Chilblains

When your hands or feet (and sometimes other parts of the body, especially your ears and nose) get too cold, they can be injured or react in different ways. The most severe cold injury is frostbite, which is true tissue freezing (ice crystals form in skin and other tissues of the body).

Frostbite causes permanent damage to blood vessels and other structures. Frostnip is also ice crystal formation in tissues but only in the very outer layer of the skin. It causes no permanent damage. Immersion injury results from exposure of wet feet (or hands) to cold  temperatures at or above freezing. It develops over hours to days and damages the nerves and muscles. Like frostbite, immersion injury causes permanent damage. Other injuries due to cold  hands or feet are Raynaud syndrome, cryoglobulin formation cold  urticaria, pernio and chilblains . Pernio is caused by exposure to cold  for a long period of time without freezing or by very wet conditions. Raynaud syndrome is an abnormal narrowing of the blood  vessels with cooling of the fingers or toes. Cryoglobulins are proteins, which are normally dissolved in the blood , that become solids or gels when cold . Chilblains , also called perniosis or blain, when occurring on the feet, is a medical condition that is often confused with frostbite and trench foot. Chilblains  are acral ulcers that occur when a predisposed individual is exposed to cold  and humidity. Causes are idiopathic or manifestations of serious medical conditions that need to be investigated.

Chilblains can be prevented by keeping the feet and hands warm in cold  weather. Humans are tropical animals. We are adapted to a warm climate. When exposed to cold , the body tries to stay warm. If the body is cooling off, circulation decreases in arms, legs, ears, and nose so that the rest of the body can stay warm. When temperatures are below freezing, ice may form in these areas with less circulation . Non-freezing cold injuries are also caused by cooling of the skin. In immersion injuries, the nerves and blood  vessels are damaged after exposure to cold , wet conditions at or above freezing temperatures. The formation of hives in response to cold  exposure of the skin is called cold  urticaria.

Treatment at home for Chilblains : Keep area warm Avoid scratching Anti-itch creams, such as Calamine lotion Zambuk ointment Nifedipine may be used in more severe or recurrent cases. Its vasodilation helps reduce pain, facilitate healing and prevent recurrences

Essential oils of Black Pepper, Ginger and Lemon.

Put 4 drops of each essential oil into a bowl of 5 litres of warm (not hot) water and soak the feet for at least 1 hour. Wrap them up in a warm towel. Mix 2 drops of Chamomile Roman essential oil, 2 drops Cypress essential oil, 2 drops Juniper essential oil and 2 drops Marjoram essential oil with 30ml carrier cream or carrier oil and massage into the feet.

Chamomile Roman 10% Dilute Essential Oil - Chamaemelum Nobile

A wonderful oil which has so many valuable properties Chamomile would be a great one to always keep in and can be used in skin care, musuclar aches and pains and digestive problems.

£4.00

Chamomile Roman Pure Essential Oil - Chamaemelum Nobile (10ml)

Chamomile is a great oil to use for nervous disorders. It is soothing and calming and can help where a person is irritable or nervous. It can also help with insomnia.

£10.25

Cypress Essential Oil - Cupressus Sempervirens (10ml)

Cypress is a great asset for any sort of skin care. It can be used for varicose veins or haemorroids, it is great for sweating and can help with the menstrual cycle.

£3.75

Ginger Essential Oil - Zingiber Officinale (10ml)

Ginger is great for muscular aches and pains. Dilute it in carrier oil and massage straight onto the area. Use Ginger for nausea and sickenss as well as colds, fevers and flu.

£4.25

Juniper Essential Oil (10ml)

Juniper has a special affinity with the urino-genital tract and can be used to treat many associated conditions. It is also good for respiratory problems and certain skin conditions.

£4.25

Lemon Essential Oil - Citrus Limon (10ml)

This antiseptic and anti-bacterial oil will perform many tasks especially when blended with other oils, including treating verrucas, insect bites and tension headaches. It has a tonic action on the lymphatic system and a stimulating action on the digestive system. It will aid slimming, help shift cellulite and smooth out those wrinkles

£2.75

Lemon Tea Tree Essential Oil (10ml)

Lemon Teatree is unusual in that it is active against all three varieties of infectious organisms - bacteria, fungi and viruses. Excellent in all sorts of skin care, treating veruccas, for whooping cough and other respiratory problems and for infectious illnesses such as chicken pox.

£5.25

Marjoram Essential Oil - Origanum Marjorana (10ml)

Marjoram as we might expect can help with the digestion. It is useful for bruises and chilblains. Marjoram can also have a warming effect on the mental and emotional level and can help people suffereing from grief.

£4.05

Black Pepper Essential Oil - Piper Nigrum (10ml)

Black Pepper is best used for circulation and sore muscles. It is good for chilblains and can help the digestive tract as well as being valuable for catarrh and chills.

£4.25