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· 19 Jan 2022

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Why Are My Feet Cold?

#Coldfeet
Having cold feet is a common condition that most people experience in their everyday life. It can result from cold environmental conditions. It is obvious for some people to relate the terms “cold feet” to anxiety or panic situations. Contrary to what such people think, having cold feet is a situation that some people go through to an extent of causing pain and discomfort. Having cold feet having has led to hundreds of people having their toes or feet amputated and therefore it is a condition worth talking about. Some causes of cold feet are temporary, while others are serious and debilitating. In this article, we will explore the major causes of cold feet and potential solutions to reduce the negative symptoms associated with the situation. These causes are:



Iron Deficiency Anemia. Anemia is a condition that occurs when a person has a low number of red blood cells in the body. The disease is caused by a variety of reasons, including tumors of the bone, deficiency of iron, vitamin B12, or folate, and sometimes chronic kidney disease. Depending on how severe the disease is, it is possible to experience cold feet. How does anemia cause cold feet? This is a common question that most people ask themselves and therefore let’s get into it. Anemia means that you have a low number of red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells transport oxygen to all body parts, including cells, tissue, and muscles. When you have fewer RBCs, it means that the amount of blood reaching your organs will be less. The blood contains warmth also from the liver and it distributes this heat as it circulates throughout the body. So, when the blood is low, this heat cannot the body's extremities, particularly the feet. As a result, you end up feeling cold regardless of how many blankets you use. However, anemia responds well to dietary modification and iron supplements. If you have cold feet that are not responding to warm socks or blankets, it’s important to see the doctor for a proper diagnosis.




Cold Environmental Temperatures. When it’s cold, your body activates a system that tries its best to keep the heat within it. This happens because of an active body reaction that works to protect you from losing heat to the environment. To show this, let us use winter as a perfect example. During winter, your body understands that the temperatures are cold and therefore it shuns the blood to go deep into the tissues. It does this by constricting the blood vessels which then bury themselves into the deeper layers of the skin to keep heat. This then reduces the blood flow to the skin, which reduces the amount of heat your body loses. Another important thing to know is that during such cold temperatures, the body directs blood to the most important organs, such as the heart, brain, and kidneys. This means that the amount of blood that will reach your feet will be less and since blood carries warmth, you’ll end up having cold feet. If this situation continues, your legs may not get enough oxygen and therefore may have a blue coloration, also known as cyanosis. This explains why your toes may appear blue in cold weather. This is never a permanent situation as the body returns to normal during warm weather. However, in extreme cases, this leads to numbness and poor circulation, a condition that sometimes leads to amputation.




Poor Circulation on the Feet. People who suffer from circulation problems will often complain of having cold extremities, i.e., hands, and feet. This is because when you have poor circulation, the warm blood cannot reach these extremities and therefore you end up feeling cold even when the sun is up. There are many causes of poor circulation, such as sitting for a long period. Health professionals also link smoking tobacco with cold feet and this explains why it is obvious to hear smokers complaining of this problem. Tobacco contains over 400 toxins which constrict the blood vessels, making it difficult to allow free passage of blood into the extremities. Also, having an exorbitant amount of cholesterol in the body the same problems. This is because cholesterol coats the inner walls of blood vessels, making them thicken, and therefore reducing the passage of blood. Heart conditions such as heart failure also lead to poor circulation because when the heart cannot pump blood to the rest of the body, it means some faraway organs such as feet will not get adequate blood. Therefore, it is good to check out with your doctor for any cause of poor circulation and get proper treatment.




Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes is a lifestyle disease that is wreaking havoc in the 21st century. If you have stayed with a diabetic person, it is obvious to hear them complain of cold feet. Sometimes it may be questionable to wonder how diabetes and cold feet come into place, but this is the reason. Diabetes mellitus causes an increase in the amount of blood glucose/sugar, which then leads to the narrowing of the arteries. This happens because excess sugar in the body is converted into fats, which then in excess clogs the arteries. This narrowing then hinders the flow of blood to organs like hands and feet, making you feel cold. If diabetes is not well addressed, it makes patients suffer from diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a condition characterized by nerve damage. This, in return, makes it even more difficult for your blood vessels to transport blood to your legs and therefore you end up feeling cold, especially at night.




Hypothyroidism. This condition is also known as underactive thyroid disease. It occurs when the thyroid gland becomes inactive, hence producing low levels of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones regulate many body functions, such as metabolism, growth, and development. When we eat food, our bodies break down the food into smaller particles that are easy to absorb. The body also converts these foods into energy through a process known as metabolism. One byproduct of metabolism is heat production that keeps our bodies warm. This means that when the thyroid gland is inactive, metabolism happens less and less and therefore heat production reduces. This negative body metabolism affects the body’s circulation, heartbeat, and body temperature. In the end, people with hypothyroidism experiences cold feet. Hypothyroidism makes people sensitive to cold temperatures and will complain even to the slightest cold. The disease is also characterized by other symptoms, such as weight gain, memory loss, and fatigue.
For more tips on the causes of cold feet and how to prevent them, check this out:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320327#home -remedies
https://www.insider.com/why-are-my-feet-always-cold



The Bottom Line

Cold feet have many causes, starting from obvious cold temperatures to more serious health problems such as diabetes mellitus. Depending on the cause, it is possible to get a permanent solution to cold feet. Cold feet because of winter conditions, you can wear warm socks and stay indoors. But if the situation is getting worse, it is important to seek medical advice. For example, if you have hypothyroidism, your doctor can advise you on better tips on nutrition and weight management. With proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying condition, your body can recover from cold feet and enable you to live a normal life. Wearing thick socks, soaking feet in warm water, and drinking warm soups can help warm up your feet quickly.
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