Raynaud’s Phenomenon: Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms
People with Raynaud’s phenomenon look and feel changes in fingers and toes when exposed to cold. The skin turns pale or white and then a bluish hue. You may also feel a tingling in the fingers or toes or numb. When recovering the temperature, the skin suddenly turns pink or reddish color and may have a throbbing sensation or pain as the blood comes back to run through tiny blood vessels.
People with Raynaud’s disease secondary to rheumatoid disease also have arthritis, rash, or a thickening or hardening of the skin.
Diagnosis
The doctor usually diagnoses Raynaud’s phenomenon based on the patient’s description of symptoms makes. If there are other symptoms such as rash, may be ordered blood tests and other procedures to detect other diseases.
Further analysis will be needed if symptoms are atypical, for example, if only one finger is affected or if there are color changes seem permanent. These symptoms would be unusual in Raynaud’s phenomenon and may indicate the existence of a blood clot in a blood vessel or other problems with circulation. Careful examination of the nail bed (the skin near the nails) may show blood vessel changes that might suggest underlying rheumatic condition such as scleroderma.
Duration
Although each episode is temporary vasospasm, Raynaud’s phenomenon is considered a chronic (long).