Re: Quick Question about numbess in hands/ ? Raynauds?

[Guest guest]

Sounds like a syndrome common in people with FM, lupus, autoimmune

problems, etc.. called Raynaud's phenomenon/ syndrome. disease

(depending on which book you use). Sometimes people say their fingers

feel dead, look waxy, white. It can be related to autoimmune problems or

the result of HAVS (hand arm vibration syndrome) when you are in a job

that makes your hands and arms vibrate, such as using a jack hammer,

drill, nailgun, or even typewriter.If its from autommune, its not as

serious, but if its from HAVS, it can be very severe and needs to be

watched. In people with FM or SLE, its just yet another one of the happy

surprises we get.

It can happen when the hands or body get cold. Things like washing

things in cold water in the sink, shovelling snow, gardening in cold

weather, golfing in cold weather, carrying shopping bags in cold, etc.

A typical attack:

- tingling and numbness in fingers/ fingertips

- fingertips turn shite, not thumb

- pain and sometimes with redness when attack subsides, in 30 minutes to

90 minutes (appx_)

The longer you are exposed to the trigger, the worse it gets. The more

often it happens the worse it gets.

The way to prevent it is to: (big surprise!)

- keep hands warm

- keep body warm

-avoid getting hands very cold (keep them out of cold water)

- if there is a trigger, avoid it.

Hope that helps

Bethann