There are people who are always cold, no matter how keen the people around them perceive it. Cold intolerance, also called cold hypersensitivity, is not uncommon and can be caused by a number of health conditions, which can be managed with the help of the doctor. To identify them, we talked with Professor Daniela Lucini, Head of Medicine at Humanitas.

Thyroid disease

Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, is one of the main causes of cold intolerance. Thyroid disease is a medical problem that requires special evaluation and treatment. There are different types of thyroid diseases. The blood tests can identify the type of problem and treat this disease with medication. Most people with thyroid problems experience a significant improvement in their symptoms with medical treatment.

Anemia

Acute anemia occurs when the red blood cells do not function optimally. There are a number of causes and types of anemia, including hereditary, environmental and nutritional causes, such as iron and vitamin B12 deficiency, and lead toxicity. Your doctor can identify anemia through a simple blood test

Malnutrition

Malnutrition does not necessarily mean that you do not have enough to eat. Malnutrition means that the food you eat does not provide the right amount of nutrients. Even an overweight person can be malnourished and deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. Likewise, a person can eat large amounts of food, but it can be malnourished if a health problem, such as malabsorption or diarrhea, prevents some of the nutrients from being absorbed into the body.

The malnutrition can cause anemia and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. If malnutrition is the result of an unhealthy diet, then changing the diet, and possibly adding vitamin supplements, is the best way to solve the problem.

Extreme thinness

Thin people are often hypersensitive to the cold. This is because body fat isolates the body, while muscle helps the body to produce heat through metabolism. If you are very thin with no muscles or body fat, you may be hypersensitive to the cold.

Circulation problems

If you’re always cold, the problem could be caused by poor circulation. Circulatory problems can make your hands and fingers feel particularly cold. Circulatory problems often make your hands and feet look pale, or even bluish. A specific circulatory condition called Raynaud’s disease is characterized by an episodic narrowing of the blood vessels, which causes the fingers or toes to appear pale or blue.

If you experience these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor. It is not possible to solve circulation problems yourself by shaking or massaging your hands or feet, it is important to consult your specialist or general practitioner.

Neuropathy

Neuropathy, a nerve disease, can produce hypersensitivity of the nerves. This hypersensitivity may in turn cause hypersensitivity to cold.

Problems with the hypophysis

The pituitary gland, which is found in the brain, regulates many of the body’s hormones, including the thyroid hormone. Problems with the function of the pituitary gland which cause excessive or insufficient activity of this gland can cause problems with temperature regulation, causing you to always feel too hot or too cold.

Hypothalamic problems

The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain that regulates hormones throughout the body and also regulates the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus controls various aspects of the body’s conditions, including the temperature, hydration and blood pressure, and regulates the body’s hormones to improve these conditions. If there are any malfunctions, one of the symptoms could be hypersensitivity to cold.

Problems with the pituitary gland

The pituitary gland, which is found in the brain, regulates many of the body’s hormones, including the thyroid hormone. Any problems in the function of the pituitary gland that cause excessive or insufficient activity of this gland can cause problems with temperature regulation, causing you to always feel too hot or too cold.

Parkinson’s disease

The feeling of cold is one of the least recognized symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Altogether, this is related to changes in autonomic function that may occur with Parkinson’s disease. Further neurological investigations may be useful to diagnose the disease, even from this uncommon symptom.

Fibromyalgia

Many people with fibromyalgia are suffering from symptoms that are inconsistent or that fluctuate over time. Fibromyalgia can cause a variety of sudden symptoms, including a sudden sensation.

Nerve injury

Nerve damage is usually the result of a traumatic accident that damages the whole or part of a nerve, causing a lack of function. However, in addition to lack of nerve function, people who experience only partial recovery from a nerve injury may experience a persistent feeling of cold or hypersensitivity to cold in the area of the body that is ruled by the damaged nerve.

Infection

During an infection the whole body may feel cold and you may even experience chills. Often, when you have an infection, you can swing between the feeling of heat and the feeling of cold, especially if you have a fever. The feeling of cold when you have an infection is largely due to the fact that your body consumes a lot more energy to combat it.

Fatigue

Lack of sleep or jet lag can make you feel colder. This feeling should resolve when the body is able to rest sufficiently.