The normal condition, sensitivity and color of the skin depends on its blood supply. French physician Maurice Reynaud discovered a disease more than 150 years ago, which provokes a sharp narrowing of the blood vessels with subsequent sclerosis and fibrosis of tissues. This pathology is diagnosed in 3-5% of the planet's inhabitants, mostly adults.
Raynaud's disease - what is it with women?
The described disorder is a stable disorder of the arterial blood supply to the feet and hands, fingertips. Sometimes the ears, nose and lips are involved in the process. It is important to curtail Raynaud's disease in a timely manner - the symptoms and treatment become worse with the progression of the pathology. For the unknown reason, young women are more likely to suffer from the disease (the disease is 5 times more common than in men) from 20 to 40 years.
What is dangerous Raynaud's disease?
With a deficiency of blood and oxygen, hypoxia of the skin and soft tissues occurs, and necrosis is observed. At the late stage of Raynaud's disease, the affected areas are first covered with blisters that replace profound and non-healing ulcers. At best, the tissue will heal, but sometimes it will die and gangrene . Such complications affect the muscles, joints and bones.
The Raynaud's disease is the cause of the onset
The exact origin of the presented vascular disturbance of the physician has not yet been clarified. There are factors that provoke Raynaud's disease - the causes, presumably causing pathology:
- professional activity;
- frequent and prolonged supercooling of the limbs;
- rheumatic and endocrine diseases;
- mechanical damage to the fingers;
- change in rheological properties of blood;
- chronic stress;
- severe infections;
- congenital insufficiency of the zone of the lateral horns of the spinal cord;
- diseases of the peripheral nervous system;
- adrenal gland dysfunction;
- local defects of blood vessels in the fingers;
- angiospasm of the coronary arteries.
Raynaud's Disease - Symptoms
The clinical picture of the disease corresponds to its stage of progression. The longer the pathology develops, the more pronounced Raynaud's disease - the symptoms in women, depending on the severity of the ailment:
- Angiospastic stage. The tips of the fingers or the feet abruptly become numb, become cold and pale, and lose sensitivity. The attack lasts from a few minutes to 1 hour, after which the skin acquires a normal appearance and temperature.
- Angioparalytic stage. The tissues of the affected areas undergo a severe spasm, which is felt as tingling or soreness. The skin becomes icy and blue-violet in color, swelling of the fingers is observed.
- Trophoparalytic stage or severe Raynaud's disease. All the symptoms described above deteriorate and become more frequent. On the bleached skin, bubbles with liquid reddish contents are formed, sometimes there are panaric attacks. Necrotic ulcers appear on the site of the bursting blisters. Over time, they deepen or scar. In rare situations dying of tissues reaches the bone.
Raynaud's Disease - Diagnosis
Confirm the development of this pathology is difficult because of the similarity of its symptoms with the same syndrome. It is important to distinguish other vascular disorders and Raynaud's disease - differential diagnosis is necessary to exclude the following states:
- obliterating endarteritis ;
- the phenomenon of staircase muscle;
- squeezing of the subclavian artery;
- thyrotoxicosis ;
- systemic scleroderma ;
- menopause;
- Sjögren's syndrome;
- vibration disease;
- additional cervical rib;
- syringomyelia;
- chemical intoxication and others.
Reynaud's Syndrome and Raynaud's Disease
Almost identical names are used for different pathologies, which are important to correctly diagnose. Disease and Raynaud's syndrome are distinguished by the cause of a characteristic clinical picture. In the first case, the disease is an independent disease with specific symptoms. The syndrome is a consequence of the progression of other pathologies, including Raynaud's disease, which is one of its symptoms. Such a vascular disorder is inherent in the following disorders:
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- scleroderma;
- dermatomyositis;
- vasculitis;
- compression of the neurovascular bundles;
- pathology of sympathetic ganglia;
- diencephalic disorders;
- chronic diseases of blood and blood vessels;
- thrombosis of veins and arteries;
- congenital pathologies of connective tissue;
- pheochromocytoma;
- taking some potent medicines.
Raynaud's disease - tests
First, the doctor carefully examines the patient and collects a detailed anamnesis. The Raynaud's disease is diagnosed mainly by its characteristic features. Sometimes in the definition of pathology, careful examination of the vascular pattern in the region of the nail plates helps. The field of medicine that studies Raynaud's disease is neurology, therefore additional tests are conducted. The most informative is the cold test - the state of the limbs after they are immersed (for several minutes) into the water at a temperature of 10 degrees.
Other tests that can help identify Morris-Raynaud's disease:
- Radiography of blood vessels;
- dopplerography of arteries;
- blood tests (biochemical, for fibrin maintenance);
- electrocardiography.
How to treat Raynaud's disease?
Therapy of the examined pathology is carried out by conservative and surgical methods. The first option is suitable, if uncomplicated Raynaud's disease is diagnosed - treatment is limited to relief of symptoms and improvement of well-being. This approach involves long-term, and often lifelong therapy. Surgery is prescribed in severe stages of the disease, when its progress is fraught with amputation of limbs and other dangerous consequences.
Raynaud's disease - to which doctor to apply?
First, it is advisable to visit the therapist for general examination and collection of anamnesis. A general doctor will tell you which specialist treats Raynaud's disease:
- neurologist;
- vascular surgeon;
- neurologist.
Raynaud's disease - treatment, drugs
When choosing medicament therapy, the doctor appoints:
- antispasmodics - Papaverin, Spazmonet, Buskopan;
- adrenoblockers (central and peripheral) - Doxazosin, Prazosin, Zoxon;
- vasodilators - Pentoxifylline, Theobromine, Pyracetam;
- ganglioblokatory - Imehin, Pirilen, Temechin;
- tranquilizers - Atarax, Diazepam, Phenazepam;
- calcium blockers - Amlodipine, Nifedipine, Felodip;
- antidepressants - Azafen, Prozac, Bethol;
- cycloid inhibitors - Metindol, Indomethacin, ascorbic acid;
- non-steroid painkillers - Ketanov, Naproxen, Ibuprofen;
- anti-inflammatory medications - Mawalis, Nalgezin, Diclofenac,;
- antibiotics - Erythromycin, Clindamycin, Ciprofloxacin;
- vitamins - nicotinamide, rutin, nicotinic acid.
You can independently reduce the severity of clinical manifestations of pathology and reduce seizures of vascular spasms. Here's how to treat Raynaud's disease at home:
- Full and regular eating.
- Follow the normal temperature of the limbs, avoiding hypothermia.
- Rest, observe the optimal mode of wakefulness and sleep.
- Avoid excessive emotional stress.
- Refuse from addictions, especially smoking.
- Daily exercise for hands and feet.
- Massage the extremities.
The Raynaud disease responds well to the following physiotherapeutic methods of action:
- darsonvalization ;
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- electrophoresis with lidase or calcium;
- diathermy;
- galvanic baths;
- acupuncture;
- vacuum, laser and magnetic therapy.
Raynaud's disease - treatment with folk remedies
Alternative medicine has several options for restoring normal blood circulation in tissues. The best method, how to treat Raynaud's disease with folk remedies - curative coniferous baths. It is necessary to collect water with a temperature of about 37 degrees and add 7-10 drops of fir essential oil to it. In such a bath you should relax for 10-15 minutes. During the procedure, you can do a light massage of the fingers and deeply inhale the fragrant vapors.
Therapeutic tincture
Ingredients:
- dry rhizomes of Leuzea - 15 g;
- cold water - 500 ml.
Preparation, use :
- Finely cut vegetable raw materials.
- Pour the roots with ice water, leave for half an hour.
- Place the workpiece on a stove and bring to a boil.
- Boil the remedy for 2-5 minutes.
- Cover the container with a lid, infuse the solution for 2 hours.
- Filter the liquid.
- Drink 90-100 ml of the drug 5 times a day.
- Continue therapy for 2 weeks.
Tea for improving blood circulation
Ingredients:
- fresh strawberry leaves - 40-45 g;
- boiling water - 300-350 ml.
Preparation, use :
- Grind and slightly mash the raw materials.
- Pour the leaves with boiling water, leave for 5-15 minutes.
- Drink 150-180 ml of tea 2 times a day, you can sweeten jam or honey.
Raynaud's disease is an operation
The described pathology is not completely cured, therefore, even with strict adherence to all recommendations and correctly selected treatment, it slowly but progresses. The only way to eliminate Raynaud's disease is surgery. Operation (sympathectomy) ensures the removal or "shutdown" of damaged nerve fibers, which provoke spasms of blood vessels. Modern surgeons use endoscopic equipment to perform the procedure, as it helps to achieve excellent results with minimal trauma.
The Raynaud's Disease - prognosis
Presented vascular disorder rarely leads to disability or serious complications, especially with timely and correct therapy. While there are no methods how to cure Raynaud's disease completely, but the predictions for life at the indicated diagnosis are favorable. The main thing - scrupulously fulfill all the recommendations of a specialist, regularly undergo preventive courses of therapy and monitor the temperature of the extremities.