As people try to cut their energy bills by turning down, or sometimes even turning off, their heating, a warning is issued about the importance of keeping warm.

Raynaud’s affects your blood circulation. When you’re cold, anxious or stressed, your fingers and toes may change colour.

The charity Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK (SRUK) is urging people to look out for signs of Raynaud’s – a painful condition that affects blood circulation and is triggered by the cold. 

The charity is also concerned that high energy prices are preventing many from properly heating their homes, meaning those in Scotland who are living with Raynaud’s are likely to spend Christmas suffering in silence. 

According to SRUK, keeping warm is ‘crucial’ for living well with the condition, but a recent survey by the charity found that nine in 10 Scottish people with Raynaud’s (90 percent) reported being worried about the cost of their energy, with many choosing to limit their heating or keep it off altogether. 

SRUK is warning that many people with Raynaud’s could be jeopardising their health by cutting back on their heating this year. 

Signs of Raynaud’s include: 

• Colour changes to the skin in areas such as the hands or feet, often in response to cold conditions
• Cold and numbness in the affected areas, such as the fingers and toes
• Tingling or pain, especially as the circulation returns to the affected areas. 

Click on this link to find out more: Raynaud’s NHS Inform