Can anyone help me? I am having very bad circulation and my feet are staying COLD, purple and "dead"... when I go to bed they warm up and circulation improves, and then during the day they either

a)will warm up and swell real bad
or
b)stay cold/ purple and I feel like the blood isn't flowing to my feet correctly (well, rather I know it isn't- due to the RSD)

but how can I fix this problem? Anything meds/ herbs/ supplements or any other ideas on how to help the circulation problem?


I have tried keeping my feet real warm (several pairs of socks) but I think the real problem is that from the RSD the blood vessels are being constricted and that is why this is happening...

With my hands I would just be sure to move them around when I felt like they were real cold, purple and losing circulation; that did help, and I was also sure not to hold my arms down at my sides when I'd walk because that would make it worse (including making the pain worse as the circulation got worse).


Has anyone tried ginkgo biloba, or something like this: http://www.herbalremedies.com/ahh-03.html ?

Thanks.

Don't know if this will help or not, but think of your calves as the pumps that send the circulated blood back to your heart. When you don't move, the pump slows and or/stops working. If your knees are bent, straighten them. All of this constricts circulation. Even if you are only sitting or laying down, flex your calf muscles and ankles. This gets things moving again. Also, DON'T CROSS YOUR LEGS !!! Again, this puts pressure on them and restricts blood flow.

I hope this helps?

Hugs and Prayers
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elevate them when possible, and mum (nurse) says shove them up so that they are higher than your heart... (lol they don't have to go round your head). Also move any muscles you can in your feet/ knees/ calves etc even if you can't contract fully.

Oh, also, a friend of mine had full body RSD and had blocks and she is now out of the wheelchair, walking normally, living normally, with minimal (2-3) pain!! so don't give up (she's your age as well......)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

when i am sitting, i always pump my feet ... like rock from toe to heel and back, it gets the circulation moving and helps to decrease the purple which is pooling of the blood in that area ... the blood goes down ther but cannot get back up. the pumping helps alot. and of course keep them warm ...
pump away .... joan

My daughter also has this problem and we have found a few things that work. Even though it hurts a ton, just gently pushing on a pillow with her foot, focussing more on her pushing her leg helps. We have also used lavendar foot baths, warm soaks, epsom salts, and a leaf her alternative dr recommended--comfrey leaf. We found it at our local co-op. We put it in a gauze, steep it in very warm water for 20 min. and wrap her foot in it. We put saran wrap over it so it doesn't stain everything and then we wrap it in a towel to keep it warm. She keeps it on for quite a while as she finds relief from it. Her foot color always looks better afterward. Not always sure if it is just the warm, moist heat or the leaf. She does think the leaf helps a ton. Everyone we have talked to has talked a lot about moving that leg to help with circulation. I do massage her leg, not just her foot as well. Blessings

My legs and feet don't want to warm up at night either. I tried the pillow thing as my Dr. said but I toss and turn too much. My feet are cold right now and it's warm in my place.

It sounds like there are some other good ideals to try such as foot baths and gauze. I will try some of these. My legs and feet take forever to warm up at night but the rest of my body stays too hot.

Ada