SG with Raynaud's phenomennon

People keep asking what is wrong with me, why in 90 degree weather I wear gloves and look like Rouge from the X-men...So you wanted to know what was wrong with me eh?

I have something called Raynaud's phenomennon. In Raynaud's phenomenon, exposure to the cold or strong emotions trigger blood vessel spasms that result in interruption of blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. Raynaud's phenomenon can occur without any other associated symptoms or disease.

Symptoms

1. toes or fingers that change color when exposed to the cold
2. toes or fingers that change color upon pressure
3. pain in the fingers or toes when exposed to the cold
4. tingling or pain on warming

For most people, an attack is usually triggered by exposure to cold or emotional stress. In general, attacks affect the fingers or toes but may affect the nose, lips, or ear lobes.


Reduced Blood Supply to the Extremities: When a person is exposed to cold, the body's normal response is to slow the loss of heat and preserve its core temperature. To maintain this temperature, the blood vessels that control blood flow to the skin surface move blood from arteries near the surface to veins deeper in the body. For people who have Raynaud's phenomenon, this normal body response is intensified by the sudden spasmodic contractions of the small blood vessels (arterioles) that supply blood to the fingers and toes. The arteries of the fingers and toes may also collapse. As a result, the blood supply to the extremities is greatly decreased, causing a reaction that includes skin discoloration and other changes.

Changes in Skin Color and Sensation: Once the attack begins, a person may experience three phases of skin color changes (white, blue, and red) in the fingers or toes. The order of the changes of color is not the same for all people, and not everyone has all three colors. Pallor (whiteness) may occur in response to spasm of the arterioles and the resulting collapse of the digital arteries. Cyanosis (blueness) may appear because the fingers or toes are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The fingers or toes may also feel cold and numb. Finally, as the arterioles dilate (relax) and blood returns to the digits, rubor (redness) may occur. As the attack ends, throbbing and tingling may occur in the fingers and toes. An attack can last from less than a minute to several hours.


I hope this helps those of you who were curious about my condtion..

Does anyone else suffer from sickness on a constant basis like me? Does anyone else know what I'm going through..I do not know anyone else with this disorder and I was hoping that I could find out more then just this little snippit on the internet.