Tips To Help Stay Warm
Over 95% of people with scleroderma have Raynaud's,
a condition in which there is decreased blood flow to the body's
tissues. Raynaud's Phenomena (RP) is characterized by an unusual
sensitivity to cold. The hands and feet are most likely affected,
but the nose, earlobes, cheeks, chin or lungs can also be involved.
Breathing cold air can cause a coughing attack if there is Raynaud's
in the lungs.
Raynaud's phenomenon is very common in people
with CREST (limited) and systemic scleroderma, but very uncommon
in people with morphea or localized scleroderma. RP can lead to
potentially serious complications, such as ulcers, and should not
be ignored. For mild RP, there is no better therapy than warmth.
Be sure and discuss RP with your doctor and ask for advice.
Since cold (or cooler) temperatures can trigger
RP and winter is now here, the following tips for staying warm may
be both timely and helpful.
- Stay indoors and in warm environments as much as possible.
- Keep your chest and head well covered to keep your core body
temperature high. If the brain and heart become chilled, the body
conserves heat by depriving blood from the extremities.
- Dress in layers and thermal clothing. Layers trap warm air.
Silk underwear, thermal socks and vests keep the body warm.
- Run warm water over hands or feet to restore warmth. Hands and
feet can also be soaked in a pan of warm(not hot) water.
- Hold hands under your armpits or between your legs or have someone
else hold them.
- Cup them over your mouth and breathe into them.
- Wear gloves to take things out of the refrigerator, do grocery
shopping, or at your workplace if it is cool. Thin, lightweight
gloves allow use of your fingers while keeping them warm.
- Place handwarmers inside mittens or socks for extra warmth.
Handwarmers can be purchased from us at support group meetings,
other SFMC meetings, or through our hot line (see news
section).
- Get as much aerobic exercise as you can safely tolerate (it
helps improve circulation).
- Take a warm (not hot) bath about 20 minutes right before bed,
as it improves circulation.
Source: The Star Newsletter, Winter 1999, article by Dr.
Jean Gorman; the Raynaud's Phenomenon pamphlet prepared by the Scleroderma
Foundation.
Tips from our Members
- Use a microfleece blanket on your bed, with a thermal blanket
on top, for lightweight warmth.
- Use microfleece mittens for lightweight warmth.
- Use an electric mattress pad on your bed to keep your feet and
lower legs warm without making your chest and back too warm. The
warmth is graduated with less heat at the top and more at the
bottom.
- Keep your neck covered.
- Use a Bed Buddy, a long sock-like tube, that can be heated in
the microwave and used to warm any area of the body. (Bed Buddies
are available at Walgreens).
- Carry an electric heated throw in your car (available at Walgreens).
- Wear lightweight gloves to bed to keep your hands warm.
- Wear socks to bed to keep your feet warm.
- Use a hot water bottle to warm your feet.
- Use an electric blanket on your bed.
- Soak your hands in a warm dishpan of water.
- Warm-up by the dishwasher as steam pours out (be careful to
not get burned!).
- Carry a muffler or scarf along to protect against breathing
cold air.
- Stand in a window where the sun is pouring in and enjoy the
warmth.
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