Raynaud’s Phenomenon

WYLD EducationWYLD Health
Written By Nina Eghani

Raynaud’s phenomenon is a process in which the fingers turn white, blue or red in response to certain triggers such as the cold or stress. It can be associated with discomfort or a pins and needles sensation. This happens because the blood vessels in the hands and fingers spasm causing decreased blood flow to the fingers. These attacks usually occur intermittently and tend to resolve on their own. Raynaud's disease is not debilitating but it can affect quality of life. 

This condition affects 10% of the population and can be categorised as either:

1. Primary: This tends to affect women typically under the age of 30.

2. Secondary: Raynaud’s phenomenon is caused due to another condition which in most cases is an autoimmune condition. These can be but not limited to lupus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, thyroid dysfunction and Sjogren’s syndrome and is common in women after the age of 30. 

Raynaud’s phenomenon can be managed with both lifestyle modifications and medications. 

Lifestyle modifications include: 

arm pain

1. Keeping hands warm

pins and needles

2. Stress reduction 

hands and fingers spasm

3. Smoking cessation 

A case study was done on a 29 year old female who sought care after suffering from Raynaud’s phenomenon. After 11 weeks of consistent chiropractic care her symptoms decreased and neurological functions improved. This could be because Spinal misalignments can lead to an array of problems within the body such as the lack of communication between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. An overactive sympathetic nervous system due to stress is very common. A consequence of this is the blood flow tends to be catered towards your vital organs such as your heart and lungs and away from other areas of the body such as your hands, feet, stomach and so forth. Chiropractic care is used to correct any spinal alignments and help regulate the nervous system. This can help with the reduced blood flow to the fingers and may even help to alleviate the discomfort caused from Raynauds. 

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Our Approach For Chiropractic Care

  • Gentle and effective treatment

  • Comfort with state of the art Chiropractic equipment

  • Safe for people of all ages

What To Expect At Your First Chiropractic Visit

An initial Chiropractic exam will typically have three parts: a consultation, case history, and physical examination.

Laboratory analysis and X-ray examination may be performed.

  1. Consultation. The patient meets with the chiropractor and provides a brief synopsis of lifestyle factors and concerns, such as:

    • Duration and frequency of symptoms

    • Description of the symptoms (e.g. burning, throbbing)

    • Areas of pain

    • What makes the pain feel better (e.g. sitting, stretching)

    • What makes the pain feel worse (e.g. standing, lifting)

    • Lifestyle factors

  2. Case history. The chiropractor identifies the area(s) of complaint and the nature of the stress involved by asking questions and learning more about different areas of the patient's history, including:

    • Family history

    • Dietary habits

    • Past history of other treatments (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical and other)

    • Occupational history

    • Psychosocial history

    • Other areas to probe, often based on responses to above questions

    • Physical examination. A chiropractor may utilize a variety of methods to determine the spinal segments that require chiropractic treatments, including but not limited to static and motion palpation techniques determining spinal segments that are hypo mobile (restricted in their movement) or fixated. Depending on the results of the above examination, a chiropractor may use additional diagnostic tests, such as:

      1. X-ray to locate subluxations (the altered position of the vertebra)

      2. A device that detects the temperature of the skin in the paraspinal region to identify spinal areas with a significant temperature variance that requires manipulation.

        Chiropractors are trained in a variety of methods to assess the underlying cause of the problem, including:

        1. Evaluation and management services. Chiropractors are trained in examining the joints, bones, muscles and tendons of the spine, head, extremities and other areas of the body with the purpose of noting any misalignment, tenderness, asymmetry, defects or other problems.

          Neurologic and other common physical examination procedures. Chiropractors are trained to perform a variety of neurologic tests (nerve root compression/tension, motor strength, coordination, deep tendon and pathological reflexes, etc.) and are skilled in performing orthopedic, cardiovascular and many other common examinations.

          Specialised assessment. Chiropractors are trained to assess range of motion, stability, muscle strength, muscle tone and other assessments with the lower back.

          Common diagnostic studies. Chiropractors are trained in use of diagnostic studies and tools such as radiography (X-rays), laboratory diagnostics and neurodiagnostics.

 
 
Nina Eghani
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