Rehabilitation in Reynaud's disease plays an important role, because there is still no effective cure for this disease. When the fingers of the hands, less often the feet, turn pale, even white-wax, then blue, and then the stage of their hyperemia occurs - these symptoms can be effectively alleviated by performing rehabilitation treatments.

Raynaud's diseaseis nothing more than a sudden and excessive contraction of blood vessels, usually in the palm area. It is usually triggered by exposure to cold or a stressful situation. The phases of pale, bruising and reddening of the fingers may last several minutes to several hours, and the disease is individual in each patient. Not all fingers are always affected, tingling, pain and numbness may vary in intensity. Raynaud's syndrome is primary or secondary, in the latter case it is the result of other diseases, e.g. connective tissue or vascular diseases.

Raynaud's disease: what kind of rehabilitation?

In the case of Raynaud's disease, doctors recommend rehabilitation, because it not only reduces pain, but also makes blood vessels more flexible, improves blood circulation, and thus reduces or prevents rapid narrowing of the arteries. The best results are achieved:

  • hydrotherapy
  • electrotherapy
  • kinesitherapy

Hydrotherapy in Raynaud's disease

Hydrotherapy mainly covers the hands, sometimes, if necessary, also the feet. When the disease is not too advanced, i.e. arterial contraction has not caused their hypertrophy or tendency to blood clots, baths with gradually increasing temperature and variable temperature can be used. The first treatment takes about 15 minutes and consists in immersing the hand in water, which is about 32 degrees, and then adding warmer and warmer, up to the temperature of 39-42 degrees. Effect? Gentle stimulation of the circulatory system by expanding blood vessels. The second treatment begins with a 1-2 minute dipping of the hand in water at a temperature of approx. 38 degrees, then a few seconds of change to water at a temperature of approx. 18 degrees, alternating five or six times. The treatment always ends with cold water. As a result, the muscles are relaxed and the tissues are hyperemic, which has a positive effect on alleviating the symptoms of the disease. The limb whirlpool bath also gives good results. Handsthey are immersed in water, where they are additionally affected by the movement of water, generated e.g. by hydromassage nozzles. Thanks to this, blood flow is stimulated, which prevents its stagnation, and swelling is also reduced. Some physiotherapists also recommend sulfur or sulphide-hydrogen, peloid or herbal baths that may support the treatment of this condition.

Electrotherapy in Raynaud's disease

Electrotherapy in Raynaud's disease mainly involves the use of diadynamic and interference currents, Träbert, TENS, and galvanization. Iontophoresis, e.g. with calcium chloride, iodine, histamine, or a low-frequency magnetic field or high-frequency electromagnetic field also brings good results. All such treatments are designed to prevent spasms of the arteries by improving blood circulation and reducing the tension in the blood vessel walls.

Kinesiotherapy in Raynaud's disease

Kinesitherapy is recommended by doctors because Raynaud's disease belongs to vasomotor disorders. General developmental gymnastics, with particular emphasis on exercises for hands and fingers (all kinds of tightening, relaxing, bending, extending, training with accessories) contributes to the alleviation of disease symptoms. You can also try hand massage, which also brings positive results and can reduce the frequency and frequency of contractions of the arteries.

Important

The physician decides about rehabilitation in the case of Raynaud's disease, but there are no serious contraindications for physiotherapy. They should not be performed during an infection accompanied by a low-grade fever or in the event of an inflammation of the organism. A serious contraindication (at least to some treatments) may be the advancement of the disease, characterized by, for example, ulceration, a tendency to blood clots, necrosis or gangrene of the fingers.

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