Raynaud's Syndrome

This is a phenomenon where the blood vessels in your extremities (normally your hands and/or feet) go into spasm for a few minutes, or up to a few hours.

Blood flow is temporarily cut off, colour drains from the skin and you get numbness, pins and needles, or sometimes pain.

• Reduce the frequency of attacks by not smoking (which also constricts blood vessels) and staying acive.
• Runyour hands under warm (not hot) water before and after going out in the cold.
• Try keeping your hands and feet warm with thermal gloves and socks - especially ones with real silver fibres. 
• Your GP may prescribe Nifedipine, which widens blood vessels.
• You can also try the herbal remedy Gingko biloba, which has been found to reduce attacks by 56%.

While uncomfortable it is not dangerous, but it can be a sign of an underlying autoimmune condition such as schleroderma (where the body overproduces collagen, which can cause hardening of the skin, joints and internal organs, which can be life-threatening).

Health feature in Glamour magazine, November 2016