| It might sometimes seem that your feet are the | | | | while you rest, or gangrene. If your cold feet are |
| hardest part of your anatomy to keep warm, | | | | caused by extensive exposure to cold weather, you |
| particularly in the dead of winter, when spring is a | | | | may notice that your toes or other prominent areas |
| myth you tell yourself to keep an iota of hope alive. | | | | of your foot develop chilblains, or red and itchy spots |
| The rest of you might feel all warm and toasty, but | | | | that can become infected. Definitely see your |
| your feet remain persistent little blocks of ice | | | | podiatrist if you get these. |
| attached to your ankles, making you (and your | | | | If you're concerned about your cold feet, your |
| bedmate) completely uncomfortable. Fortunately, cold | | | | podiatrist should be able to offer some insight into |
| feet can usually be attributed to cold weather (or | | | | what's going on. He or she will likely ask you about |
| doing something like walking out barefoot in the | | | | any medications you may be taking, whether or not |
| snow—which, by the way, is probably a bad idea), | | | | you're a smoker, and may inquire about your medical |
| but you need to be careful. It can also be a | | | | history. Your foot or feet will likely be examined for |
| symptom of an underlying disease or condition, ones | | | | changes in skin coloration or condition, and if |
| which are often associated with poor circulation. | | | | circulation problems are suspected, your podiatrist will |
| Some conditions that may cause poor circulation (and | | | | probably check the pulse in your feet. Some tests |
| thus chilly feet) include diabetes, peripheral vascular | | | | can be done to check your circulation, including arterial |
| disease (which is when your arteries become | | | | Doppler testing (which uses sound waves to see |
| hardened or blocked), heart disease, and Reynaud's | | | | how well blood is flowing—pretty nifty, right?), and |
| phenomenon or disease (which is when blood vessels | | | | an arteriogram (which uses dye to make arteries |
| spasm because of cold sensitivity). Your cold feet | | | | visible on X-rays). |
| might also be a result of other diseases, such as | | | | The treatment of your cold feet will really depend on |
| multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy (degeneration | | | | what is causing them. If your cold feet are due to |
| of the nerves), fibromyalgia, hormonal or glandular | | | | nothing more than the fact that the exterior |
| problems like hypothyroidism or adrenal insufficiency, | | | | temperature is hovering around '15 degrees |
| or some diseases like lupus or scleroderma (both are | | | | Fahrenheit, then wearing socks will probably make |
| problems with the immune system.) In short, there's | | | | you a bit more comfortable. The acrylic kind wick |
| a veritable plethora of possible causes. | | | | moisture away from your skin, which is nice if you're |
| You should also be aware that some things you | | | | wearing shoes and moving around a bit, although |
| might be taking in to your body could be causing | | | | natural fibers such as wool may also work well for |
| your feet to feel the chill. Smoking, for instance, can | | | | you (unless, of course, wool makes your skin itch like |
| make your blood vessels constrict and harden, which | | | | mad). When you're outdoors in cold weather, wear |
| turns down the temperature on your feet. Some | | | | insulated waterproof shoes, since feet that are wet |
| medications may also have this side effect, including | | | | as well as cold can develop significant problems, such |
| beta blockers (typically used to treat hypertension or | | | | as frostbite. If your feet do get wet, get back inside |
| migraines), ergotamine (used in migraine medication), | | | | quickly and dry them off to avoid these problems. |
| or pseudoephedrine (used in cold medications). Now, | | | | (And get some hot chocolate while you're at it.) |
| smoking is definitely something worth giving up (and | | | | If poor circulation is the problem, your doctor may |
| cold feet is hardly the worst side effect), but don't | | | | recommend exercises to increase bloodflow, |
| just stop taking the rest of these meds simply | | | | medications, or both. If the doctor is able to locate a |
| because you don't like having chilly toes. You can talk | | | | blockage, then surgery might be an effective way to |
| with your doctor if you'd like to explore other | | | | remove it and increase bloodflow to your feet. |
| options, but stopping medication cold turkey (or, cold | | | | Wearing socks can also help warm the feet of those |
| turkey feet if you will) on your own is not a good | | | | suffering from poor circulation. If you are having |
| idea. | | | | circulation problems, then trying things like sticking |
| Having cold feet is really a symptom in itself, but | | | | your foot into a basin of hot water, or using heating |
| there may be other symptoms that appear with it. | | | | creams, might not be a good idea, since the same |
| For instance, if your cold feet are caused by | | | | things that cause poor circulation sometimes also |
| blockage of blood vessels that run to your foot, you | | | | cause nerve damage. You may be scorching your |
| may start seeing other problems such as toe | | | | foot and not even notice. Talk to your podiatrist if |
| discoloration (they start to look red or purple), | | | | you'd like other ideas of how to keep your toes nice |
| muscle cramping after brief periods of exercise, and | | | | and toasty. |
| later issues might include ulcers, pain in your limbs | | | | |