| RAYNAUD'S: MAIN MENU |
|
|
| Raynaud's Prevention |
| This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. Scleroderma (SD) affects everyone differently. Just because something is listed here does not mean an individual patient will ever experience it. See Disclaimer. |
|
| Alcohol Consumption |
| Smoking, Alcohol and Raynaud's. Heavy alcohol consumption was independently associated with increased odds of Raynaud’s among women and red wine consumption was associated with reduced odds of Raynaud’s. Men who drank red wine also had a lower prevalence of the condition than those who did not. Smoking negated the positive effects of moderate red wine consumption in men. Arthritis Foundation. 08/28/07. |
| Avoid Cold |
| Stay indoors and in warm environments as much as possible. |
| Keep a pair of gloves or mittens available at all times. Put them on before your hands get cold. |
| Wear mittens or gloves when taking things out of the freezer or refrigerator, and grocery shopping. |
| Use heating aids for keeping the hands and feet warm. See rewarming techniques. |
| Keep your chest and head well covered to keep your core body temperature high. This works because the body needs to keep the heart and brain warm. When they become chilled, the body conserves heat by depriving blood from the extremities. |
| Dress in layers and in thermal clothing. Wear silk underwear, because it keeps the body warm. Shop in the sporting goods department for thermal socks, underwear and vests. Wear warm clothing year around, if air conditioning poses a problem. |
| Wardvoff those winter ailments. There's no need to be laid low by colds and flu in the cold months ahead. Raynauds : "Start the day with a bowl of hot porridge or cereal with hot milk," advises Anne Mawdsley of the Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association. "Try to eat lots of small meals to maintain energy and heat levels. Hot drinks between meals and before bed are essential." A trial at the University of Dundee using Seredrin high-strength gingko biloba with phytosome reduced the frequency of Raynaud's attacks in sufferers by an average of 70 per cent. telegraph.co.uk 01/05/04 (Also see: Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association of UK) |
| Avoid Vasoconstrictors such as Caffeine, Cocaine, Marijuana and Nicotine |
| Caffeine, cocaine, marijuana, nicotine, novacaine and many herbs and medications restrict blood vessels. So they are a great big no-no for people with Raynaud's! |
| Be on guard for hidden sources of caffeine in tea, soda, chocolate, some aspirins, herbal preparations, and medications. |
| Smokers With Systemic Sclerosis Risk Severe Digital Vascular Complications. Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who smoke are three to four times more likely than are never-smokers to incur digital vascular complications, researchers in England have found. Doctor's Guide. 1/24/03 Arthritis & Rheumatism 2002;46:12:3312-3316. (Also see: Digital Ulcers) |
| Caffeine also worsens heartburn/reflux in Scleroderma by relaxing the esophageal sphincter and allowing the stomach contents to flow back up into the esophagus. It's usually easier to quit caffeine gradually (over the course of a week or so) rather than "cold turkey". |
| Marijuana: A 24-year old woman, heavy cannabis smoker with progressive Raynaud's phenomenon and digital necrosis is presented. This observation demonstrates that cannabis may represent a possible cofactor in the pathogenesis of arteritis in young smokers. Early recognition is important to avoid irreversible complications such as loss of digits. PubMed. Vasa. 2003 May;32(2):95-7. (Also see: Digital Ulcers, and Causes of Scleroderma) |
| Crissie: Surviving Sister of Scleroderma Patient I also want everyone to know that if you have Raynaud's, scleroderma or lupus, please, please do not smoke or drink... |
| Avoid Bad Vibrations |
| Powered-Tool Usage Leads to Artery Damage. Past studies have shown that years of working with hand held powered-tools could cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), known as secondary Raynaud's disease of occupational origin. Researchers demonstrated that four hours of vibration causes blood vessel constriction and produces damage to arterial smooth muscle and the endothelial cells which line the vessels. Newswise. Medical College of Wisconsin. 04/19/04. |
| Avoid Pressure on Fingertips |
| Typing can induce Raynaud's and cause discomfort to sore fingertips. Take frequent breaks, do hand exercises, use a Heatsock for a wrist rest, or use voice-command software. |
| Use shoulder bags, backpacks or a shopping trolley to transport items. This will prevent too much pressure from being applied to sore fingers and will prevent restriction of the blood supply to the hands and fingers. |
| Biofeedback |
| Biofeedback: Using your mind to improve your health. Biofeedback is based on the idea, confirmed by scientific studies, that people have the innate potential to influence with their minds many of the automatic, involuntary functions of their bodies. Mayo Clinic. |
| The Raynaud's Treatment Study: Biofeedback Protocols and Acquisition of Temperature Biofeedback Skills. The findings point to substantial problems with acquisition of physiological self-regulation skills. Only 34.6% of the Temperature Biofeedback group (N = 81) and 55.4% of the EMG Biofeedback group (N = 74) successfully learned the desired physiological response. In contrast, 67.4% of a Normal Temperature Biofeedback group (N = 46) learned hand warming. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, Volume 26, Number 4, December 2001 , pp. 251-278(28). |
| Biofeedback for Raynaud's Syndrome. Several small studies have shown that temperature biofeedback is capable of helping people with Raynaud's syndrome control their hand temperatures. One controlled study and a moderate number of clinical studies showed that temperature biofeedback can result in significantly reduced symptoms. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. |
| Quit Smoking |
| Digital Ulcers. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to narrow. It has been proved that smoking one cigarette has been shown to decrease the temperature of the extremities by one degree over a twenty minute period. Passive smoking can also be dangerous so encourage anyone who lives with you to stop smoking and avoid places where cigarette smoke is likely to be present. Patients with scleroderma who smoke are three to four times more likely than are non smokers to incur digital vascular complications. Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association. |
| Tobacco smoking and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Smoking affects both the course and the outcome of rheumatic diseases. (PubMed) Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2007 Dec;3(12):707-15. (Also see: Pulmonary ) |
| Marijuana: A 24-year old woman, heavy cannabis smoker with progressive Raynaud's phenomenon and digital necrosis is presented. This observation demonstrates that cannabis may represent a possible cofactor in the pathogenesis of arteritis in young smokers. Early recognition is important to avoid irreversible complications such as loss of digits. PubMed. Vasa. 2003 May;32(2):95-7. (Also see: Raynaud's Prevention and Causes of Scleroderma) |
| Smokers With Systemic Sclerosis Risk Severe Digital Vascular Complications. Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who smoke are three to four times more likely than are never-smokers to incur digital vascular complications, researchers in England have found. Doctor's Guide. 1/24/03 Arthritis & Rheumatism 2002;46:12:3312-3316. (Also see: Raynaud's) |
| Avoid Stress |
| Reduce stress and use relaxation techniques, since stress can trigger Raynaud's. Biofeedback may help, however its often less effective in Scleroderma patients than in those with primary Raynaud's. |
| Arguments dramatically slow wound healing! |
Arguments dramatically slow wound healing. The stress a married couple experiences during a 30-minute argument can delay their bodies’ ability to heal a wound by at least a day, according to a new study. And if the couples’ relationship endures routine hostility, the delay can be even longer. There could be important implications for people suffering from chronic wounds, such as skin ulcers. New Scientist. 12-05-05. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Stress) |
| Related Books |
| Raynaud's Phenomenon by Jay D. Coffman Get the most up-to-date knowledge concerning Raynaud's! "If you, or someone you know, has been diagnosed I (a fellow Raynaud's "sufferer") absolutely recommend it!" —Stephen |
