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A more recent treatment for severe Raynaud's is the use of botulinum toxin. The 2009 article [ 37 ] studied 19 patients ranging in age from 15 to 72 years with severe Raynaud's phenomenon of which 16 patients (84%) reported pain reduction at rest; 13 patients reported immediate pain relief, three more had gradual pain reduction over 1–2 months.
The nail deformity often occurs in people suffering from heart and lung diseases that reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood. It can be a warning sign of a serious problem, doctors say.
The blood reaching the extremities is not oxygen-rich and when viewed through the skin a combination of factors can lead to the appearance of a blue color. All factors contributing to central cyanosis can also cause peripheral symptoms to appear, but peripheral cyanosis can be observed in the absence of heart or lung failures. [ 5 ]
There is no standard medical or surgical treatment for acrocyanosis, and treatment, other than reassurance and avoidance of cold, is usually unnecessary. The patient is reassured that no serious illness is present. A sympathectomy would alleviate the cyanosis by disrupting the fibers of the sympathetic nervous system to the area. [3]
Hypoxemic hypoxia is a lack of oxygen caused by low oxygen tension in the arterial blood, due to the inability of the lungs to sufficiently oxygenate the blood. Causes include hypoventilation, impaired alveolar diffusion, and pulmonary shunting. [8] This definition overlaps considerably with that of hypoxic hypoxia.
Nail clubbing - nails that curve down around the fingertips with nailbeds that bulge is associated with oxygen deprivation and lung, heart, or liver disease. Koilonychia - spooning, or nails that grow upwards. Associated with iron-deficiency anaemia or vitamin B 12 deficiency. [citation needed] Pitting of the nails is associated with psoriasis.
Carpal tunnel surgery is usually considered after other treatment options have failed, Melamed says. Other, less invasive treatments, like splinting and steroid injections, are typically tried first.
Oxygen therapy is also an option. The patient may choose how much oxygen to use. The use of oxygen doesn't repair the lung damage, but can: make breathing and exercise easier; prevent or lessen complication from low blood oxygen levels; reduce blood pressure; and; improve sleep and sense of well-being. [30]