What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You — Permanently

Why would a disease that affects more people than noted “telethon” causes be so unknown to most people? Because of all the millions who suffer from Raynaud’s, only one out of every five will seek treatment. Awareness and medical attention are important for two reasons:

• To prevent permanent damage to blood vessels caused by continual exposure of fingers and toes to cold temperatures.
• To rule out the presence of a serious underlying disease — such as Scleroderma, Lupus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

To date, most treatments have centered around preventative measures — minimizing exposure to the cold — but medications, biofeedback and other non-invasive measures have been helpful to some. It’s been over a hundred years since Raynaud’s was first discovered by the medical community, and still little is known about the condition, its cause or a cure.

Millions of Americans ( and Europeans )Suffer From A Serious Disease.
And they don’t even know its name

An estimated 5 to 10% of all Americans suffer from Raynaud’s Phenomenon, an exaggerated sensitivity to cold that can cause significant pain and inconvenience all year round While both men and women suffer from the disease, women are nine times more likely to be affected than men. Researchers estimate Raynaud’s affects as many as 20% of all women in their childbearing years. That’s one in five women from early teens to their early 50’s.

Exactly What Is Raynaud’s?

Raynaud’s, named for French physician Maurice Raynaud who discovered the disorder in 1862, causes the small blood vessels of the fingers (or sometimes toes) to constrict when triggered by episodes of cold or emotional stress. In a typical attack, the sufferer experiences cold, numbness or tingling. Fingers may change color to white, blue then red. Those severely affected may suffer from skin ulcers, infection and even gangrene.

Introducing the Raynaud’s Association, Inc.

The Raynaud’s Association is a national non-profit (501c3) organization whose mission is to provide support and education to the millions of sufferers of Raynaud’s Phenomenon, an exaggerated sensitivity to cold temperatures. The Association seeks to educate the general public about this condition, which can be very painful and, for some, may cause serious blood vessel damage.
The group provides a forum to informally exchange ideas on coping with daily activities, trade information on where to buy products for getting through cold times, share personal experiences, or discuss medical issues with a noted practitioner addressing the group.

So, if you’ve sometimes felt that no one really understands your discomfort, or were afraid to go it alone with a problem for which there was no help, then the Raynaud’s Association was created just for you. Don’t ignore your discomfort — fight back!

For more information about Raynaud’s and the Raynaud’s Association, visit www.raynauds.org, e-mail infor@raynauds.org, call 800-280-8055, or write to us at 94 Mercer Avenue, Hartsdale, NY 10530.