phenomenon. Other disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or dermatomyositis/polymyositis are also associated with a high incidence of Raynaud's phenomenon.
    
    
  • Arterial diseases, including atherosclerosis, plus thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger disease involving the small arteries and veins of the hands and feet, also have an association with Raynaud's phenomenon. 
    
    
  • Neurologic disorders - Thoracic outlet syndrome with compression of nerves as they course through the neck and shoulder area; carpal tunnel syndrome; and occasionally stroke, intervertebral disk disease, and spinal cord tumors may produce Raynaud's phenomenon
    
    
  • Blood disorders that cause the blood to thicken or sludge (polycythemia)
    
    
  • Trauma
    
    
  • Miscellaneous disorders such as hypothyroidism
  
  
• Medications that may cause or worsen Raynaud's phenomenon
  
  
  • These include ergot derivatives, used for migraine headaches (ergotamine), beta-adrenergic blockers, amphetamines or other drugs that constrict (make the blood vessels smaller), and some chemotherapeutic agents (vinblastine, bleomycin)