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Raynaud's Disease - Raynaud's Disease symptom, treatment, causes

Raynaud's Phenomenon (or Raynaud's Disease) is a condition causing some areas of the body, such as the fingers, toes, tip of the nose and ears, to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress. This disorder is characterized by episodic attacks, called vasospastic attacks, that cause the blood vessels in the digits (fingers and toes) to constrict (narrow). Although estimates vary, recent surveys show that Raynaud's phenomenon may affect 5 to 10 percent of the general population in the United States. Raynaud's disease affects a small percentage of Americans. Women are more likely than men are to have the disorder. It's more common in people who live in colder climates. Treatment of Raynaud's disease depends on its severity and the presence or absence of associated conditions. For most people, Raynaud's disease is more a nuisance than a disability.

Raynaud's is a condition first described by Maurice Raynaud in 1862 and is thought to affect as many as 10 million people in the UK. Raynaud's Raynaud's phenomenon can occur on its own, or it can be secondary to another condition, such as scleroderma or lupus. Raynaud's phenomenon has many different causes including workplace exposures. It is most commonly associated with hand-arm vibration syndrome but it is also involved in other occupational diseases. It is important to know the signs and symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon and the workplace hazards that cause it. Awareness can help prevent the disorder from occurring or progressing to a serious stage. If not detected in the early stages, the disorder can permanently impair blood circulation in the fingers. Although rare, severe cases can lead to breakdown of the skin and gangrene. Less severely affected workers sometimes have to change their social activities and work habits to avoid attacks of white finger. Usually, the body conserves heat by reducing blood circulation to the extremities, particularly the hands and feet. This response uses a complex system of nerves and muscles to control blood flow through the smallest blood vessels in the skin. In people with Raynaud's phenomenon, this control system becomes too sensitive to cold and greatly reduces blood flow in the fingers. Damage to either the muscles or nerves that control blood flow may cause Raynaud's phenomenon.

Causes of Raynaud's Disease

Some are common Causes of Raynauds Disease :

• Smoking constricts blood vessels and is a potential cause of Raynaud's.
• The illness occurs spontaneously, often in childhood or adolescence, without any underlying cause.
• This is Raynaud's without an underlying disease or associated medical problem that could provoke vasospasm.
• Exposure to certain chemicals.
• Some workers in the plastics industry who are exposed to vinyl chloride develop an illness similar to scleroderma. .
• Regular operation of vibrating tools, as in construction
• Other connective tissue disorders (eg Arthralgia or arthritis, Alopecia, skin rashes, cerebral symptoms, photosensitivity, dry eyes or mouth, mouth ulcers, muscle weakness, respiratory or cardiac problems).

Symptoms of Raynaud's Disease

These may be triggered by exposure ofthe fingers or toes to cold, or by emotional upsets, fear or excitement. Attacks usually subside with in 30 minutes of warming the part, and are seldom severe enough to cause serious tissue ilamage. With longstanding Raynaud's disease, the skin of the fingers and toes may become smooth, shinyand tight, and painful ulceration may develop. Gangrene is very rare. Some common Symptoms of Raynaud's Disease :

• Skin redness or inflammation.
• Look bluish due to a lack of oxygen
• Paleness.
• Toes or fingers that change color when exposed to the cold .
• Redden and throb or tingle as blood returns to the affected area .
• Numb, prickly feeling or stinging pain upon warming or relief of stress .

Treatment of Raynaud's Disease

• Avoid excessive emotional stress.
• Do not smoke.
• Sometimes, doctors need to amputate a finger or toe affected by Raynaud's in which the blood supply has been completely blocked and the tissue has developed gangrene.
• This class of drug, used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease, may worsen Raynaud's. Examples include metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard) and propranolol (Inderal).
• Avoid abrupt changes in temperature, especially going from warm air to air conditioning.
• Some people find relief with drugs called alpha blockers, which counteract the actions of norepinephrine, a hormone that constricts blood vessels.