Long hard winter for Raynaud's sufferers

Everyone is wrapped up in gloves and hats at the moment as winter refuses to loosen its grip, but when we go inside we take them off.

Emma Major has to wear her special silver-lined gloves inside – even when she is working out at the gym. Emma suffer from Raynaud's, a condition which affects the blood supply to the fingers and toes.

During an attack, Emma's fingers first become white and dead-looking then can turn blue and finally red and burning. There may be considerable pain, numbness or tingling. These symptoms can occur with any slight change in temperature. Many describe an attack as being similar to having frostbite or having trapped your fingers in a car door.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Emma, 32 and a lawyer from Ripon, first noticed the symptoms 18 months ago.

"When I got home from the gym I started to notice that my hands were very white and just not normal."

Emma searched the internet and from her symptoms was able to diagnose Raynaud's which was confirmed by her GP.

She also suffers from an underlying condition called Scleroderma which causes the Raynaud's symptoms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Raynaud's can be hereditary when it is usually fairly mild but if someone develops Raynaud's in their 30s or 40s, then it may be secondary to scleroderma. This is a debilitating connective tissue disease affecting not only the extremities but also the internal organs. A simple blood test can help to eliminate or confirm whether any underlying condition is present.

"Changes in temperature trigger it and it becomes extremely painful. I have to wear two pairs of gloves all the time and at the gym I have to change half way through to keep warm."

Emma has no idea what caused the condition as no- one else in her family suffers from it. She has to take medication to increase the blood flow, but it can cause bad side-effects including migraines.

"It's not something that's going to go away. It is something I will just have to learn to live with."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Emma is very young to suffer from Raynaud's which is often associated with older people. Olympic swimmer and recent departee from ITV's Dancing on Ice, Sharron Davies, suffers mildly from the condition and is patron of the Raynaud's & Scleroderma Association.

"I would very much like to help heighten awareness of Raynaud's, a condition which can affect millions of people and for which very little is understood by the general public. I suffer only mildly from Raynaud's but it has made Dancing on Ice an even greater challenge,

trying to keep my hands and feet warm".

Sharron asked for advice on keeping her extremities warm while practising for the programme.

The problem was solved by providing her with silver socks and gloves together with disposable foot warmers.

REYNAUD'S PHENOMENON

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Raynaud's phenomenon is a disorder in which the small blood vessels in the extremities are over-sensitive to changes in temperature. It affects between 3-20 per cent of the adult population worldwide, mainly females, and there may be as many as 10 million sufferers in the UK. Many sufferers have never seen a doctor as they are unaware that their condition has a name.

For a free information pack, call freephone 0800 917 2494 or visit www.raynauds.org.uk

Related topics: