Raynaud's of the hands is a condition that is not well understood by most physicians. Patients with this condition suffer from hyper sensitivity of the small arterioles feeding the capillary beds in the fingers and toes that when exposed to temperatures of 70 degrees farenheit or lower vasoconstriction of these arterioles occurs which shunts blood away from the tissues.

Color changes anywhere from pale white to blue/purple and deep red can occur depending on if the fingers are in a vasoconstriction or vasodilation phase. Common treatments prescribed by physicians include calcium channelblockers, nitropaste, ganglion blockers and wearing mittens, but none of these treatments are very effective at all. In extreme cases, tissue loss can occur usually starting with the nailbed or distal tip of one of the fingers or toes. Stellate ganglion blocks can be effective for a short time (2 to 7 days) but when the symptoms return they usually are more intense. Raynaud's is caused by several different factors such as collagen vascular diseases but the most common is hyperactive sympathetic nerve signal transmission to the digits. Digital sympathectomy is often tried just before loss of a digit but is usually not very effective and can injure sensory and motor nerves that run intimately close to the sympathetic nerves at the palmar or finger levels.

Micro ETS of T2 is effective in warming the hands/fingers instantly and is long lasting if all Kuntz nerves crossing the 2nd rib are divided as well. Otherwise, continued sympathetic nerve signal transmission will occur and persistent symptoms of cold painful/numb fingers recurrs. I have found that precise division of all Kuntz nerves crossing the 2nd rib and the main sympathetic nerve on both sides is effective with instant warming of the fingers occurring.