My Hands and Feet Are Cold | Incheon: Cold Extremities

Hello, this is Baengnokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.

Even in Midsummer, My Hands and Feet Feel Like Winter

Even in the sweltering midsummer, my hands and feet are as cold as ice. Even when in a warm indoor environment, once my hands and feet get cold, they rarely regain warmth, and at night, they often ache and feel numb, making it hard to sleep.

“I'm hesitant to shake hands with others. I worry that my hands are so cold they might surprise the other person. In winter, my fingertips even hurt.”

Cold Hands and Feet Are Not Simply a Matter of Having a Constitution That Is Sensitive to Cold.

It restricts daily activities and is a clear red flag from the body indicating stagnant circulation throughout the body, and a significant health issue that could be a precursor to other diseases.

The 'Boiler' is Hot, but the 'Room' is Cold: The Reason Why

Our heart is a powerful 'central boiler' that sends warm blood throughout the body. Cold hands and feet occur when this boiler fails to properly deliver warm water (blood) to the furthest 'rooms,' such as the fingertips and toes.

There are two main causes.

1. The 'boiler pressure' itself is weak. This means there isn't enough power to push blood to the extremities due to low blood pressure or general weakness.
2. The 'pipes leading to the rooms' are narrowed or blocked. When the sympathetic nervous system is overstimulated by stress, peripheral blood vessels constrict, narrowing the path for blood flow. This is the most common cause of cold hands and feet.

When the 'Spark of Life' Weakens or the 'Circulation Pathway' is Blocked

In Korean medicine, the temperature of the hands and feet is considered an important indicator of the state of 'Yang-gi (陽氣),' the fundamental energy of our body. Yang-gi is like the 'spark' that warms life.

The first cause of cold hands and feet is the weakening of this 'spark' itself (Yang-Heo, 陽虛 - Yang Deficiency). Specifically, if the Yang-gi of the 'Kidney (腎),' which governs congenital energy, is insufficient, the body lacks the power to warm itself entirely, leading to cold hands and feet.

The second cause is when the spark is sufficient, but its warmth cannot spread throughout the body because the 'circulation pathways (Meridians)' are blocked. Stagnation of Qi (Qi-Che, 氣滯 - Qi Stagnation) due to stress or unnecessary waste products (Eohyeol, 瘀血 - Blood Stasis) blocks these pathways, preventing warm blood from reaching the fingertips and toes.

Therefore, Korean Medical Treatment

focuses not merely on warming the hands and feet, but on reviving the fading 'spark' (Onbo Shinyang, 溫補腎陽 - Warming and Tonifying Kidney Yang) or clearing blocked 'circulation pathways' (Sotong Gyeongrak, 疏通經絡 - Unblocking Meridians) through fundamental root cause resolution, helping the body regain its own ability to generate warmth and spread it throughout the entire system.

3 Habits to Regain Warmth in Cold Hands and Feet

Efforts to promote blood circulation and keep the body warm in daily life are paramount.

Habit 1: Movement for Circulation (Active Circulation)

Sitting still further impedes circulation. Light walking, stretching, and especially calf raises are greatly helpful in sending blood to the extremities.

Habit 2: Warming Habits

Raise your core body temperature by taking a foot bath or a half-body bath with warm water. Pay attention to insulation by layering clothes, and it's also good to drink warming teas like ginger tea or cinnamon tea.

Habit 3: Vessel Health Management (Vessel Health)

Smoking is the most fatal enemy, as it constricts peripheral blood vessels. Maintain the balance of the autonomic nervous system through stress management and sufficient sleep, and avoid fatty and salty foods that harm vascular health.

Many people dismiss simple cold hands and feet as 'just my constitution' and neglect them, leading the 'coldness of the hands and feet' to become 'coldness of the entire body.' However, coldness in the fingertips and toes can be the very first warning that a red light has been switched on in our body's 'circulatory system' and 'energy system.'

Ignoring this warning can lead to more than just cold hands and feet; it can result in coldness in the abdomen, affecting digestive and reproductive organs, and ultimately lead to a decline in overall body immunity and function.

However, now, listening to this peripheral signal and striving to correct the body's circulation and energy balance is the most fundamental and wise choice to protect the health of your entire body, beyond just regaining warmth in your hands and feet.

#ColdHandsAndFeet