Symptoms of Raynaud's
Raynaud’s phenomenon sufferers will feel extreme cold in their extremities, which sometimes turn white or blue during an attack. Gradually, as blood flow resumes, the extremities will turn red, and sufferers will feel pain. In some cases, the ears and nose may experience an attack.
Raynaud’s can strike people at any age, but most acquire the condition before the age of 30, and most of the victims are women. Those who live in colder climates are more susceptible.
It’s easy to ignore or dismiss Raynaud’s phenomenon, which is why it doesn’t get a lot of recognition. Pople are not likely to rush to the doctor with the condition, particularly if it goes away quickly. It’s only noticed when treatment for underlying diseases occurs.
Why Women?
Because women have more estrogen in their bodies, it’s believed to be an underlying trigger for Raynaud’s. A Boston research paper revealed that women who had undergone estrogen treatments reported more incidents resembling Raynaud’s phenomenon. There are likely genetic reasons for the disease’s appearance as well because it tends to run in families.
As far back as 1930, women were believed to suffer more from Raynaud’s phenomenon because they were believed to be more stressed and anxious than their male counterparts. Thus, they were more likely to have their hormones give signals to the blood vessels and cause Raynaud’s. That theory has since been disproven.