What happens if your feet get too cold

Aside from wearing the wrong socks or shoes, Sherlock say that three times really fast for the weather, there could be an underlying cause to constant cold feet. If you have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease such as history of smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, you definitely want to read this. As a result, your blood vessels in your extremities constrict to limit circulation to the core part of your body.

Poor circulation can be the result of sitting too much from a sedentary lifestyle. If you don't get up and move around, you're increasing the likelihood of not getting enough circulation in the feet and toes, making your feet cooler than the rest of your body. Poor circulation due to risk factors related to heart disease is much more concerning. Pumping blood through the body at a quick enough pace can be a challenge and frequent cold feet can be a sign that something else is going on.

In Raynaud's syndrome , the small blood vessels overcompensate for cold temperatures. This may make the feet feel cold and appear blue and then white. In response to warm temperatures, the feet then turn red. Some medications, including beta blockers, can mimic this response. Nerve damage, known as neuropathy , can also cause cold feet.

In this case, the person senses a cold sensation because the nerves that detect temperature are not working correctly. The feet do not feel cold to the touch, although the person may feel numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation. Finally, for some people, cold feet are a normal response of the body. Some researchers believe that having cold feet is an inherited trait.

Since there's no medical cause, warm socks are the solution! As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. This article…. This article looks at the structure of the foot — including bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons — and some of the common conditions that affect it.

The location of pain in the foot can help doctors determine the underlying cause. Depending on the cause, foot pain may or may not require medical…. Causes and remedies for cold feet. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.

Causes of cold feet Home remedies When to see a doctor We include products we think are useful for our readers. Causes of cold feet. Share on Pinterest Cold feet is common in cold temperatures. However, experiencing cold feet in normal or warm temperatures may be a sign of an underlying health problem. Share on Pinterest Feet and hands are prone to feeling cold, as blood flow is restricted to the extremeties in cold temperatures.

Home remedies. Share on Pinterest Regular movement, such as getting up from a sitting position periodically, may help to treat cold feet. When to see a doctor. Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help?

Related Coverage. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. What are the best foot exercises for healthy feet? Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. What are the best ways to cut an ingrown toenail? Medically reviewed by Elaine K. If freezing temperatures continue, the damage can extend to the dermal layer of skin and cause blistering second-degree frostbite.

With third-degree frostbite, the damage will progress to subcutaneous tissues, causing blisters to worsen and fill with blood. Fourth-degree frostbite is the most serious stage, characterized by the development of gangrene and the inevitable amputation of one or more toes or fingers.

It's important to recognize the early signs of frostbite to avoid permanent injury. Seek warmth and shelter the moment numbed areas of your hands, feet, or ears begin to turn white or purplish and start feeling warm rather than cold.

Immersion foot, also known as trench foot, can occur as a result of prolonged exposure to cool, damp conditions. Though the symptoms of immersion foot are similar to frostbite, the condition is characterized by exposure to non-freezing temperatures. Immersion foot can develop in people who work outdoors whose feet are wet for excessive periods of time.

It was nicknamed "trench foot" during World War I when soldiers forced to slog through the mud in their boots developed the condition. If the conditions are right, immersion foot can even occur while indoors. Symptoms of immersion include numbness and the whitening or reddening of the skin.

This will eventually give way to pain, swelling, and the formation of blisters due to the maceration of the skin. When sleeping, do not wear socks. Pernio, also called chilblains, is an inflammatory skin condition caused by over-exposure to cold rather than freezing temperatures. Pernio is caused by the formation of bumps and red- to violet-colored patches on the hands or feet due to an abnormal response of blood vessels.

The affected areas can become puffy, itchy, and painful, with symptoms often persisting well after the skin is rewarmed. On rare occasions, the lesions can lead to blistering or gangrene. Pernio usually clears up on its own within one to three weeks, though it may recur for years. Treatment may also involve the use of heating pads and corticosteroid creams to relieve the itch and inflammation.