remedies to relieve affected hands and feet

What are

Chilblains on hands and feet are a very annoying and painful skin manifestation that usually appear in the winter season and until spring. It is a skin reaction that occurs due to damage to small blood vessels as a result of thermal changes sudden. In particular, chilblains can appear when exposed to very cold temperatures and subsequently to sources of heating. The sudden change in temperature causes vasoconstriction and vasodilation in an abrupt way, a phenomenon at the basis of the appearance of chilblains, also known as erythema pernio. Chilblains do not affect everyone, but they appear more frequently in predisposed people, smokers and women. Although it is a benign manifestation and due in most cases to exposure to cold and heat, chilblains can also have other cause and appear, for example, as a symptom of a blood circulation disorder, a connective tissue pathology or as a side effect of pharmacological therapies in progress, so it is always better to investigate with your doctor about the causes of the appearance of chilblains in order to treat the problem adequately.

Regardless of the cause, i symptoms of chilblains are the same: initially the skin begins to itch and redden and, subsequently, localized swelling appears on the knuckles and along the phalanges of the fingers and toes. It must be said that chilblains can affect other areas of the body, not just the hands and feet, and generally appear on the extremities of the body exposed to the cold, such as the ears and nose. The itching caused by chilblains is not constant but tends to increase when the affected area heats up; scratching does not bring any relief, on the contrary, it causes pain and tends to further inflame the area. If chilblains are left untreated, over time the swelling increases, the skin becomes shiny and thin, and cracks. In this way, lesions are formed which can become infected and delay the healing of chilblains. If properly treated, however, chilblains tend to regress within a couple of weeks.

Natural remedies

Let’s look at some natural remedies that can help prevent chilblains and relieve the pain, itching, redness and swelling that accompany these very annoying skin manifestations.

Elicriso

Helichrysum is a small spontaneous plant common in coastal areas, easily recognizable thanks to the intense scent of the silver leaves reminiscent of that of licorice. Helichrysum leaves and flowers have an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and eudermic action and represent a natural remedy useful in case of chilblains. To relieve the symptoms of chilblains, a medicated ole with 30 milliliters of calendula oil, 10 drops of helichrysum essential oil, 5 drops of juniper essential oil and 5 drops of chamomile essential oil. The oil against chilblains can be massaged several times a day on the hands and feet to prevent chilblains during the cold season or on chilblains already present to relieve their symptoms.

Pungopo

The butcher’s broom, also known as rusco, has a targeted action on blood vessels thanks to its vasoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. Taken orally or used for topical applications, butcher’s broom can help improve blood vessel tone by preventing chilblains. For this purpose, the butcher’s broom or butcher’s broom is often associated with preparations containing centella, a plant with a similar action.

Alliaria

The ally is an edible spontaneous herbaceous plant of the Brassicaceae family. Alliaria leaves contain bitter substances, essential oil, glycosides; if crumpled or chopped, they give off a smell similar to garlic but much less intense. Alaria is traditionally used to treat chilblains on hands and feet. To take advantage of the benefits of this plant, simply crush the leaves with a mortar and then use them for compresses of the areas affected by chilblains. Alternatively, you can obtain the juice of the plant thanks to a centrifuge or an extractor and apply a gauze soaked in fresh juice on the chilblains of the hands and feet. The applications can be repeated several times throughout the day to relieve the symptoms of chilblains.

Calendula

Marigold flowers have soothing, healing and antibacterial properties and are a very valid remedy for all skin conditions. As for chilblains, calendula ointments and oils can help relieve itching, pain, redness of the skin and also prevent infections that could occur in the case of skin lesions. In addition, damaged skin is able to heal faster thanks to the action of the active constituents present in calendula.

Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu

Peruvian balsam and Tolu balsam, obtained from two different varieties of Myroxylon balsamum, have antiseptic, analgesic and healing properties. Used externally for localized applications on chilblains, they can help reduce pain, heal any skin tears faster and prevent skin lesions infections.