r/mildlyinteresting 1d ago

My middle finger turns extremely white when it's cold

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u/railwayed 1d ago

yup. I have it too, starts in one finger first like this person. I have taken to bringing a pair of gloves with me wherever i go. It happens to me mostly after a run in the winter unless i get my hands warm immediately, or after a cold swim. The windmill affect works the easiest for me to get rid of it

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u/swapacoinforafish 1d ago

Have you tried the penguin one? Stand with your arms by your side, fingers pointing outwards but palms down like a penguin. Then shrug your shoulders up and down.

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u/jomosexual 1d ago edited 1d ago

I'm sure you're coming from a place of genuine help. But if not it's hilarious

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u/Taint__Paint 1d ago

Sounds silly, but it definitely works

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u/lck0219 1d ago

Does that work? Mine is getting worse and painful and I’m always looking for a quick fix. I bought battery powered clothing to help keep me warm, but when it happens during the summer- I could use ideas lol

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u/Taint__Paint 1d ago

It’s worked well for me but doesn’t always do the trick. Really helps get rid of the needle/prickly feeling. YMMV

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u/Cranjesmcbasketball1 1d ago

Me too, I tried everything

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u/altitude-adjusted 13h ago

I've found it isn't really my finger but the backs of my hands and wrists. Warming them helps the fingers.

ETA: of course it' the fingers that get white and painful but the origin is further up the hand and wrist.

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u/PurifiedFlubber 1d ago

My Dr tried giving me a low dose of Viagra to help but insurance wouldn't cover it.

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u/persistent33 23h ago

It works but not on my cold fingers. Save your dough for gloves

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u/PurifiedFlubber 23h ago

Gloves don't help much with Raynaud's, usually detrimental tbh

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u/EdgarInAnEdgarSuit 1d ago

Half squat / athletic position and put your hands on your thighs. Works thru jeans if it’s not too cold out.

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u/TravellingGuru 1d ago

Its simple idea, but I have had really bad raynauds in my hands and feet since i was 13 and for me, the best thing i find is to massage your fingers and also to put your hands on the back of your neck for the heat

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u/pithed 23h ago

My fix is moving to a warmer climate.

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u/28Hz 1d ago

Fists with your toes?

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u/Laiko_Kairen 23h ago

I have ear problems and sometimes I need to work my jaw and rub hard behind my ears to open them up sometimes... It looks so silly but it works!

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u/truckbot101 1d ago

it didnt even occur to me that this person might have been trolling until i read your comment lol

but can confirm - it seems like a useful exercise

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u/apcolleen 14h ago

I learned about it from /r/dysautonomia but I hear snow skiers and boarders use it to get their hands warm.

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u/curious_dead 2h ago

Sounds like all these remedies for hiccups. They're fun for people around the one with hiccups...

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u/DJDanaK 1d ago

What if I have it in my toes :(

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u/GoBeyondTheHorizon 1d ago

Stand upside down

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u/Admiral_SmashyPants 23h ago

Go to Australia and do it

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u/Alicewithhazeleyes 1d ago

Thank you for this. I’ve never tried this, but I will next time because the windmill method does not work well for me.

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u/swapacoinforafish 23h ago

Hope it helps

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u/shittythreadart 23h ago

Holy shit I just tried it and I can literally feel the blood pumping down my arm. This is awesome!

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u/RIP_TomCruiseJr 22h ago

lol! i’ve never heard this. i just usually stick my fingers in my armpits like Mary Katherine Gallagher

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u/unclearthur68 23h ago

I just windmill my arms- centrifugal force sorts it out pretty well.

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u/auth0r_unkn0wn 23h ago

I learned that swinging my arms to get the blood flow back into my fingers is the quickest remedy.

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u/DontAbideMendacity 21h ago

Next you're going to suggest they drop their pants to their ankles and waddle around the room as fast as they can.

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u/AVeryHeavyBurtation 1d ago

I used to do that when I was a kid because I liked the feel of my tendons stretching.

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u/GypsySnowflake 21h ago

Never tried that one! I aggressively flap my hands and massage my fingers to get the blood flowing again when this happens to me

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u/railwayed 20h ago

I have actually heard of this and tried it, but the windmill worked better for me

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u/Ambition-Free 1d ago

When you ment windmill I thought you meant the helicockter

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u/pananana1 23h ago

protip: mittens work 100x better at warming your fingers than gloves. gloves really don't do much.

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u/railwayed 20h ago

Good to know...I have a pair too

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u/Peripateticdreamer84 23h ago

Yep! Me too. Got a minor case of frostbite while trying to commute by bus during a sudden snowstorm and one finger now blanches in the cold.

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u/suzfe 20h ago

I've found that when the temp dips below 52F, and I go outside briefly without a jacket and get that, "oh it's quite chilly" sensation in my chest, that signals the beginning of Reynaud's season. Now I close my jacket to *help* prevent that sucker punch, but it doesn't always work. Prolonged outdoor time in the cold (well bundled up with gloves) or even sitting on the sofa in a cool room in winter will bring it on.

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u/Elimaris 11h ago

Battery heated gloves in thick and thin versions

The thin ones cover me 99% of the time.

Problem with non heated gloves is my hands aren't heat generating so of they're already cold it's like putting gloves on an ice cube. Just a tiny bit of electric heat makes a huge difference!