There’s a reason that slippers are so popular—the feet are generally the first part of our body that gets cold. And while that may be due to a simple reason like a cold tile floor in the winter, there are also medical conditions that are known to cause cold feet.
Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has five potential things you may want to look into if you or someone you know always have cold feet.
- Diabetes
A common symptom of diabetes is nerve damage in feet, and that can cause problems with the nerves that detect the temperature in feet. Another common condition in diabetics is poor blood circulation, and since your feet are so far away from your heart, those areas are going to be affected first.
- Raynaud’s Disease
This is a rare condition where the blood vessels in feet (and hands) narrow whenever you’re cold or stressed, making the extremities feel colder than they actually are. A common sign of this condition is if your feet turn white or blue when cold and then redder when they warm up.
- Anemia
Anemia is generally caused by an iron deficiency and will prevent your body from making enough red blood cells that it requires. A reduction in red blood cell count and hemoglobin will cause less oxygen to travel throughout the body, causing chronically cold feet.
- Anxiety
If your body is in fight-or-flight mode, adrenaline will be produced, which—among other things—will cause your body to pull blood away from areas it deems less important, such as the hands and feet, in order to protect the major organs. This could leave your feet feeling cold and even tingly.
- Hypothyroidism
If the thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones to keep the body regulated, the condition is known as hypothyroidism. In addition to general fatigue, one of the signs of this is reduced circulation, which will lead to decreased blood flow to the feet.
To learn more about Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://martine-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.
