What it means
A condition in which small arteries in the fingers and toes, and sometimes the nose or ears, spasm in response to cold or emotional stress. The skin turns white, then blue, then red as blood flow returns, often with numbness, tingling or throbbing. Primary Raynaud has no known cause and is usually mild; secondary Raynaud comes with another disease, often an autoimmune disease such as scleroderma or lupusLOO-pusSystemic lupus erythematosus: a long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.Full entry . It is named after Maurice Raynaud, the French physician who described it in 1862.
For the nurse
Teach the client to keep the whole body warm, wear gloves and socks in the cold, avoid smoking and manage stress. Drugs that narrow blood vessels, such as decongestants, can make attacks worse. Report sores on the fingertips.
Remember it
White, blue, red: the colors change in that order.
At a glance
| Also written | Raynaud's phenomenon, Raynaud’s phenomenon, Raynaud syndrome, Raynaud's syndrome, Raynaud’s syndrome, Raynaud's, Raynaud’s |
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Related terms
lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus: a long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.
decongestant
A drug that shrinks swollen blood vessels in the nose to relieve a stuffy nose.