Cold hands

 

Cold hands

Definition

 

It's common to have cold hands even when you're not in a cold environment. Usually, having cold hands is just one of the ways your body tries to regulate its temperature and shouldn't be cause for concern.

However, persistently cold hands — particularly with skin color changes — could be a warning sign of nerve damage, blood flow problems, or tissue damage in the hands or fingers. For example, if you are outside in extreme cold weather and you have cold hands, skin color changes could be a warning sign of frostbite.

Signs and symptoms to watch for when you have cold hands include:

Cold feet or toes

Changes to the color of the skin on your hands, such as blue or white skin

Numbness or tingling

Open sores or blisters

Tightened or hardened skin

Causes

Cold hands may be caused by simply being in a cold room or other chilly environment. Cold hands are often a sign that your body is trying to maintain its normal body temperature.

Always having cold hands, however, could mean there's a problem with your blood flow or the blood vessels in your hands.

Causes of cold hands include:

Anemia

Buerger's disease

Diabetes

Frostbite

Lupus

Raynaud's disease

Scleroderma