Understanding Raynaud’s Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Management

Strikingly white fingers in the cold winter months are a typical symptom of what is known as Raynaud’s syndrome (also: Raynaud’s disease, Raynaud’s disease or Raynaud’s phenomenon). It was named after its first describer, French physician Maurice Raynaud. What is Raynaud’s disease, how is it recognized, and how is it treated? You can read everything you need to know about Raynaud’s syndrome here.

What is Raynaud’s Syndrome?

Raynaud’s syndrome is a circulatory disorder. This leads to an attack of severe paling of the fingers, which is often triggered by cold or stress. That is why Raynaud’s syndrome is also known colloquially as “white finger disease”.

The disease is more common in women than men and is a prevalent condition overall.

Symptoms: How do you recognize Raynaud’s syndrome?

Pale, white fingers are a typical symptom of Raynaud’s phenomenon. This whiteness is caused by tiny blood vessels (capillaries) constricting the fingers, causing less blood to flow through the outer layers of the fingers. This can also be very painful or accompanied by numbness and tingling.

The fingers then turn blue (they become cyanotic) as a sign of a lack of blood supply (lack of oxygen) in the tissues. After a few minutes to an hour, the previously white and blue fingers overheat from excessive blood flow (which occurs as a response from the body) and turn red. 

Not all phases have to occur inevitably. The last “red” phase is significantly often missing. Usually, the symptoms affect one or more fingers, only rarely the thumb. Raynaud’s syndrome can also affect the body and toes.

Raynaud’s syndrome can also appear on the nipples of women who are breastfeeding. These discolour while the child is in contact (often also on one side) white and contract more strongly. This phenomenon can be very uncomfortable and painful for those affected. However, this does not pose any danger to the breastfed child.

In sporadic cases, there can also be disturbances in sweat secretion (perspiration), wound healing disorders and changed skin cornification. 

What is the cause of Raynaud’s disease?

The constriction of small blood vessels in body regions far from the abdomen and, thus, the internal organs is a natural process when cold. The body then goes into energy-saving mode, keeping the essential abdominal organs warm and well-supplied with blood. This natural and healthy mechanism is believed to be out of balance in Raynaud’s syndrome and over-regulated.

 

Is Raynaud’s syndrome dangerous?

In most cases, Raynaud’s syndrome is not dangerous. In severe cases, however, restricting oxygen supply to the fingers can be so severe that it leads to tissue death (necrosis). Therefore, people with Raynaud’s syndrome must take good care of their fingers and toes and protect them with warm shoes and gloves, especially in the cold winter months.

What should we do if Raynaud’s syndrome reappears?

Most people have lived with Raynaud’s phenomenon since childhood, often without attributing any clinical significance to it. This form is also known as primary Raynaud’s syndrome and is harmless. The cause of the primary form is still unclear.

In some cases, however, Raynaud’s phenomena reappear in people who only notice them in adulthood. This is a so-called secondary Raynaud’s syndrome, which can occur in the context of other underlying diseases. Therefore, a medical examination is always required. 

Possible triggers of secondary Raynaud’s syndrome include:

• Strong, recurring mechanical effects (e.g. daily work with a jackhammer)
• Various blood diseases (haematological diseases, for example, leukaemia or thrombocytosis) 
• Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD), which is triggered, among other things, by smoking tobacco
• So-called collagenoses, which are also counted among the rheumatic diseases. These are autoimmune diseases in which antibodies are formed against the body’s tissues. Examples are lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus), scleroderma, Sharp’s syndrome or Sjögren’s syndrome.
• certain medications, such as beta-blockers (hypertension medication), ergotamine (migraine medication) or bleomycin ( antibiotic and cytostatic )

Which doctor is responsible for Raynaud’s syndrome?

If Raynaud’s syndrome is suspected, visiting your family doctor is advisable. If they suspect an underlying disease, they will refer you to a rheumatologist, haematologist or angiologist if necessary.

 

Diagnosis: Is There a Test for Raynaud’s Syndrome?

Because there are many different triggers for the syndrome, it isn’t easy to pinpoint one equally effective test in all people. It is, therefore, essential to observe the symptoms yourself and, if in doubt, to describe them to the doctor you trust. The diagnosis can often be made based on the description in the anamnesis (doctor-patient conversation).

Raynaud’s syndrome is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, in which a PAD (peripheral arterial disease) or a thromboembolic occlusion is clarified beforehand.

Diagnostics’ primary aim is to determine whether an underlying disease triggers the syndrome. If there is a suspicion, further tests may be necessary, such as a blood count or other laboratory tests.

How is Raynaud’s syndrome treated?

There is no cure for Raynaud’s syndrome. The focus is, therefore, on symptomatic therapy. However, Raynaud’s syndrome can be treated very well naturally, so medication is often not required. If secondary, Raynaud’s syndrome may resolve when treating the underlying condition. 

Symptomatic therapy includes the following measures: 

• Wearing warm gloves and shoes helps to avoid the cold and prevent seizures.
• Warming pads and heated gloves can help with cold fingers. However, it is essential to remember that cold also has a pain-relieving effect, which means that burns, for example, are less noticeable. So it would be best if you avoided too much heat.
• Regular movement of the fingers and toes promotes healthy blood circulation and produces heat.
• When breastfeeding, a heating pad can be placed on the breast above the nipple.
• Massages of the hands or feet promote blood circulation.
• If the symptoms occur in connection with psychological stress, it can help to incorporate various relaxation methods into everyday life to strengthen the psyche. 
• Acupuncture is said to have both a blood circulation-promoting and a stress-relieving effect, but the study situation on its effectiveness still needs to be clarified. 

Can Raynaud’s syndrome be treated with medication?

If treatment with home remedies and appropriate measures is insufficient, the doctor can prescribe medication. One attempt at therapy consists of using drugs that dilate the vessels (vasodilators). This includes:

• Alprostadil (Prostaglandin E1)
• Alpha Receptor Blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Sildenafil (Viagra®)
• Iloprost (Prostacyclin)

The effectiveness of calcium antagonists and alpha-receptor blockers has been proven in various studies in the USA, including in breastfeeding mothers.

 

Treating Raynaud’s syndrome with homeopathy

There have also been attempts to treat Raynaud’s syndrome with homoeopathic remedies, such as Silicea (silica). However, there is no proven effectiveness for this.

Can you influence Raynaud’s syndrome through diet? 

Various bards are said to have a positive effect on the blood vessels. This includes, for example, cocoa. There are also substances in red wine that help dilate the blood vessels. Twelve grams of alcohol (approx. 0.1 litres of wine) per day are considered harmless for women; twice the values ​​apply to men (24 grams of alcohol, corresponding to approx. 0.2 litres of wine) per day. However, it has not yet been proven whether these substances positively influence the Raynaud phenomenon.

On the contrary, some other bards cause vasoconstriction, which could aggravate the symptoms. These should be avoided. This includes:

• Coffee and other forms of caffeine
• alcohol in large quantities
• Animal bards with a large proportion of animal fats

Nicotine is also considered a trigger for circulatory disorders, which is why those affected should not smoke.