Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough 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.
- What is Raynaud's? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/raynaud/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Scleroderma. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Scleroderma/default.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Lupus. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/default.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Winter weather: Frostbite. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/frostbite.asp. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Diabetes basics. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/?loc=GlobalNavDB. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Buerger's disease: What is it? Vascular Disease Foundation. http://www.vdf.org/diseaseinfo/buergers/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- What is anemia? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/anemia/. Accessed March 31, 2012.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 31, 2012.
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