What should you know about high temp cold hands and feet?

When the body is fighting an infection, blood vessels in the hands and feet may narrow while temperature regulation changes. This can cause cold fingers and toes during a chill even though the trunk feels hot. They should gradually warm as the episode passes.

If cold extremities continue between fevers, other explanations include anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia, hypothyroidism, or reduced arterial circulation. This symptom does not identify any one condition. A clinician may ask about tiredness, weight change, pale skin, pain when walking, smoking, and whether one side is colder.

Check the temperature, note when the hands and feet became cold, and watch alertness, breathing, skin colour, and fluid intake. Offer fluids and rest. Warm the room and use socks or gloves, but avoid direct high heat on numb skin.

Arrange a medical review if the pattern repeats, lasts after the fever settles, or comes with marked fatigue, breathlessness, pale skin, pins and needles, or leg pain during walking. Do not start iron supplementation without advice, because the cause of low iron should be confirmed.

Call emergency services for blue, grey, or mottled hands or feet with difficulty breathing, confusion, collapse, severe drowsiness, or a rapidly worsening illness. Seek urgent assessment for one limb that becomes suddenly cold, pale, painful, weak, or numb.

Prompt review is also appropriate for a high temperature with a spreading rash, severe pain, dehydration, or an infant who is unusually difficult to wake.

Ask whether blood tests for anaemia, iron status, or thyroid function are appropriate, whether circulation needs checking, and what warming measures are safe. Tell the clinician about diet, bleeding, medicines, smoking, and symptoms that occur after exercise.