Feeling the Cold and Chills

Q Tests show nothing wrong, yet I am always cold. Is it simply my constitution?

A. Normal tests mean dangerous causes have been excluded. How much you feel the cold depends on circulation, metabolism, muscle mass and daily habits, which rarely show in numbers. Rather than covering it with the word "constitution", it is more practical to separate which condition is lacking.

Q Can feeling the cold severely be a disease? Which tests should I have?

A. Reduced thyroid function, anaemia and abnormal blood sugar are the classic causes of marked cold intolerance. Cold with weight gain, constipation, fatigue or a changed voice points to the thyroid; cold with dizziness, pallor and breathlessness points to anaemia. If it worsened suddenly, testing rises in priority.

Q In the cold my fingers turn white, then blue, and when they warm up they go red and tingle. Is this just poor circulation?

A. If the colour changes distinctly in stages, it should be distinguished from simple cold sensitivity. It may be an excessive constriction of blood vessels in response to cold air or stress. Because an underlying condition needs to be excluded, we recommend medical assessment first.

Q I feel the cold, have severe period pain, get diarrhoea from cold food, and am always tired. Are they connected?

A. This is the combination that appears when the lower abdomen is cold and circulation is slow. A cold abdomen makes the intestine reactive, so cold food provokes it immediately and period pain tends to be greater. When recovery capacity is low, fatigue joins in.

Q I wear thick clothes and I am still cold. Which areas should I keep warm for the best effect?

A. Cover the neck, the lower abdomen and the ankles first. Large blood vessels pass through these places and heat escapes easily there, so covering just these three changes how you feel considerably. Several thin layers hold heat better than one thick one.

Q I hear exercise helps cold sensitivity. What kind of exercise is best?

A. Exercise that uses large muscles such as the thighs and buttocks is the most efficient for producing heat. Even a few minutes a day of squats or stair climbing, done consistently, makes a difference. Adding walking lifts circulation to the periphery as well.

Q When do chills mean going to hospital immediately?

A. Shaking chills together with a high fever may mean infection and need immediate care. Do not delay if you are also breathless, have pain on urination, or become confused. Fingers or toes that change colour with wounds that will not heal also need prompt assessment.

Q I often use an electric blanket and heat packs. Is there anything to watch out for?

A. Prolonged direct contact with the skin can cause burns even at low temperatures. The risk is greatest for those with diabetes or dulled sensation, and while you are asleep. Keep a layer of towel between, and do not leave it on the same spot for long.

Q I take thyroid medication. Can I take herbal medicine alongside it?

A. In most cases yes, but you must tell us everything you are taking. Thyroid medication is sensitive to absorption, so we advise leaving a sufficient gap. Do not stop existing medication on your own; adjustments are discussed with the prescriber.

Q How soon do I feel less cold after starting care?

A. Usually the lower abdomen and torso warm first, and the fingers and toes follow last. Many people find their feet less cold at bedtime within a few weeks, while the extremities take longer to settle. Judging by whether the range narrowed after one winter is the most accurate measure.

Q I feel cold at temperatures everyone else finds fine. Why do I feel the cold so much more?

A. Body temperature is produced by three things together: the power to generate heat, the circulation that carries it around the body, and the muscle and fat that hold it in. A drop in any one of them makes the same room feel colder. So "feeling the cold" points to different causes in different people.

Q My torso is fine but my hands and feet are unusually cold. Is that different from the whole body being cold?

A. It is. Cold hands and feet alone weight the balance towards circulation reaching the periphery, while a cold torso and lower abdomen point to the heat-producing force itself. Where you feel cold is the first clue that separates the causes.

Q I have felt the cold much more since dieting. Is that normal after losing weight?

A. When intake falls sharply and muscle is lost along with it, the ability to generate heat drops. Muscle is the tissue that produces the most heat in the body, so less of it means feeling colder at the same temperature. It is worth checking whether your weight loss was muscle rather than fat.

Q I love cold food. Is that related to feeling cold?

A. Frequent cold drinks, iced coffee and cold fruit chill the interior first. A cold interior slows digestion and lowers the power to make heat with it. Rather than cutting them out entirely, try switching to warm on an empty stomach in the morning and in the evening hours.

Q Alcohol seems to warm me up. Does it actually help?

A. Alcohol widens the blood vessels near the skin so you feel briefly warmer, while the body actually loses more heat. Not feeling the cold while intoxicated also raises the risk of hypothermia. Smoking narrows the peripheral vessels and clearly worsens cold hands and feet.

Q I work in Dong-gu, Incheon. How often should I come in?

A. Early on we use acupuncture and moxibustion once or twice a week to warm the lower abdomen and release stiffened areas. Once stable, we widen the interval and raise the share of herbal medicine and lifestyle management. At the first visit we look at your working environment and activity level to set a realistic plan.

Q In what order does the clinic treat cold sensitivity?

A. We first screen for causes that testing should identify, then examine the temperature of the abdomen and extremities, the pulse, digestion and sleep to separate an inability to make heat from an inability to circulate it. Next, moxibustion and acupuncture warm the lower abdomen and back while releasing stiffened areas, and herbal medicine matched to your state raises the foundation for producing heat. Finally we settle meals, activity and warming habits so it holds.

Q I get by with heat packs and heaters, but the moment I remove them I am cold again. Why?

A. Heat given from outside is not stored. Unless the body's own power to make and circulate heat rises, you return to baseline the moment it is removed. Warmth is necessary, but it alone does not change the pattern.