Cold hands and Feet???

Question

I'm 21 years old and in the winter my feet and hands are always freezing! like right now I'm wearing two pairs of socks and I can feel my feet are so cold they almost hurt!! is that normal?

Answer 1

I learned in Girl Scouts Camping training that when you're cold you should change clothes because the moisture in the clothing keeps you chilled even though it doesn't feel moist at all. Try changing socks. Hypothyroidism will cause you to have cold intolerance. Check these sites for signs that you may need to have your thyroid checked. Also being tired will make you cold, get warm and...it's morning! you fall asleep. Smoking also slows circulation and keeps hands and feet cold.

Answer 2

I am a smoker and have cold hands and feet but also have poor circulation. For years my feet would cramp up so I decided to put on warm socks at night to sleep and it helps. Gloves could help your hands or they sell hand warmers too. The blood doesn't flow to your extremeties such as your hands and feet when you are laying down. When you get up....they are below your heart and you get more circulation to them. That's why they are usually warmer then. I have used an electric blanket and still sometimes use an electric throw, but you must be careful with them. I usually put it on top of my covers so I won't get burned. Besides quitting smoking, wear the socks and put a pillow under your feet to keep them elevated above your heart. Exercise, but not near bedtime, will increase your blood circulation. Stay warm! Sorry to hear they don't turn the heat on. That's just terrible as the weather is so unpredictable. Talk to your landlord and see if anything can be done about the heat. I live in an apartment but have control over my heat and pay for it. That's just inhumane. Because I have all electric heat and the bills are high, I am not turning on my heat. I dress in sweats at night and I have something I call a corn-warmer to help keep me warm. It is very hard corn that had been sifted and the corn sewn into a long piece of material. You put it in the microwave for about 4 minutes. It usually keeps me warm all night. (no it doesn't ever pop or burn) I plan on getting a small electric heater to help keep my electric bill down and take it from room to room. You may want to consider that.

Answer 3

Women are more prone to poor circulation and the resulting cold feet/cold hands than men.

You need to make sure you're getting enough to drink. Fluids should be water first (and lots of it), juice second (and in a much smaller quantity), and other liquids third. Caffeine and cola products will further dehydrate you (caffeine is in coffee, decaf, and cola products) because caffeine strips water from your system. More water = increased blood volume, which means more warm blood gets to your extremities.

If you must have caffeine, try tea-based drinks, especially the sort that have green tea in them. There's less caffeine and green tea is better for you than most of the other caffeinated beverages.

Another problem is sitting still. You should move around, especially if your job is in an office where you just sit for hours at a time. Every 20 minutes or so, look away from the monitor and rest your eyes on something far away. Stand up from your chair and stretch, move around a bit, and get your circulation going.

If you feel that you're properly hydrated and moving but you're STILL cold, see a doctor. Cold hands & feet can be a symptom of low thyroid activity.

Answer 4

The problem may not be in your feet and hands. When people go into shock (from heavy blood loss and the subsequent drop in temperature), the body starts pooling the blood near the major/vital organs. Blood is held near the brain, heart, lungs, and stomach; and is pulled away from your extremity limbs like your hands and feet. It does this because you don't need the hands and feet to survive (though losing them would make living much tougher, they aren't absolutely necessary), but you do need your brain/heart/lungs/stomach.

But this is an attempt to keep the necessary organs warm and moving. Therefore if you are cold over your whole body, your body will attempt to adjust by protecting your vital organs; more than likely doing so at the expense of your feet and hands.

To ease this coldness continue with gloves and extra socks, but more than anything you need to warm up near your vital organs. A heavy sweater should do wonders to protecting these organs (and a warm head covering as well); and this should help with your cold feet and hands.

Answer 5

I doubt its poor circulation. Because if that where the case then there would be alot of people with poor circulation. Anxiety is the #1 cause! TRUST ME! I have had my share of anxiety problems. I'm not on any meds but I can relate to what your saying. I've had the same problem once before. Once when I was a child my hands got so cold they actually began to swell up. But my circulation was fine. But I was under alot of stress because of the hostile environment I was in. So; stress or anxiety would be my guess! But there are other factors and poor circulation is one of those! Best way to know for sure is to see a doctor. Intestinal parasites can also cause your hands to be cold and your heart to beat fast! It could also be a thyroid problem. But like I said only a doctor could say for sure after running some test. If its your thyroid you can try taking some supplements like Sea Kelp or Make sure you use Iodized salt. Iodine deficiency can effect your thyroid.

Answer 6

You may have a circulation problem or perhaps Reynolds disease. Are you hands more pale then your arms? that means the blood is not getting all the way to your hands and most likely, not to your feet. My mom had this problem and is taking herbs to help. research on the net for herbs to take to improve you circulation.

Answer 7

when it's cold that's what happens. your blood moves to your core to keep the heart going so your extremities get cold, ie. hands and feet. you might also want to go see a doctor because if your hands and feet are always unusually cold, you might have a circulation problem.

Answer 8

yes it is normal i'm the very same way maybe we have low blood or something drink some hot choclate and you will be just fine by the way my feet are freezing this very moment also wrap up in a blanket should help them also wrap your feet up.

Answer 9

i get the same thing! and my nose also gets cold as well! I think we both just have bad circulation in our feet and hands.. Uggs are expensive but they definitly are the best solution to my cold feet!!

Answer 10

my hands and feet are always cold, even during a hot summer. people would hold my hand and say "dang why are your hands cold" but its normal to me.