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It is not uncommon for your feet to feel cold during the winter, but if you find yourself frequently by pulling on thick socks and snuggling under hot blankets to keep your icy toes warm, it is possible that some Something other than the cold may be to blame. Chronic cold feet are connected to Several different health problems - And especially if you feel other unusual symptoms with them, it is a good idea to be checked by your health care provider to exclude any underlying problem.

Read the rest to discover about five conditions of which your cold feet could warn you.

Read this then: If you notice it on your feet, check yourself for Parkinson .

Your cold feet could try to tell you that your thyroid is in trouble. "The thyroid gland is an important accustomed to metabolic functions in our body," explains Kelly Johnson-Arbor , MD, a Emergency medical doctor And the co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center. If you feel persistent cold feet, your thyroid may not produce enough hormones. This is called the hypothyroid, also known as an underactive thyroid, according to Johnson-Arbor.

"People who have an under-active thyroid can experience fatigue, weight gain and intolerance of cold temperatures. These effects on metabolism can lead to a feeling of cold feet," she explains. "Fortunately, thyroid disease can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. Treatment, which generally implies life administration of thyroid hormones, can help reduce or eliminate the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism."

Diabetes can also cause changes in your feet - and although the condition is very common, it can easily go unnoticed for a long time: millions of millions of Diabetes case are currently not diagnosed, according to the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). David Beatty , MRCGP, a base of the United Kingdom general practitioner , said cold feet can be a sign that you suffer from diabetes.

Diabetics are very likely to develop a peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a condition in which "the supply of arterial blood to the ends is reduced or, in extreme cases, blocked completely", explains Beatty. "[With these] fats, cholesterol and other substances form plates that obstruct the arteries, reducing blood flow towards the feet," he explains. "Traffic at the ends can be altered accordingly."

With diabetes and PVD, you may notice some specific changes to your feet along the coldness. "The affected foot can be cool to the touch. It may seem of a purplish blue color or appear white pale," explains Beatty. "If the skin is pressed, the area may seem pale longer than usual before the normal color is coming back. The foot pulses can be difficult or impossible to feel."

Feeling cold constantly is also generally linked to anemia, according to Kellie K. Middleton , MD, a based in Atlanta orthopedic surgeon . "This is a condition arising from a lack of iron or vitamin B-12, causing bad blood flow and cold feet," explains Middleton, noting that people with anemia often experience fatigue , pale skin and heart palpitations. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

Johnson-Arbor says that anemia occurs when the number of red blood cells in your body decreases. "Red blood cells transport oxygen to tissues throughout the body. In anemic patients, poor circulation results from the lack of oxygen administration to tissues," she explains. "Treatments ... may include the correction of all nutrition gap, iron supplementation and / or blood transfusion."

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John Landry , a Registered respiratory therapist and the founder of the respiratory therapy zone, says Better life These cold feet can be a "symptom of several pulmonary conditions". According to Landry, three pulmonary problems could be linked to cold feet: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (MPOC), pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism.

"Mpoc is a pulmonary disease that makes breathing difficult. It can cause poor circulation, which can cause cold feet," he explains. "Pulmonary hypertension is a condition in which blood vessels in the lungs shrink, which makes blood circulation difficult. Consequently, the body may not receive enough oxygen, which can also cause poor circulation and cold feet. "

With MPOC and pulmonary hypertension, Landry says that you are likely to feel other symptoms, such as breathlessness, whistling breathing, fatigue, chest pain and stove of the chest. Pulmonary embolism can also cause some of the same symptoms, but you should also monitor the rapid heart rate in this case. "This is a serious illness in which a blood clot is formed in the lungs, blocking blood circulation," explains Landry. A pulmonary embolism can "can cause quickly serious fatal problems And even death, "according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Johnson-Arbor says that people should also be aware that the feeling of cold is also associated with the poisoning of Ciguatera. "This is a current disease of the marine toxin that occurs after the consumption of contaminated fish," she explains. "The great tropical fish, including Barracuda, Amberjack and Snapper, can transport toxins that cause poisoning of Ciguatera."

It can be difficult to say if a The fish is contaminated With toxins that cause Ciguatera, because they do not modify its appearance, its taste or its smell, depending on the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cooking does not destroy toxins, unfortunately, you may only know if you have it if symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain and cold feet appear after eating. "The individuals affected by the Ciguatera often experience a reversal of warm and cold sensation in their ends and can feel a painful sensation of the" dry ice "when touching cold or cold surfaces", explains Johnson-Arbor.

The CDC says you should consult medical care if you have recently eaten fish and develop symptoms. These generally develop three to six hours after eating contaminated fish, but can start until 30 hours later, according to the agency. "There is no specific remedy for poisoning at Ciguatera, and most signs and symptoms generally resolve over time," adds Johnson-Arbor. "However, some affected people have undergone chronic persistence of their symptoms."