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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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.

References
  1. Raynaud's disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/raynaud/ray_all.html. Accessed March 9, 2010.
  2. Scleroderma. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/scleroderma/default.asp. Accessed March 9, 2010.
  3. Peripheral artery disease. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/peripheral-arterial-disease.html. Accessed March 9, 2010.
  4. Buerger's disease. John Hopkins University Vasculitis Center. http://vasculitis.med.jhu.edu/typesof/buergers.html. Accessed March 9, 2010.
  5. Symptoms of anemia. National Anemia Action Council. http://www.anemia.org/patients/faq/#symptoms. Accessed March 9, 2010.
  6. Winter weather: Frostbite. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/frostbite.asp. Accessed March 9, 2010.
MY01232 April 20, 2010

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