Poor circulation" (vague term) - Megathread

Well, here we go again—those miserable winter months have rolled back around, and my feet are absolutely freezing 🙄 which inevitably leads to my hands feeling like actual blocks of ice 🙄 .

The strangest part about it all is that I don't actually feel cold in general; instead, my feet just regularly turn into solid chunks of ice.

It’s such a weird cycle where my feet are deathly cold while my hands stay perfectly warm, and it just keeps looping like that.😕 ???

Does anyone have any actual solutions for this annoying little problem? Maybe something alternative, acupuncture, anything... just please don't tell me to go for a run every day, because I've already been hitting the gym consistently for three months now.

I’m dealing with the exact same thing. Honestly, even right now while I'm typing this out, my legs are starting to get those weird chills, and my hands feel unnaturally cold even though the heater is blasting in here. I don't know, maybe it’s just my low blood pressure acting up again.
When it comes to winter boots, I always go a size up from my summer shoes just so I can cram two pairs of socks in there if I have to. And yeah, long pants are basically non-negotiable for me.
That’s pretty much my only survival strategy—just bundle up and ignore anyone who might give you a hard time about it (like me, honestly, when I see some girls showing up to work this time of year wearing thin little socks and pumps).

Don't go thinking it's any easier for those of us dealing with the opposite problem...🙄I’m constantly sweating even when it’s +18 degrees; it’s always way too hot for me. I’ll be sitting here typing away in short sleeves, then I have to frantically throw on layers the second someone walks in just to dodge the inevitable comments—you know, the "Oh, is it finally starting to get cold?" kind of stuff. 😠

Inache tells me I'm basically built for the winter months since my hands and feet stay warm all the time. 🙂

Anyone messed around with those circulation supplements? They’ve got Vitamin C tossed in there too. Give them a shot for a month, then just chill with it once winter passes and things warm up.
What kind of shoes are you guys wearing? I really hope you're sticking to natural materials—wearing synthetic stuff just makes you freeze even harder.
Maybe Burgess has something decent for massaging your legs.
I gotta head home and dig through my old recipe files for ways to boost circulation, then I'll let you know what I find.
massaza is definitely a way to go. I know you can't exactly pull that off at the office, but doing it at home might actually start helping long-term if you stay consistent.

1. Rub your palms together to get them warm.
2. Give your feet a deep massage, both the top and the bottom.
3. Use your knuckles to firmly press the area just below your toes, then move to the soles with some quick, light taps.

Personally, I think the Burgess foot cream is pretty solid.

For me, it’s a constant battle—my feet are perpetually freezing, day and night. Even when it's a scorching 100 degrees outside in Phoenix, I’m stuck wearing socks—thick ones, probably athletic ones. My husband actually picked up some weird shoe inserts somewhere (maybe at some crazy gadget expo?) that you basically boil for 15 minutes, then press a little stick inside to let it crystallize. They’re supposed to hold heat in your shoes for a few hours, which sounds absolutely insane 👋 😁
I’ve tried those warming foot creams too, but they barely do anything—I feel warm for maybe half an hour before the agony starts all over again.

I really need those insoles 🙂 please... maybe you could ask your husband where he picked them up? My feet are absolutely freezing lately.

I’ve been really struggling with my circulation lately—especially once the winter chill sets in. My fingers literally turn bone-white; it’s like there isn't a single drop of blood left in them. I’ve dealt with this occasionally over the last three years where one finger would just lose all sensation, but this winter has been an absolute disaster. Every single finger loses circulation the second it gets even a little bit cold outside... does anyone else deal with something similar, and if so, does anyone have any advice that actually works?

thanks
🙂

Try to get moving a bit more often. It really helps with circulation. If this keeps happening frequently, though, you should definitely check in with your doctor...

I don't think it’s an issue of activity—honestly, I’m basically on the move constantly—so that doesn't seem to be the culprit. I’ll definitely have to go see a doctor about this soon; in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone else here deals with similar issues? And more importantly, has anything actually worked for you? 😕

Hey crimsonbear75, I’ve actually dealt with something pretty similar—for years, too.

Even when the rest of me feels fine, my hands—specifically my fingers—just totally shut down. They turn this yellow, purple, and white color... and I lose all sensation. Honestly, a bunch of people have told me it looks pretty gnarly, or even "sick."
Gloves don't help at all. To get them back to normal, it takes a little while—maybe about 15 minutes of soaking in lukewarm water, but just lukewarm...
A few years back, it actually worried my mom quite a bit because she’d heard it could be a sign of anorexia. I was feeling pretty weak back then, but obviously, it had nothing to do with that specific illness.
Anyway, just to ease her mind and make sure I was okay, I went to see a cardiologist. He ran every test imaginable and said everything looked fine. He did mention there’s a chance it’s a hereditary circulation thing—my dad had issues with his legs early on during his terminal illness, though not the freezing hands thing I deal with—but he wouldn't really give me a straight answer while I was holding a cigarette...
Though, I don't think smoking is the main culprit, since I met this girl with the exact same issue who has never even smelled nicotine, and she wasn't anorexic either, so... maybe not?
And another thing—it happens to me (rarely, but still) even during the summer! Even though my body can't handle the heat and I start sweating in a heartbeat, my fingers still decide to quit on me...

So, I don't know if my experience means much to you, but if you do smoke, you should probably try to quit as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, I haven't even tried yet.

Go get checked out, though, just to be absolutely sure everything is alright. To this day, it still looks kind of "sick" to me.
Best,

I’m dealing with the exact same thing. My rheumatologist actually told me it isn't even classified as a full-blown disease, just some kind of syndrome—I can't recall the specific name, though. Apparently, the only fix is keeping my hands warm, like using gloves or soaking them in lukewarm water. He said it's never going to go away.

Raynaud's syndrome.

I mean, I guess a warm then cold bath might actually work wonders in situations like this

crimsonbear75 said:I’m really struggling with my circulation, especially once the winter hits—my fingers literally turn white, like there’s zero blood flow in them. I’ve had issues where a single finger would go numb over the last three years, but this winter is just brutal—all my fingers lose circulation the second it gets freezing outside... anyone else dealing with this? Any tips on how to fix it?

thanx
🙂

look into Raynaud's

Maybe someone already touched on this, but I don't have the bandwidth to dig through old threads right now. If you stumble upon anything useful, please 😁

Enivej, my circulation is a disaster, particularly in my hands. My fingers are perpetually frozen—I can barely write or type 😲 😁. There were even times when playing the piano became an ordeal; I couldn't practice properly because I was constantly running to soak my hands in warm water just to function.

Does anyone have any actual, constructive advice? 🙏

Basically, how did you manage if you dealt with something similar? 🙂

Kyra,
Take a look at this website I put together.

Good luck! 🙂

Yeah, right :

www.sportmed.4t.com

my bad 🙂

You sign up for a forum, drop a few links to products or websites, someone bites, and before you even get banned—boom—the marketing machine is already in motion.
But if you ask me? The whole thing just looks incredibly cheap and naive.

So, I’m 25. My blood pressure usually sits right around 130/87, and my resting heart rate is about 60. I get this ringing in my ears quite a bit too, though it doesn't last long. During the winter, my hands are constantly freezing, and my fingers swell up all the time—sometimes the swelling sticks around for a week or two. There have been times where the pain was so bad I couldn't get anything done for two weeks straight. My doctor told me my circulation is poor. Honestly, I don't really get how my circulation can be "bad" if my blood pressure is only slightly elevated. I haven't smoked in over six months, either. Has anyone else dealt with similar circulation issues?

So, what’s your current weight looking like, and how would you describe your diet? Have you actually gone in for any blood work lately?

Also, are there any specific anxieties or issues weighing on you right now—like being under massive amounts of stress or having something keeping you up at night? Or maybe you deal with that "white coat syndrome" where your numbers spike just because you're at the doctor's office?