Post Punk Kitchen Forum

My hands and feet have always been on the cool side, but lately, the left hand and foot have been noticeably colder than the right. My right hand and right foot are basically normal temperature (as in. . . the same temperature as the rest of my body), but the left hand/foot are icy. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I'm guessing that it's due to poor circulation on the left side of my body, but what (if anything) should I do about it? This is really weirding me out, PPK. I had some blood tests done a few months ago, and everything came back normal--including thyroid levels, which could have explained the cold hands and feet. I did a few Google searches, but couldn't get any definitive answers. Possible explanations included Raynaud's disease (!) and MS (!!!). Any help is greatly appreciated.

I have totally done the internet searching for symptoms thing and have come up with MS, cancer, and other scary things, don't freak yourself out! Most likely you're okay, but if you think it's a really new and concerning symptom, go back to your doctor!
Off the top of my head I am wondering if it has to do with the dominance of that hand and foot. Are you a right-handed person? You probably move that hand around more, have a little bit more circulation because of that, and that may explain the difference in temperature. If it's winter where you are and generally colder in your home that may make you notice it more because a body part that moves less is going to be colder, especially a hand or foot.

Have you tried magnesium supplements? Remembering to take them regularly usually helps me (I usually take more than the recommended dose), and should help regardless of one side being worse than the other. I love the raspberry lemon magnesium fizzy drink. Sometimes one side of me is way colder than the other, but I have more reasons for tension on my right side so it makes sense.

With Raynaud's you would probably have white, dead looking digits even though they're not dead. The circulation completely goes for a short time and your fingers/toes may feel numb but when you warm up they go back to normal. Running warm water over the affected area(s) can help.

Yep my hands, especially my right hand (or could it be my left) always looks like it is dead if it gets the slightest bit cold. My lips turn blue and they are as well to presume I am dead at that stage. I have Raynauds as do other family members. My smoking really doesn't help matters. The best thing I have found is to stick them down your pants or put them on somebodies belly. Perhaps best not done in public. I can stand the weird looks though, I have had frostbite and it ain't pretty.

I'm left-handed, which makes this even weirder. I definitely move my left hand/arm more than my right. Yet, when I sleep on my left side, my whole left arm will often "fall asleep" (it gets numb and hard to move, and then all tingly), but this never happens to my right arm.



I'll try this! Where do you get the fizzy drink?

There are certain herbs that are supposed to be helpful for circulation problems - bilberry and gingko biloba are two. You could try something along those lines perhaps?

This is the stuff: http://www.google.com/search?q=magnesium+calm&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=yN0zTeGTIYe0sAPVyLD9BQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CEEQrQQwAg&biw=1191&bih=648

You can get it in a couple different flavors, and they probably carry it at most supplement stores. But of course it's probably cheaper online.. I swear by it for circulation issues as well as cramps!