When you’re exposed to heat, does it feel like you’re burning up?

Does it seem impossible for you to cool off?

It’s a rare condition that they’re born with.

Woman wrapped in blanket holding mug

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Healthcare providers observed that these people can feel temperature, which was confusing.

That question led to a discovery: They’re not the same nerves at all.

In fact, we have an entirely separate system of nerves that senses temperature.

These nerves are on our blood vessels, and scientists used to think they just dealt with blood flow.

So, it turns out that these special nerves don’t just adjust blood flow, they detect temperature.

They’re in your hands, feet, and face.

The job of AV shunts is to adjust blood flow in response to temperature changes.

You know how when it’s really cold , you get rosy cheeks and red, puffy fingers?

That’s because the AV shunts are letting in more blood, trying to keep your extremities warm.

AV shuts may even play a causal rolein this condition.

In some cases, Raynaud’s can cause tissue damage or other complications.

One interesting study involved identical twins.

In each set of twins, one sibling had ME/CFS and the other did not.

A study published inPainrevealed something about a process called pain inhibition.

In ME/CFS, though, researchers found that the inhibition process was slower to respond to cold stimulation.

A study looking at adolescents with ME/CFS may have uncovered some important information about homeostasis.

Blood flow to the hand also reacted differently in the control group and illness group.

Body temperatures dropped more among the ME/CFS participants, as well.

A Word From Verywell

So far, we don’t have treatments aimed specifically at this symptom.

However, there’s a lot we can do in our daily lives to help alleviate it.

There are ways to deal with cold andheatsensitivity.

Also, talk to your healthcare provider about this symptom.

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