Raynaud's syndrome

​Have you been diagnosed with Raynaud’s syndrome (also known as Raynaud’s disease)?  Do you experience whitening or pain in the fingers, toes and/or ears, particularly in cold weather?
 
Raynaud’s syndrome is surprisingly common, affecting around 10 million people in the UK.  It generally affects more women than men, and can start at any age but most commonly starts in a person’s mid-20s. 
 
Raynaud’s syndrome is caused by poor circulation in the extremities of the body, which is usually sufficient in normal circumstances, but when the weather gets cold, this constricts the small blood vessels further.  This further constriction causes the extremities to appear white and can be accompanied with numbness and pain.  These symptoms can last from a few minutes up to a few hours!  As the areas warm back up, the blood vessels dilate allowing blood to flow back into the affected areas, causing a painful burning sensation.
 
Whilst Raynaud’s is most commonly associated with the cold, it can also be triggered by stress and anxiety.
 
There is no known cure for this condition but there are a number of ways to reduce the discomfort, which involve treating from the outside-in.  These tips include wearing sheepskin or woollen mittens/gloves and socks, with hand warmers inside.  These are helpful if the trigger is cold weather.
 
If stress or anxiety is the trigger then stress-management is something that would need to be explored.  This can involve mindfulness, meditation, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy.
 
However, there is one complementary therapy that can help reduce and manage symptoms of Raynaud’s, whatever the cause, and that is reflexology!
 
Reflexology is all about balancing the body through the application of pressure on specific points on the feet or hands.  By stimulating the nerve endings, particularly in the feet, messages are sent to the brain and corresponding parts of the body to see where more stimulation is required to ensure the body is working at its optimum level.
 
Reflexology helps to boost circulation, remove toxins, and improve the nervous system.  This ensures that blood vessels work efficiently, reduce clotting in the blood, and ensure nutrients get around the body to areas where they are needed. All of these help to reduce the alarming whitening/blanching in the extremities. Reflexology also helps to work on the pain control centres in the brain.
 
Reflexology is also well-known to reduce stress by causing a state of deep relaxation to the body and mind, which helps to reduce muscle tension, reduce blood pressure and slow heart rate.  Reflexology changes the body from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest response) which causes the body to balance and repair itself.
 
Whilst reflexology is more of a marathon than a sprint i.e. it is not a quick fix, s having regular treatments can bring relief to your symptoms, as well as encouraging other benefits such as boosting your immunity, pain relief, and better sleep.