Poor Circulation in Fingers

Winter has come and many of you have already started feeling your fingers and toes cold and dull. The basic reason is decrease in the blood flow towards your extreme body parts. It is a type of peripheral vascular disease. There are a number of factors that cause poor circulation in hands and feet. The most important ones are unhealthy lifestyle, cold exposure and an improper diet. A right diagnosis of the root cause is a must for permanent treatment. A doctor will look for your medical history, family history and lifestyle to determine the basic reason behind your condition. The following information on poor circulation in fingers will definitely help you in getting yourself a good solution and also in prevention. Take a look.

Symptoms of Poor Circulation in Fingers

• Fingers feel colder than the rest of the body
• Tingling or prickling sensation within any of the fingers
• Formation of sore or ulcers on the fingers due to decreased blood flow
• Feeling of numbness in the fingers
• Fingers appear pale or even blue due to lack of blood.

Causes of Poor Circulation in Fingers

Aging: As you grow older, your blood vessels may become harder and stiffer. It inhibits proper circulation of blood, especially to extreme body parts that include fingers. This is one of the most common causes of poor circulation in fingers and toes in old people.

Raynaud's Disease: When you get exposed to cold temperatures, the blood vessels in your hands and feet tend to constrict. Basically, this is your body's response to the cold. However, the constriction of blood vessels can also occur when you are under physical or mental stress. When this condition lasts for too long or happens too much, it is medically termed as Raynaud's syndrome.

Thickening of the Arteries: Arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening or thickening of the arteries, causes poor circulation of blood. High level of cholesterol and diseases such as diabetes lead to the thickening and hardening of the walls of blood vessels. It affects the transport of blood from heart to both the upper and lower extremities of the body.

Improper Diet: Following a diet that is deficient in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids for a long period of time may cause the arteries, veins and capillaries to break down. Defective blood vessels, in turn, restrict the flow of blood to all body parts. Thus, lack of a balanced diet may be a reason behind poor circulation in fingers.

Inflammation of Veins: Veins may develop a blood clot due to a physical blow. This blood clot may further lead to inflammation of the veins. This condition is called venous thrombosis. This is an acute disease that lasts for about 2-3 weeks. Venous thrombosis is another common cause of poor circulation in fingers, toes, and other extremities of the body.

Body Conditions: Several body conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, phlebitis, etc. bring blood circulation problems along with them. Poor circulation in fingers may be one of such problems.

Treatments for Poor Circulation in Fingers

• Make healthy changes in your lifestyle. Follow a balanced diet. Exercise moderately but regularly. This makes a huge difference in treating and preventing poor circulation in the long run.
• You can take herbs like gingko biloba and nutrients such as niacin and inositol hexaniacinate that produce a relaxing effect on the arteries and veins. You can use them in curing poor circulation in fingers. Consult a doctor for their intake amounts.
• If cold temperatures is the cause for poor circulation in your case, then try all possible ways to keep yourself warm. Wear woolen clothes and cover your fingers with gloves. Staying physically active will keep your body warm, and hence will prove to be of great help.
• Fresh ginger helps in keeping the body warm and improves blood circulation. Increase the amount of ginger in your diet for fast recovery.
• For the patients of Raynaud's syndrome, intake of eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, obtained from fish oil is recommendable. This increases the tolerance of cold and delays the onset of any symptoms. However, excessive intake of EPA can thin the blood. Therefore, a doctor's prescription is needed before its use.
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. They have vitamin C and beta-carotene which are good for the circulation of blood in the body. You will get vitamin C from all citrus fruits and beta-carotene from peppers and ratatouille.
• Avoid smoking and consumption of medications meant for treating pulmonary congestion, migraine, and diet pills when you are suffering from poor circulation. This is because, they cause clamping down of the blood vessels.
• Medical treatments for poor circulation generally include medicines that block calcium channels since they help in dilation of the blood vessels.

If you are a frequent sufferer of poor circulation, you need to take some extra care to prevent its onset in future. Needless to say, follow a balanced diet, stay physically active, avoid smoking and eating fatty foods, and last but not the least protect yourself from cold. Take care!