What should you know about getting cold hands and feet?

Blood vessels in the skin narrow when the body is cold, reducing heat loss and making fingers and toes feel chilly. Stress, smoking, some medicines and limited movement can also affect blood flow. If the sensation continues indoors or occurs with tiredness, pale skin or breathlessness, discuss Anaemia or Iron Deficiency Anaemia with a clinician. Feeling unusually cold alongside dry skin, constipation or low energy can occur with Hypothyroidism. Leg pain during walking, slow-healing foot wounds or colour changes require attention to circulation, including Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Warm your hands and feet gradually with dry layers, gloves and socks; avoid very hot water or direct heat on numb skin. Move your fingers, toes and ankles regularly, and notice whether symptoms follow cold exposure, stress, a medicine or a particular activity. Do not smoke, as nicotine narrows blood vessels. Arrange a routine appointment if the problem is frequent, lasts despite warmth or is interfering with sleep or activity. A clinician may review your circulation, medicines and general health before deciding whether tests or Iron Supplementation are appropriate.

Seek urgent medical help if one hand or foot suddenly becomes cold, pale, blue, severely painful, numb or weak, or if you cannot move it normally. Prompt assessment is also needed for a new wound that will not heal, spreading redness, severe swelling or severe pain. Contact a clinician soon for persistent symptoms, repeated colour changes, or coldness with dizziness, chest discomfort or breathlessness.

Ask: Could my medicines, thyroid function, blood count or circulation be contributing? What changes in colour, pain or sensation should I record? Which warming measures are safe if my skin feels numb?