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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Photograph showing hands affected by Raynaud's disease Raynaud's disease
Picture of frostbite Frostbite
Image showing Buerger's disease Buerger's disease

Although the cause of cold hands can be as simple as being in a cold environment or your body's natural response to maintain its normal temperature, if you have ongoing problems with cold hands, there could be a number of causes. Having cold hands could signal a problem with your blood circulation or the blood vessels in your hands.

Causes of cold hands include:

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

When to see a doctor Definition
References
  1. What is Raynaud's? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/raynaud/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  2. Scleroderma. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Scleroderma/default.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  3. Lupus. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/default.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  4. Winter weather: Frostbite. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/frostbite.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  5. Diabetes basics. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/?loc=GlobalNavDB. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  6. Buerger's disease: What is it? Vascular Disease Foundation. http://www.vdf.org/diseaseinfo/buergers/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  7. What is anemia? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/anemia/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
  8. Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 31, 2012.
MY01232 June 19, 2012

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