Why Do We Sometimes Have Cold Feet? The Cause
Do you feel like your feet are significantly colder than other parts of your body? It’s probably not just a perception! Many people experience this daily or at certain times of the year.
It may be associated with a different color in the feet—they may appear paler or bluer than the rest of the body.
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Have you ever wondered why the surface of our body is relatively warm? Warmer, for example, than the surface of a table or a window in winter? Simply put, it’s because warm blood circulates throughout our body, heating it up!
And this blood is pumped by the heart. The areas farthest from the heart and containing the least vital organs are therefore the ones least easily irrigated.
And guess what these two main areas are? The feet and the hands!
Feet (and sometimes hands) are, for some people, the coldest parts of the body because they have less efficient blood circulation. This is because these areas are far from the heart, and there are no vital organs in these places.
Why Do Some People Have Colder Feet Than Others?
That’s all well and good, but you might find that your extremities are much colder than the average person. And this can be genuinely bothersome, even painful.
The primary “pathological” cause of cold feet is a blood circulation problem.
Your blood circulates through blood vessels. These vessels can close, harden, and narrow, making the regular circulation of blood difficult. If your vessels are blocked or narrow, the blood slows down, as if you were pouring liquid into a funnel.
A large amount of liquid can enter the funnel, but it narrows, slowing down the movement of the liquid.
This slowing down of blood circulation causes the symptoms of cold feet. Blood reaches the extremities less effectively and therefore warms them less.
This is not necessarily a pathology.
If you have never had cold feet in your life and suddenly experience them as an adult, it is likely due to a pathology or medication.
You can discuss this with your doctor to rule out other causes. They may conduct additional tests, such as measuring your blood pressure in your feet and determining your ankle-brachial index.
The most common pathological causes include:
- Anemia or other autoimmune diseases
- Heart disease
- Hormonal changes (hypothyroidism)
- Peripheral artery disease
- Raynaud’s syndrome or phenomenon (reversible disorder of blood circulation, especially in the hands, more rarely in the toes and nose)
But it can also be due to:
- Taking certain medications (such as beta-blockers for hypertension)
- Very cold weather
If your doctor is reassuring and does not push for further tests, it means that the symptoms you describe, although bothersome, remain within a certain “normal” range. Nevertheless, there are ways to limit them.
Why Are Cold Feet Often Sweaty Too?
Feet are one of the body parts with the highest concentration of sweat glands. And not just on the soles of the feet but also on the top of the feet!
These glands are connected to the brain through nerves, controlled by orders from our brain, specifically by a part of our brain called the autonomic nervous system. It operates without any conscious effort on our part and, unfortunately, without voluntary control.
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When this nervous system receives information about our body and the environment, it responds by initiating physiological reactions. It does so through chemical messengers, with acetylcholine being responsible for sweating. Once acetylcholine is released, the sweat glands start producing sweat.
And guess what? Acetylcholine also affects blood circulation! More precisely, it reduces cardiac circulation and dilates blood vessels that are far from the heart.
When we sweat, there’s an overactivity of the sympathetic system. This hyperactivity can also result in less effective blood flow to the extremities, leading to the sensation of cold feet and hands (or even the nose).
That’s why cold feet are often sweaty, partly due to the action of this neurotransmitter (acetylcholine), which influences both sweating and blood circulation.
Why Are Hands Often Sweaty and Cold Too?
For most people, the same phenomenon occurs with hands! It’s another part of the body with a similar number of sweat glands, connected in the same way to the nervous system.
That’s why there’s often palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the hands) associated with plantar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the feet). After the armpits, these are the two regions of the body most affected by excessive sweating.
Hands are also often cold because they are the second farthest part of the body from the heart, making them the second (after the feet) potentially deprived or limited in blood circulation.
Solutions for Cold and Sweaty Feet
In this section, I will discuss the solutions and treatments available for cold and sweaty feet.
If you have a specific medical condition or if this phenomenon is related to medication, there are likely other possible courses of action. In such cases, I recommend researching these conditions specifically (and, of course, consulting with trusted medical professionals).
Lifestyle Habits
You may have already tried implementing certain things to warm your feet. Here is the most comprehensive list possible of tips and lifestyle habits that can be put in place.
It’s always interesting to first explore what can be done in terms of tips or lifestyle habits: unlike medical or even surgical treatments, there are no side effects (except perhaps a few constraints).
- Wear woolen socks (see here on amazon).
- Walk indoors with warm slippers; outdoors, wear insulated shoes.
- Regularly move your toes and ankles. This will activate blood circulation in this area. The same applies if you are walking.
- Elevate your feet (ideally higher than the heart, or at least at hip level). This will facilitate blood circulation in this region.
- Place a hot water bottle in your bed before going to sleep, at the foot of the bed.
- If you spend a lot of time sitting in the same place on a cold floor, place a rug under your feet, especially if you are barefoot or in socks.
- Wear compression socks or stockings (see here on amazon).
- Stay well-hydrated.
Antiperspirants for Feet
You are, of course, familiar with the existence of antiperspirant products for the armpits. But be aware that there are also products for many other parts of the body, including: the feet.
However, these antiperspirants may not necessarily affect the sensation of cold but only the sensation of moisture.
Here is a selection:
- Carpe Antiperspirant Foot Lotion (see on Amazon)
- Sweat Block for Hand and Feet (see on amazon)
📙 I have also written a more comprehensive article on the various types of antiperspirants effective against excessive sweating (coming soon in english).
Iontophoresis
An iontophoresis device can be used to combat foot moisture. This treatment has been in existence for several decades and has been evaluated through small clinical studies published in medical literature.
Simply immerse your feet in two small basins containing water. The basins are connected to a unit that delivers an iontophoresis electric current, which is safe for the body (provided, of course, that the instructions for use are followed).
Iontophoresis can be administered by a dermatologist, a physiotherapist, or a podiatrist equipped with the necessary tools, and less commonly, in a hospital.
Generally, about ten sessions are needed to begin seeing effectiveness against sweating. Maintenance sessions for life should be conducted.
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Iontophoresis acts on sweating; it is not relevant for individuals who only have cold feet.
Sweat glands are temporarily blocked by the electric current but are not destroyed. Hence, the need for regular sessions.
Iontophoresis devices can also be purchased without a prescription online. However, in this case, the purchase is not financially covered.
Botulinum Toxin Injections
Botulinum toxin (Botox) can be injected to block the action of sweat glands. This can be done on the sole of the foot, and the effect lasts approximately 4 to 6 months. Then, the procedure needs to be repeated.
Once again, this does not have a specific effect on the sensation of cold in the feet but only on sweating.
The cost is typically several hundred dollars, often not reimbursed in many countries.
Medications
For several decades, medications have sometimes been prescribed for excessive sweating. They are generally reserved for individuals severely affected by hyperhidrosis, which often occurs not only on the feet:
- oxybutynin for excessive sweating
- glycopyrrolate for excessive sweating.
Lumbar Sympathectomy
For people suffering significantly from excessive sweating and who have already tried other treatments that are less definitive and more reversible, there is an operation available.
If a patient does not have sweaty feet but only moist extremities with discoloration (bluish, reddish), then lumbar sympathectomy is not recommended for them.
The only reason justifying a thoracic or lumbar sympathectomy today is an extreme level of hyperhidrosis in the extremities (and not just “simple” moisture).
With sympathectomies, the patient will experience a warming of the extremities, and the discoloration will disappear. However, it is not used solely for the indication of cold feet. There is side effect: excessive sweating in other body parts.
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Do you have any comments or questions? Your comments are welcome 🙂 !
You may also like:
- My blog on hyperhidrosis
- Oxybutynin (medication) for excessive sweating
📚 SOURCES
Syndrome de Raynaud, ameli.fr
Harvard Medical School : cold feet et également Cold Feet Causes & Treatments sur Clevelandclinic
Association entre syndrome de Raynaud et hyperhidrose ? Sweaty-palms
Kossintseva I, Barankin B. Improvement in both Raynaud disease and hyperhidrosis in response to botulinum toxin type A treatment. J Cutan Med Surg. 2008 Jul-Aug;12(4):189-93. doi: 10.2310/7750.2008.07044. PMID: 18627700.
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