Why do our hands and feet hurt more in the cold? We all know that when we hit our hand or foot, especially in the cold winter months, it hurts more than if we hit it on a normal day. So why does this happen? Why do we get hurt more when we hit something because our hands or feet are cold? Here are the details of our article…
Why do our hands and feet hurt more in the cold?
Why do our hands and feet hurt more in the cold? We all bump our hands or feet throughout the year. Most of the time we suffer so little that we don’t feel hit. In fact, there are times when we say, ‘You didn’t feel the heat,’ because our body temperature is high even when there is a serious injury. So why doesn’t this happen in cold weather? Why do we hurt more when our hands and feet hit something in the cold?
There are thermoreceptors that are sensitive to temperature and nociceptors that are sensitive to pain. When the weather gets very cold, the pain receptors are deactivated and with it, it starts sending pain signals to our brain. In cold weather, the blood from our fingertips on our feet and hands is drawn towards the heart and lungs. Accordingly, the cells on our fingertips become solid.
This being the case, it makes the nerves in our hands and feet more sensitive. As a result, when we hit our hand or foot, our body instantly sends a pain signal to the brain, which normally causes us to suffer more pain. You know, everyone suffers when their little toe hits the corner of a sepha in the winter months, as if years have passed from their lives. This is exactly why we suffer so much.
What Happens If We Don’t Warm Our Frozen Hands and Feet?
The cells on our fingertips contain water. If the cells in our fingers and toes are exposed to too much cold, the water inside the cells freezes. This condition is also called cold burn. In such cases, we may completely lose our sensation in that area and cause permanent damage. Therefore, we should take care not to keep our hands and feet in the cold for a long time.
