The process of a Raynaud’s attack is a normal body reaction to cold or stress, it’s just that patients with Raynaud’s have a much lower threshold.
It’s a version of the “fight or flight syndrome.” When the body feels it’s in danger of extreme cold or stress, the blood vessels in the extremities shut down to send the blood to the body’s vital organs to protect them.
For a normal person, this might occur at -20 or -30 ° or when someone puts a gun to their head. For a Raynaud’s sufferer, it can happen at 60 or 70° or after a really bad day at work.
That’s why it’s important not to just warm the extremities, but the full body, especially the core, to help deter the reaction. Patients with Raynaud’s for reasons still unknown have overactive vessels that become too narrow. The adrenaline that is released during strong emotions triggers the spasm.
