Cures for cold hands

[S.Vashti]

When I was around 6, I got frostbitten after a long session playing in deep snow. I didn't lose any fingers or toes, but ever since, my hands and feet become achingly cold at the slightest hint of cold temperature. They seem to radiate cold. This makes working on a computer difficult because I tend to keep a low temperature in the apt.

I suspect it's just a severe vaso-constriction reaction that is getting triggered over the decrease in temperature. So I'm looking for foods, drinks or medicines that increase blood flow to my fingers.

I just tried Icy-Hot and realize I can't live with the smell of it, let alone I've just absentmindedly rubbed my nose and now my nostril burns. Plus, it's not doing a thing for my fingers.

Putting on gloves doesn't work, the cold is coming from my hands, the gloves just seem to keep it in.

Running hot water over my hands does help, but I think keeping a bowl of hot water at my computer for hand dipping is not a good idea.

[Master Taran]

Sux to have had frost bite. I got it in '75. Haven't really found a 'cure' for it other than keep the heat up. I got it in both my hands and feet.

[S.Vashti]

What's also frustrating is I can't seem to find the magic search terms to look for remedies on Google. All I find are the effects and immediate after effects of frost bite. What I need are coping mechanisms. I spent 10 years in Hawaii not worrying about this, only to come back to the states and have to deal with this. I've cranked it to 72 degrees in here, it's not that cold! but still my hands are icy.

[LadyShea]

I had this issue for years and years and couldn't find any real cure or even relief for a long time. Eventually I found something that helped, then I seemed to outgrow it or something as it is rarely a problem now.

Anyway what I learned worked for me, but is totally woo-woo so I can't explain why or how it worked. I tested it by holding a thermometer between my fingers once, so FWIW

Do deep relaxation breathing and when you inhale visualize the air warming and turning red in your navel area, then when you exhale visualize the warm red air traveling down your arms and out your body through your fingertips. If you've ever done any meditation or mental relaxation exercises, you should have no trouble with this.

By the way, I learned this at gifted camp, I had a class on the brain and this was one of the excercises we did

[slimshady2357]

Maybe something like this?

2 x Hot Stuff Hand Warmers: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

[yguy]

I'd get a couple of those reusable hand warmers that you boil (or microwave, I think) for a few minutes to cause an endothermic reaction in the medium and then snap the disc inside to release the heat. I think they stay warm for about an hour.

[Shelli]

Ginger is warming and teh yum, too. I use it in my tea.

I remember reading that there's an ingredient in ginger that causes vaso-dilation (I know that's not a word, but I'm not sure what it is and too lazy to look it up right now. )

[trientalis]

Is this what you mean?

Raynaud's syndrome

Whatever it is that's bothering your hands, I hope you find some treatment that works for you.

[S.Vashti]

Originally Posted by trientalis

Is this what you mean?

Raynaud's syndrome

Whatever it is that's bothering your hands, I hope you find some treatment that works for you.

I've never heard of that. My fingers do turn white, which is why I think it's a vaso-constriction issue. But they don't turn blue. They do hurt quite a bit. I was under the impression this was a long-term effect of frostbite. It usually happens when it's cold out, but I have had it happen in the summer when it's warm. I just thought they were unusually sensitive to temperature changes of any kind.

[Qingdai]

One of my friends had Raynaud's, she re-set her internal thermometer (she says) by going outside on a freaking cold day (say like today) with her hands in warm water, rather lightly dressed (for the temperature).

[Doctor X]

I simply place them between the thighs of a NBL, but your millage may vary.

--J.D.

[SharonDee]

Get a sock and some rice. Put the rice in the sock, tie off the end. Put it in the microwave and nuke it for 30 seconds to a minute, depending upon the size of the sock and the amount of rice you put in it.

Hold the sock between your hands to warm them.

I use the sock to keep the rest of me warm but I think it should work for warming extremities, too.

[LadyShea]

The problem I found (dunno if it was raynauds or what) is that external heat only kept my hands warm for as long as I was heating them. It was temporary surface relief, which was even more frustrating....to me anyway

I still get it in my feet. It's hard to describe, but the cold come from inside it feels like. Imagine trying to warm up a refrigerated steak without cooking it

[S.Vashti]

Originally Posted by Qingdai

One of my friends had Raynaud's, she re-set her internal thermometer (she says) by going outside on a freaking cold day (say like today) with her hands in warm water, rather lightly dressed (for the temperature).

Thank you. But this sounds like a last resort option for me. (I'm a wuss, and dislike pain.)

[S.Vashti]

I tried the "woo-woo" mental imaging trick, since I have practiced yoga for many years, and know it works. There was some help, but after I complained here yesterday, I ran my hands under hot water several times, and that probably helped most of all, the issue went away. I'll be trying it again when I'm out driving and it occurs. It's important to wear gloves, touching something icy seems to trigger it, too.

Also found this, while looking through Reynaud stuff: a cream that's a vaso-dilator, the main ingredient being l-arginine, supposedly something that works on the blood vessels: ThermoMax Warm Cream.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[Wonderbread Leotard]

Check out The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish. No, it's not a primer on Ebonics. Rather, you could try summoning a demon or two. A little Hellfire can go a long way.

Seriously, here's something I haven't seen mentioned here:

Do your hands get cold and numb too easily? Years ago I learned of a treatment that can make hands more resistant to the chill. The idea is that since hands react to cold by shutting off blood supply (capillary shunt), one could short circuit that process by shocking the nerves with alternating hot and cold water treatments. Try this at your own risk and don’t do it if you have a medical condition such as Raynauds, but it worked for me and now my son is giving it a go.

The process is simple. Fill one bucket full of ice cubes and water, and another with water so hot you can barely stand placing your hands in it, but not so hot it would scald you. Alternate placing your hands in each bucket. Leave your hands in each plunge long enough to “shock” them, but not long enough to get used to the temperature or damage your hands in the case of the ice water. At most a couple of minutes in each plunge. Multiple sessions are required — end each session when the hot water cools down enough to be lukewarm and comfortable, or after a half hour or so. A DVD player or VCR is useful as well (smile).

Cold Hands? The Torture Cure - Lou Dawson's Backcountry Skiing Blog

[ceptimus]

Heated Computer Keyboard

Heated computer mouse

I found these by googling - there were quite a few hits, so you may find something cheaper/more suited to your needs/available locally if you google for them yourself.

[Dingfod]

A fully functional circulatory system helps.

[Shelli]

Originally Posted by Dingfod

A fully functional circulatory system helps.

My circulation isn't the bestest either and it certainly didn't receive any help from me smoking all those years. I have to be careful to keep my extremities warm and it's my circulation, or lack thereof, that got me back in walking on break at work and on the treadmill at home again. It definitely helps.