Hands cold

Everyday living
1

Hi I’ve been having a relapse recently,my biggest problem is cold hands nothing warms them up,there so weak I’ve got very little grip and it stops me from doing simple tasks.does a anyone have and tips or anything I could do to help? Thanks Sarah.

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It’s horrible at this time of year. Cold hands are the bane of my life. Some ideas: fingerless gloves, gloves with fingers that let you type on tablet/smart phone type devices, heat packs, long sleeves to tuck your hands into. I sit on my hands or tuck them under my jumper / fleece. Or inside my armpits.

As for weakness, try wrapping elastic bands round jars or tube lids you have to open, or around pens to help you write, or even around cutlery. Slide things along your kitchen worktops rather than pick them up to carry. Get help fetching things down from higher cupboards and keep them lower, or actually on the worktops.

People often use kettle tippers (look on mobility shop websites) to help with weak hands.

Um, other people will have ideas that help them. Rest assured, you are not alone.

Sue

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Thanks, I can warm them up with a hot water bottle it’s just the loss of feeling.I can’t do buttons or get anything out of my purse or pockets and I can hold something and the next minute I’ve dropped it. I have to hold a drink with 2 hands I can’t get dressed properly or even brush my teeth properly or eat anything that isn’t a solid as I get yoghurt, cereal etc all down me it’s really frustrating and I’m worried it’s here to stay… Thanks Sarah…

4

This might not be much help. But since all this MS business started, Ive got one abnormally hot hand and one abnormally cold hand. And bringing the two together seems to leave them both feeling fine. Though, of course, I cant go round all the time with my hands clasped together like a monk contemplating eternity.

But I’m thinking of getting those hand warmer things you can heat up in the microwave. I thought they might be quite comforting if nothing else.

5

Working with a squeeze ball might help improve grip strength.

1 Like
6

Hi, My mother made me a pair of mitts, they are completely fingerless. Available on the web too. They keep my wrists warm, which warm my fingers. They do the job well, I can be on the computer and do other things with them on.

Apparently quite a bit of body heat is lost through our wrists and head. xx

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Thanks I’ll try and get some. My hands just won’t do what I want they keep doing jerky type movements Thanks Sarah.

9

Hi

Re cleaning your teeth, have you tried an electric toothbrush? Might be easier to hold onto.

And as for eating, do try the fat handled cutlery you can get from Occupational Health or from mobility websites. You might find it doesn’t help you, personally I didn’t, the forks and spoons are too big to fit in my mouth. I tend to go for smaller, lighter cutlery, even some of the child size forks and spoons (not toddlers of course!) can help, they’re smaller and lighter. But wrapping something round the handle can help. I use elastic bands, but you could try with medical tape, experiment with different things, I’ve even twisted cling film around a fork (on the spot suggestion from a chef in Malta!).

Also, think about how far away you are from the food you’re eating. If your chair at the table is quite high, there’s more likelihood of food falling off the fork / spoon. So try to sit lower than usual.

I’ve given up on eating traditionally with a knife and fork. I cut (or have cut for me) the food up and eat with just a fork in my right hand. Sometimes, we just have to accept that eating like a chimp is what has to happen.

With hot drinks, I find that the right mug / glass is helpful. So I have one or two mugs for tea, a could that work for shorter coffee, certain glasses that work and of course, with cold drinks, a straw is always helpful.

And you are likely to find that this is a relapse and you’ll gradually improve. I hope so.

Sue

1 Like
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  • Think this is a m s thing as I always feel so very cold ,also my feet never heats up
  • As Polly says odd socks can be a blessing in disguise for cold feet.eleven when out,on rare occasions,I put my gloves on I do get weird looks when shopping cause I usually can’t get them off.as an old nurse told me "always put you socks and gloves on in a warm house
  • Before u go out that way the heat is trapped"I have only had this type of sedation since I have had m s .Think this is also in connection with my weird sense of taste,smell
  • And noises.
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Hi Sarah,

Snap, left hand cold and right hand warm. Used to get chilblaines on my fingers and toes ouch!

I get secondary reynauds , fingers go white. I was prescribed nifedipine which seems to help. Makes the rest of my body a little warmer which at this time of year is great.

Hand warmers and fingerless gloves all help.

Keep warm,

Jen x