Icy toes, a burning sensation and swollen red spots. Chilblains can cause annoying complaints. What are chilblains and what can you do about it?
“If you have chilblains, it is a reaction of your toes to abnormal cold,” says doctor Tanya Tolido. “You can experience itching or a burning sensation with sometimes swollen red or purple bruises on the toes. These spots are caused by small blood vessels in the skin narrowing and cramping.”
Chilblains often develop in the fall and winter due to the cold. The symptoms usually go away on their own, but there are exceptions. “Think of people who work in cold stores”, Tolido points out as an example. “It used to be more common because the houses were less well heated and insulated at the time.” Women suffer from it more often than men. It is unknown what causes this.
Smoking and the use of certain medicines such as beta-blockers can influence the development of chilblains, according to the doctor. For example, beta-blockers could lower heart rate and blood pressure and, like smoking, could lead to narrowing of small blood vessels. “There may be a greater chance of chilblains as a result, but that has not been proven.”
Do not wear tight, constricting shoes
Do not smoke, wear warm socks and slippers and avoid sudden drops in temperature, the doctor advises. If it does bother you, don’t scratch any wounds.
“The swelling can cause blisters and inflammation,” says Tolido. “So do not wear tight, constricting shoes. A massage has not been scientifically proven to be effective, but there is no harm. By improving blood circulation, the complaints will decrease. The disease can also occur in other places, which can lead to chilblains. , winter ears or a ‘winter nose’.”
Exchange baths stimulate blood circulation
Podiatrist Marieke van den Berg of Voetencentrum Wender regularly receives people with complaints about winter toes in the winter months. “Although its effectiveness has not yet been proven, vitamin D injections can be given for long-term complaints,” she says. “Alternating baths with cold and warm water could also help, because they stimulate blood circulation.”
According to Van den Berg, what you should not do is put your feet on the heating to warm them up. “This will only make the pain symptoms worse when warming up the toes,” she explains. “What you can do is pre-warm your socks.”
Avoid seams on the inside around the toes; these can damage the skin even more. In addition, keep your hands warm with gloves.
In addition, the podiatrist advises to keep moving a lot. “Even when it’s cold. Wear thermal socks in windproof shoes,” she explains. “Avoid seams on the inside around the toes, which can damage the skin even more. Also, keep your hands warm with gloves.”
Cramping pain after exercise
The condition peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is often confused with chilblains. “PAV causes a narrowing or blockage of the arteries in your legs, so that less or no blood flows to the feet or legs. The toes can then turn blue-purple due to the lack of oxygen and feel cold,” says Van den Berg. “These complaints are similar to those with chilblains, which can cause confusion.”
According to Van den Berg, if these complaints also arise in warmer weather or in warm conditions, this is reason to call the doctor. “This condition can lead to ‘shop windows’. Then you suffer from cramping pain that always arises after exercise. In addition, the lack of oxygen can cause pain and wounds to the foot.”
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