Hello! My name is Munreet and I’m a final year Biomedical Science student who enjoys drawing and running. For many years, I experienced changes in my hands/feet from tingling sensations to a change in colour of my fingers/toes without realising this was not normal! I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s phenomenon during my undergraduate degree and I’d like to share with you my experience of living with this condition this Raynaud’s Awareness Month.

I first experienced symptoms of Raynaud’s Phenomenon whilst in secondary school. During my twenty minute walk to and from school, especially during winter months, my hands would tingle with a feeling similar to pins and needles. I found that by the time I reached class, my hands were completely swollen and coloured white. This made certain tasks such as unzipping my jacket or writing in class slightly difficult.

Fast forward four years…how do I manage my Raynaud’s symptoms now? I have implemented a few simple changes to help me reduce the likelihood of a flare up occuring. As a student, it is important that my hands do not swell up as it can affect my ability to type when taking notes. To ensure that I am prepared to deal with a flare up at any given time, I keep hand warmers in every bag I own and two sets of gloves, a fingerless pair and a well-insulated, thermal pair. If I am studying in a cold room that could potentially trigger a Raynaud’s attack I will wear my fingerless gloves. I like to use fingerless gloves in this particular situation, as it does not interfere too much when I am using my iPad/laptop. 

My Top Tips:

• Invest in a good pair of gloves! Ideally you want to get a thermal pair of gloves that are waterproof. I personally use and recommend the Uniqlo HEATTECH Lined Touchscreen Thermal Gloves. A handy feature of these gloves is that they have a small attachment that holds the pair together. I use this attachment to clip the gloves to my bag, this makes them easily accessible throughout the day. If you find that your hands still get cold when wearing gloves, wear a thinner pair under the thermal pair!

 

• Hold iced or cold drinks with caution! If you are anything like me and love a nice iced coffee you may find that after some time, it’s quite difficult to hold the cup without experiencing a flare up. If you don’t wish to wear your gloves while you sip on your drink, use a hot drink cup sleeve or perhaps invest in a reusable cup sleeve that you can keep in your bag. If you don’t have any of these items with you but are desperately craving a cold drink, then ask for less or no ice and hold your cup with a nice amount of tissues between your hand and the cup.

 

• Wear cuffed trousers and thermal socks on cold, frosty days! If you find that your Raynaud’s affect your toes and feet, it is best to wear thermal socks that are knee-high in length. Also, don’t underestimate the power of cuffed trousers! I personally love to wear cuffed cargo trousers on frosty days, as I find it prevents cold air reaching my legs. Alternatively, if you like to wear dresses or skirts during the winter season it’s best to pair this with fleece-lined leggings to stay warm. This can be found in most clothing stores. I personally find Primark’s Faux Fur Lined Leggings to be very warm and cosy.

 

I hope my article has been insightful and that you find some of these tips useful! All the best, Munreet.