I73: Other peripheral vascular diseases

I73.0: Raynaud syndrome

The arteries supply blood to the entire body. The blood transports oxygen to the entire body. When arteries go into spasm, they contract a great deal. As a result, parts of the body and organs get too little blood and oxygen. When parts of the body do not get enough oxygen, it can cause various problems.

It is usually the fingers that this disorder affects. One’s fingers may be painful or difficult to move, for example. The fingers usually first turn pale and then turn blue. When the blood supply to the fingers is sufficient once more, the fingers can go very hot and red. If the supply of blood and oxygen to the fingers is consistently poor, the fingers can get badly damaged.

The arteries often go into spasm at times of stress or when it is cold. The arteries also sometimes go into spasm due to medication or other disorders.