Basically, it's poor circulation and in my wifes case, an overexaggeration of vasocronstriction triggered by cold temps resulting in very poor circulation to the hands causing them to go white. It's very painful for her. By cold, I mean temps even slightly above freezing.

I have heard of capsasin creams and some other stuff that is supposed to help this. My question is does anyone have any first hand experience with Reynauds, and have you found anything that helps with this? Please avoid obvious answers such as warmer gloves as this isn't helpful at this time.

I have a mild case of it... getting worse every year. Nothing I've found works, including Gingko (supposedly increases circulation).

Good luck with the search.

My wife has it too. She hasn't tried this but this is one possibility (half way down the page):
http://wildernessmedicinenewsletter....nauds-disease/
nytimes article:
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/19/sc...old-hands.html

There is a problem that can give similar symptoms. Some people shoulders move forward over time from sitting at computers, driving, etc which restricts the small opening in the shoulders/armpit which can pinche arteries and the nerves. I have to lay on my back on an exercise ball in between shoulders with arms outstretched. Push the arms down and stretch hands until fingers point at floor for 1 to 2 min. Stretches pecs, opens shoulders and wards off carpal tunnel as well. If she tries this and then gets a rush of blood to the hands afterward that may be part of the problem. Probably won't help with Reynauds but can't hurt.

I have yet to try the methods in the links so I cannot comment on them. Seems a nicer way to reprogram a body's response than this method: http://www.wildsnow.com/661/cold-han...-torture-cure/.

Things to try once symptomatic:

If at home or the office or such: immersing the hand or foot in warm water (not hot!). For some reason, I like running water for this. I also massage the area (come on blood: flow!).

If out hiking/snowshoeing/skiing, windmilling the arms helps somewhat. Those chemical heat packs are better. I like the ones for feet because they are versatile: feet or hands (for hands: inside of the wrist or stuck to the back of the hand inside mitts/gloves). No heat packs? Warm the hands on warm skin (under the arms, back of the neck is often easy to get to). When it's only one finger affected, I've stuck it in my mouth (I think it's warmest under the tongue). Feet? Warm the feet on someone else's tummy!

Raising your core temperature works surprisingly well: generally when starting out backcountry skiing, putting warm-ish feet into not as warm ski boots causes a reaction but after about half an hour or skinning and it's all good, even when standing around later in the cold. It seems to be more the shock of change that triggers the reaction (so, pre-warm the liners somehow?).

But maybe it's a bit more than just the temperature of the different shoes, maybe it's the shock of a change in shoe fit together with the temperature. Ski boots are form fitting (thermo-molded) so perhaps the pressure from the footware helps trigger the response. Perhaps it is this combo (colder-than-body-temperature shoes + form-fit) that triggers a response with my climbing shoes in the fall/winter/spring (typically gym climbing) but not outdoors in the sun. I get the knowing nods when trying to massage blood into my bloodless feet: ah, too-tight shoes. Note that the bloodlessness is an almost instant reaction to putting on the shoes. This winter I'm going to warm up my climbing shoes with the re-useable heat packs before putting them on.

Regarding warmer gloves: only IF the gloves are independently warm (battery or chemical). Mmmm...pre-warmed gloves.....

That said, wearing gloves or mitts before you think you need them could help in preventing a response (you can always take them off if you get too warm). I try to get away with mitts when I can but sometimes you really need gloves for the dexterity. It's a problem. Glove liners are great; I'll take off my toque before removing glove liners.

The trick is not the trigger the response. The problem is that I don't know the trick.

Looking for ways of not letting it happen in the first place.

Immersion warming is out of the question since this thread is specific to being outdoors.

This doesn't help her neither does having a warm core. Also in regards to prewarming boots ect, her feet are fine it's just her hands.



See:
Thanks for the replies.

My friend has Reynaud's. I didn't know what it was and spent some time researching it on the Internet. What struck me was that drinking coffee (a vasoconstrictor) seems to aggravate the condition and sometimes trigger an episode even when the temps are not cold. I recommended that she cut out coffee and since then her Reynaud's, while not cured, has been much less of a problem for her. Worth a try.

I'm hoping someone comes up with a cure, My girlfriend has it bad, if it's 14 degrees or less her hands turn into Ice bricks, swollen and white. And inevitably they wind up being thawed out against my thermal-generating-factory of a stomach... which is unpleasant to say the least.

She hates coffee/caffeine, but says it helps. (Caffeine constricts blood vessels however?)

Ah, that was not clear in your original posting.

I thought you were looking for first-hand experience with Reynauds and things that help. I'll try to pay more attention to which forum I'm in. Sorry that I misunderstood.

Pre-warming boots, pre-warming gloves, same difference.

I fail to see how stating "wearing gloves before you think you need them" equates to warmer gloves.

I see now that my reading comprehension is quite poor and I've offered useless information. How embarrassing. Sorry for the wasted time.

Standard vasodilating medications frequently help. Obviously, you have to take them daily.

The thread is in the hiking and backpacking specific forum. Looking for long term fixes, where as prewarming gloves would be temporary, and could potentially just delay the onset making one farther out there before it could become an issue.

That would have fallen under the obvious answers part. I'm looking for fixes, and not for bandaids.

I should have been more detailed with the info I was looking for but thanks for the input. If we find some thing that helps alot we'll be sure to post back here.

Yeah, kind of a last resort though going the drug route. Especially ones that tweak bp's or mess with the cardiac system ect.

Interesting. Harmless to try and nothing invested so nothing lost. Will mention it to her.

COld water immersion in ice water will just make it trigger an attack....that and the info in the link you supplied starts with this tidbit:

Does she drink a lot of coffee? Avoiding caffeine might help somewhat...

-Ryan