In chilly weather, its normal to experience cold fingers.
Treatment will largely depend on the cause of your cold fingers.
Verywell / Daniel Fishel
Are Cold Fingers Normal?
Verywell / Daniel Fishel
Feeling cold is a normal reaction when your body is exposed to the elements and lower temperatures.
Most people get cold fingers after shoveling the driveway or skiing.
To understand why, its important to know a bit about circulation.
As blood circulates throughout your body, it brings nourishment and keeps your body warm.
That allows for more blood flow to the core and head, where your most important organs are.
Unfortunately, it also means that your hands andfeet have less blood flow.
This can be painful.
When it occurs, it is called Raynaud’s phenomenon.
Usually, this occurs with a change in temperature.
Condition-Related Signs
There are signs that your cold fingers might be cause for concern.
If youre experiencing frequent cold fingers, talk to a healthcare provider to rule out any medical causes.
The medical causes of cold fingers include:
Diabetes
Diabetesis closelylinked to poor circulation.
Cold fingers and toes can be one of the first signs.
Raynauds Phenomenon
Raynauds phenomenonis an autoimmune condition in which the blood vessels spasm in reaction to cold.
People who aredeficient in B12can experience coldness, tingling, or numbness in their hands.
Anemia can develop if you dont get enough iron or B12.
Its also common after blood loss, or if you have an inflammatory disease.
Thyroid Disease
Thethyroidis a gland in your neck that produces hormones (chemical messengers).
When it is underactive, a condition called hypothyroidism, you might feel cold.
This can include cold fingers.
Stress
When youre stressed your body releases adrenaline, a hormone also known asepinephrine.
Other Conditions
Any conditions that affect your blood flow and metabolism can lead to cold fingers.
Be careful if youre experiencing numbness since you dont want to burn yourself while trying to get warm.
Movement and exercise can also increase blood flow and warm your hands.
Cold fingers are usually linked to circulation problems.
Those can have an array of causes, from diabetes to autoimmune disease.
Northwestern Medicine.Why do my fingers feel hard in the cold?
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Cold hands.
UCLA Health.How to improve blood circulation if you have key in 2 diabetes.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is Raynaud’s phenomenon?
National Institutes of Health.Vitamin B12.
Piedmont.org.5 symptoms of an iron deficiency.
Chaker L, Bianco AC, Jonklaas J, Peeters RP.Hypothyroidism.
2017 Sep 23;390(10101):1550-1562. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30703-1.
Epub 2017 Mar 20.
PMID: 28336049; PMCID: PMC6619426.
