Cold weather doesn’t only bring an influx of respiratory viruses, but it can also trigger painful flare-ups of established health problems.
Dr Asif Ahmed, a GP based in the UK, took to his TikTok channel to warn of a common phenomenon that can be spotted on your fingers and toes.
Speaking in the video, he said: “It’s that time of year when people with this condition are having way more flare-ups and more and more people are being diagnosed with it.
“I’m not talking about coughs, or colds, or flus. I’m talking about something else that’s much more common in the winter months.”
Dr Ahmed is referring to a condition known as Raynaud’s phenomenon.
He shared a picture showing a hand with extremely pale fingers to illustrate the condition.
The NHS explains that Raynaud’s phenomenon occurs when your blood stops flowing properly to your fingers and toes.
While this condition is common, the good news is that it doesn’t usually trigger severe problems and you can often treat the symptoms yourself by keeping warm.
Dr Ahmed explained that the most common triggers for Raynaud’s are things like cold weather, anxiety or stress.
He said: “You get discolouration of your fingers or toes and they go white or purple, but sometimes this can be associated with pain, pins and needles.”
In the vast majority of people, this phenomenon is not caused by a serious condition and has no long-term effects.
The doctor reiterated that it is most often triggered by temporary blood flow being restricted by cold or emotions.
However, he also shared that it can be caused by more serious conditions in very rare cases.
Dr Ahmed added: “So if you’re having more flare-ups of Raynaud’s or experiencing it for the first time, please go and see your doctor because you need a full examination and maybe some investigations just to make sure there’s nothing else going on.”
