What causes my feet to always be so cold?

What causes my feet to always be so cold?

There are several causes of cold feet. If you live in a cold climate, you could experience cold feet frequently. In addition, some of the most common causes of cold feet are poor blood flow, a symptom of an underlying condition or a side effect of a medicine.

Poor blood flow

Poor blood flow (circulation) in your legs and feet causes cold feet. Poor blood flow means that it takes longer for the blood to reach your feet.

Your blood travels through pathways (blood vessels) in your circulatory system. These pathways can close, harden and narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow steadily. If your pathways are blocked or narrow, the movement of your blood slows down similar to pouring liquid through a funnel. A lot of liquid can enter the funnel, but the funnel narrows, which slows down how fast the liquid moves. This delay in blood flow causes symptoms of cold feet.

Conditions that cause cold feet as a symptom

Cold feet could be a sign of an underlying condition. Several conditions that affect blood flow include:

• Autoimmune conditions (anemia).
• Heart disease.
• Hormonal changes (hypothyroidism).
• Narrow artery blockages or constricted blood vessels.
• Nerve conditions (fibromyalgia).
• Peripheral artery disease.
• Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Side effects of a medicine

Some medicines could cause cold feet as a side effect based on how the medicine interacts with your blood flow. Medicines that could cause cold feet include:

• Beta-blockers for high blood pressure.
• Ergotamine for headaches.
• Pseudoephedrine in cold medicine.