How would I go about diagnosing sensivity to cold?

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello docs,

I have a weird situation where I feel cold most of the time. I say it’s weird because I live on a tropical island with “smooth” temperature, even in winter.

Of course, I don’t have this problem in summer when the temperature is 30+ degrees. But even a temperature of 25 degrees (in winter) is sometimes unbearable to me, which doesn’t seem normal.

I also have cold hands and feet most of the time during winter. People often remark about that when we shake hands. The only time my hands aren’t cold is when I wake up in the morning. I’m not sure if it’s a blood flow thing.

I can’t recall when I started having this problem, but it wasn’t always like that. After some research, I found articles mentioning this as a common problem in females, but I’m male.

Do you guys have any suggestions for diagnosing this issue, and if I went to a physician, what questions should I ask them?

Thanks.

2

Hi,

A few possibilities to consider could be hypothyroidism-related cold intolerance, a vascular issue like Raynaud phenomenon, or, rarely, some form of neuropathy (although this does not fit as well with your description). I will say that in many cases this does not end up representing a diagnosable medical problem, unfortunately.

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