I've just discovered that I have Raynaud's Syndrome

beed84

I'm currently typing this with numb, white fingers, something I've noticed over the pass few days after venturing out into the cold. It's nothing serious, just bad blood circulation due to the weather and/or stress making my blood vessels going into some sort of spasm.  It's bloody annoying though, it takes awhile for it to wear off.

Does anyone else have this?  If so, besides wearing gloves, any solutions to prevent it?

Strat_a_tat_tat

It's sometimes caused by excessively tight grip. Ask yourself if you tend to hold things a bit too tight with your fingers.

 

Think it can also be caused by use of machines the vibrate (pneumatic drills... long periods holding a belt sander etc). I think it's the same as what's known as 'white finger' in industry.

ICBM

Yes, I have it. It's got progressively worse over the years. Now it doesn't take much to make one finger in particular go completely white and numb - unfortunately on my left hand, so it's a problem for playing guitar.

I haven't found much that helps other that trying to keep your hands as warm as possible. I would suggest not living in Scotland .

Hootsmon

 ^  sometimes it ( the finger) can change colour 3 times....red white and blue....no shit

beed84

^ Yeah, that's where it seems to be affecting me too - half way down the index and middle finger of my left hand.  Like you say, it is pretty unfortunate from a guitarists perspective but as long as they don't drop off, it could be worse.  Guess I'll just have to get thicker gloves and avoid north of the border. 

Hootsmon

they (the Scots) wont let you over the border with a RED WHITEand BLUE finger..........it's just the one colour her....everybuddy is BLUE....with the cold

keep well and warm Bro 

good luck

MtB

Yep, fellow sufferer here. I have low blood pressure anyway - which doesn't help. But yes, it arrives at any time and generally affects 2 or 3 digits at a time, from the tip down to the 1st knuckle (occasionally to the 2nd).

Generally though at this time of year I suffer badly from the circulation - if I'm outside (even in the garage) for more than about 10 minutes in temperatures below 5 degrees C I start to lose the feeling in my fingers.

Bizzarely, as someone who has been a motorcyclist for 35+ years, I never suffer whilst riding the bikes (even triumphs and nortons).

TinLip

Yip. Had it all my life and just thought it was normal. You get used to disassociated digits but they do warm up quickly with a bit of exercise.

Went to test drive a Tele Deluxe the other evening and literally could not play for 5 minutes. Had to sit on my hands and talk about Australia until feeling returned.

ICBM

MtB said:

I have low blood pressure anyway - which doesn't help.

I wonder if that's related? So do I, a fairly low heart rate and occasional mild arrythmia too . Seems my circulation just isn't all that good really… hasn't killed me in 47 years and there's nothing I can do about it though. Had some tests when I was a kid and they just said it was the way I was.

NPP

ICBM said:

MtB said:

I have low blood pressure anyway - which doesn't help.

I wonder if that's related? So do I, a fairly low heart rate and occasional mild arrythmia too . Seems my circulation just isn't all that good really… hasn't killed me in 47 years and there's nothing I can do about it though. Had some tests when I was a kid and they just said it was the way I was.

same for me - low blood pressure and fingers go cold as soon as exposed to cold, wind, or humidity. Gloves don't help very much, mitts are a bit better. Keeping your wrists wrapped up warm will help a little bit. 

Fatfingers

I also have it (49) as does a young guy who works with us. Mine usually starts if I go to watch my son playing football. I really can't recommend standing on the edge of a cold field for two hours.

I can recommend Spain.

MtB

I tried giving blood when I was much younger (am now 53) - the blood wagon used to sit in the car park at work. I'd go there, lie on the table and they'd stick the needle in my arm and tell me to roll this little ball round in my hand (the one from which they were taking the blood) while the life giving liquid seeped out.

I'd lie there for about 30 minutes - enough for 2 or 3 others to come in and give a pint - and the nurse would come back to me and see that my bag was only about 1/2 full. She'd disconnect me and tell me to stop wasting their time!

Flanging_Fred

Don't go in the shed and do a Ranulph Feinnes!

Rocker

Mrs Rocker has Raynaud's Syndrome.  We joined the Raynaud's Society and attended a few of their meetings.  Silver gloves, available from the Society, http://www.irishraynauds.com/index.cfm/spKey/home might help you.

imalrightjack

Necro-bump - but wondering how any of you Raynaud's sufferers are getting on.  I'm 45 and, while I've had cold hands/feet for a long time, it's only in the last six months or so when I've been getting full-on white finger tip.  First finger on both hands most affected and the right-hand appears to be worst.  It's not a lot of fun!

Caffeine_Vampire

I've had it since my teens. I couldn't button up my school shirt after an outside game of footy. The Raynaud society has fingerless gloves made of a material that's supposed to help although I haven't tried them. Mrs V is used to me jumping in the bath to get my circulation going again.  I seem to need my heart under water to get a result.

ICBM

No change for me really.

Unfortunately my daughter (20) has found she’s got it too. If anything hers seems to be worse than mine, and definitely worse than it was at the same age.

imalrightjack

I might order some of the Raynaud’s usb hand warmers. Worth a go and handy in the car post walking, etc. 

I was just reading about related erectile dysfunction, etc. which somehow horrifies me more than not playing guitar 

McSwaggerty

Raynauds Syndrome, White Finger. I was affected with it a lot when l was younger due to working with power tools outside in all weathers.....Hand Arm Vibration ( HAVs).... It could be really painful at times and impossible to do much.. ie - hold a pencil, or tie a shoelace, until blood circulation returned to normal
I was assessed by occupational Nurse and was told it would only get worse, and was advised to change my job......which l did, for this and various other reasons, a year or so later
I still occasionally work with power tools but in better conditions and although l still suffer from White Finger very occasionally,  it's no where near as bad as what it was... 

strtdv

Hootsmon said:

 ^  sometimes it ( the finger) can change colour 3 times....red white and blue....no shit

You've just described the classic colour changes of Raynaud's phenomenon.

 @beed84 if it's very troublesome (eg causing chilblains or ulceration) you could see your GP about it and they might start a calcium channel blocker.
If you're only getting it in one arm you should definitely see your GP, and it may be worth seeing them so they can assess whether you have evidence of other conditions associated with Raynaud's phenomenon (it's only known as Raynaud's syndrome if it occurs in isolation)

NPP

imalrightjack said:

I might order some of the Raynaud’s usb hand warmers. Worth a go and handy in the car post walking, etc. 

I was just reading about related erectile dysfunction, etc. which somehow horrifies me more than not playing guitar 

I've had it in the fingers for ages and it's only getting worse; feet are also affected but nothing in between if that reassures you.

Also bought a USB hand warmer recently which is a very useful thing to have. 

And made an invention that I should get patented - a piece of foam cut out of an old exercise map to wrap around a can of cold lager so that holding the can won't trigger white finger.