February is Raynauds Awareness Month

Raynauds is a common condition affecting approximately 10 million people in the UK! It is often associated with the cold however www.versusarthritis.org states it could be caused by emotional changes such as stress/worry/anxiety, as a secondary factor.

Raynauds tends to affect more women than men. It also can be linked to other conditions such as Scleroderma and Systemic Lupus.

In people who have Raynauds, the small blood vessels in the extremities are over-sensitive to temperature changes, so the response occurs much more readily. It is also exaggerated and prolonged. As a result, the changes are more severe; the affected skin may change colour from bright white to purplely / blue and can feel freezing cold or numb.

As the blood flow returns to the affected areas, the skin may turn bright red and throb, tingle or burn. This exaggerated response is known as a ’Raynaud’s attack’. The attack can last from several minutes up to several hours and can be very uncomfortable or even painful for some, making everyday activities difficult.

These attacks are most common in the fingers and toes, but all extremities can be affected such as the nose, ears and lips.

If you think you are suffering from Raynauds why not treat yourself to a warm wax therapy after your podiatry treatment – it is perfect for conditions such as Scleroderma. As St Valentines is during the month of February as well why not give your feet some love or get your valentine to purchase some gift vouchers for you!

Paraffin wax heat therapy increases blood flow, tolerance for pain, relaxes muscles and increases hydration in the skin. Intended to moisturise and soften the skin while providing a therapeutic and healing effect to sore and aching joints. Prende wax therapy is perfect for warming up those toes and also relieving you of that stress causing the secondary factor.

To find out which podiatry treatments we offer at our New Forest clinic, visit here.

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