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Scleroderma & Raynaud's UK (SRUK)

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Just found this and thought i would share ;)xx

fairygoddess83 profile image
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Dental/Raynaud's Disease Connection

In my clinical experience since 1969, I have come to the realization that 70 to 90% of all medical problems have a dental link and Raynaud's disease is no exception. The primary dental whole body connection comes from the direct effect of oral infections, toxic root canal teeth, leakage of mercury from mercury fillings, galvanic currents from mixed metals in the mouth and use of incompatible dental materials on the thyroid. Basic anatomy documents that ALL dental structures (gums, lips, tongue, jaw bone, floor of the mouth) are drained by the lymphatic tissue (sewage system of the body), which ultimately takes its contents through the thyroid gland. Once trapped in the thyroid this endocrine gland becomes under-active. The symptoms related to hypothyroidism are many:

Cold hands and feet

Lowered Immune System

Mental fog

Constipation

Muscle spasm

Weight gain

Muscle weakness

Thinning and loss of hair

Heart Palpatations

Dry Skin

Poor Digestion

Brittle Nails

Poor memory

Tooth Decay, especially

around the necks of teeth

Panic Attacks

Depression and Anxiety

Infertility

Pale or Pasty Skin color

Apathy

Chronic Fatigue

Menstrual cramps

Frequent Colds/Flu

Fluid Retention

Puffy Face (myxedema)

Lowered body metabolism

Diffuse pain (Fibromyalgia)

Hoarseness

Insomnia

Dizziness

Swollen tissues

Multiple trigger points

Headaches, worse in morning, better during day

Slow speech

Swollen tongue with scalping

Slow pulse rate

Tingling/numbness in hands and feet

Mood swings

Goiter

Intolerance to cold

High cholesterol and triglycerides

Miscarriages

Decreased sweating

Allergy disorders

Muscle and joint pain

It is this author's belief that many of the symptoms of Raynaud's Disease are directly caused by an under-active thyroid. Because an under-active thyroid lowers metabolism the body automatically shunts blood away from the hands and feet in an attempt to raise the core body temperature. Exposure to cold exacerbates the condition because the body has to conserve heat. The muscle spasm associated with Raynaud's is directly caused by the muscle weakness caused by a low functioning thyroid. Although there are other potential causes for Raynaud's Disease (see list below), this author's experience is that most cases are caused by an under-active thyroid, which is not being diagnosed because traditional blood tests ARE NOT SENSITIVE ENOUGH! It is this author's belief that many Raynaud patients are suffering needlessly because of inaccurate testing procedures and failure of the physician to interpret the patient's cluster of symptoms common to hypothyroidism.

43 years suffering from Raynaud's Diease

resolved in less than two weeks.

One of my students who took a recent post-graduate seminar (October 2007), mentioned that she suffered from Raynaud's Disease. As a dentist who had numerous mercury fillings in her own mouth from childhood and also had excess exposure to mercury vapors from removing mercury fillings from patients throughout the years became burden with mercury. The excess mercury became concentrated in her thyroid resulting in hypothyroidism. She demonstrated many of the signs and symptoms listed on the Mayo Clinic's web site for Raynaud's Disease. The dentist also had an infection in her upper left bicuspid tooth, which further burdened her thyroid. She was tested for the appropriate chelating nutrients and immune support for the infection and in less than two weeks her Raynaud's symptoms disappeared. The video testimonial (above) substantiates her case.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following discription of Raynaud's Disease appears on the Mayo Clinic's web site: mayoclinic.com.

Signs and symptoms

"Raynaud's disease is more than simply having cold hands and cold feet, and it's not the same as frostbite. Signs and symptoms of Raynaud's depend on the frequency, duration and severity of the blood vessel spasms that underlie the disorder. Signs and symptoms include:

•Sequence of color changes in your skin in response to cold or stress

•Numb, prickly feeling or stinging pain upon warming or relief of stress

At first during an attack of Raynaud's, affected areas of your skin usually turn white. Then, the areas often turn blue and feel cold and numb, and your sensory perception is dull. The affected skin may look slightly swollen. As circulation improves, the affected areas may turn red, throb, tingle or swell. The order of the changes of color isn't the same for all people, and not everyone experiences all three colors.

Occasionally, an attack affects just one or two fingers or toes. Attacks don't necessarily always affect the same digits. Although Raynaud's most commonly affects your fingers and toes, the condition can also affect other areas of your body such as your nose, cheeks, ears and even tongue. An attack may last less than a minute to several hours. Over time, attacks may grow more severe.

Causes

Doctors don't completely understand the cause of Raynaud's attacks, but blood vessels in the hands and feet appear to overreact to cold temperatures or stress. Editor's Note: any change in weather or physical activity will over-burden an underactive thyroid.

When your body is exposed to cold temperatures, your extremities lose heat. Your body slows down blood supply to your fingers and toes to preserve your body's core temperature. Your body specifically reduces blood flow by narrowing the small arteries under the skin of your extremities. In people with Raynaud's, this normal response is exaggerated. Editors Note: The response is exaggerated because the body is already functioning below normal and any event that "threatens" unbalancing the body's homeostasis is met with an exaggerated response. Stress causes a similar reaction to cold in the body, and likewise the body's response may be exaggerated. Editors note: Any stress to the body (physical, emotional or chemical) will over-burden an underactive thyroid.

With Raynaud's, arteries to your fingers and toes go into what's called vasospasm. This constricts the vessels, dramatically but temporarily limiting blood supply. Over time, these same small arteries may also thicken slightly, further limiting blood flow. The result is that affected skin turns a pale and dusky color due to the lack of blood flow to the area. Once the spasms subside and blood returns to the area, the tissue may turn red before returning to a normal color.

Cold temperatures are most likely to provoke an attack. Exposure to cold can be as simple as putting your hands under a faucet of running cold water, taking something out of the freezer or exposure to cold air. For some people, exposure to cold temperatures isn't necessary. Emotional stress alone can cause an episode of Raynaud's."

"Some researchers are studying whether Raynaud's may be partly an inherited disorder.

Primary vs. secondary Raynaud's_Raynaud's occurs in two main types:

´ Primary Raynaud's. This is Raynaud's without an underlying disease or associated medical problem that could provoke vasospasm. Also called Raynaud's disease, it's the most common form of the disorder. Primary Raynaud's typically affects the digits of both hands and both feet. ´ Secondary Raynaud's. This is Raynaud's caused by an underlying problem. Also called Raynaud's phenomenon, secondary Raynaud's usually affects both of your hands or both feet. Although secondary Raynaud's is less common than the primary form, it's often a more complex and serious disorder.

Causes of secondary Raynaud's include:

•Scleroderma. Raynaud's phenomenon occurs in the majority of people who have scleroderma — a rare disease that leads to hardening and scarring of the skin. Scleroderma, a type of connective tissue disease, results in Raynaud's because the disease reduces blood flow to the extremities. It causes tiny blood vessels in the hands and feet to thicken and to constrict too easily, promoting Raynaud's.

•Lupus. Raynaud's is also a common problem for people with lupus — an autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of your body, including your skin, joints, organs and blood vessels. An autoimmune disease is one in which your immune system attacks healthy tissue.

•Rheumatoid arthritis. Raynaud's may be an initial sign of rheumatoid arthritis — an inflammatory condition causing pain and stiffness in the joints, often including the hands and feet.

•Sjogren's syndrome. Raynaud's phenomenon can also occur in people who have Sjogren's syndrome — a rare disorder that often accompanies scleroderma, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. The hallmark of Sjogren's syndrome, a connective tissue disease, is chronic dryness of the eyes and mouth.

•Diseases of the arteries. Raynaud's phenomenon can be associated with various diseases that affect arteries, such as atherosclerosis, which is the gradual buildup of plaques in blood vessels that feed the heart (coronary arteries), or Buerger's disease, a disorder in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet become inflamed. Primary pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure that affects only the arteries of the lungs, is frequently associated with Raynaud's.

•Carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist that protects a major nerve to your hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which pressure is put on this nerve, producing numbness and pain in the affected hand. The affected hand may become more susceptible to cold temperatures and episodes of Raynaud's."

•"Repetitive trauma. Raynaud's can also be caused by repetitive trauma that damages nerves serving blood vessels in the hands and feet. In fact, nerve damage is thought to play a role in many cases of Raynaud's. Some people who type or play the piano vigorously or for long periods of time may be susceptible to Raynaud's. Workers who operate vibrating tools can develop a type of Raynaud's phenomenon called vibration-induced white finger.

•Smoking. Smoking constricts blood vessels and is a potential cause of Raynaud's.

•Injuries. Prior injuries to the hands or feet, such as wrist fracture, surgery or frostbite, can lead to Raynaud's phenomenon.

•Certain medications. Some drugs — including beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure; migraine headache medications that contain ergotamine; medications containing estrogen; certain chemotherapy agents; and drugs that cause blood vessels to narrow, such as some over-the-counter cold medications — have been linked to Raynaud's.

•Chemical exposure. Some workers in the plastics industry who are exposed to vinyl chloride develop an illness similar to scleroderma. Raynaud's can be a part of that illness.

•Other causes. Raynaud's has also been linked to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) and, rarely, to certain cancers."

(800) 272-2323 • International Center for Nutritional Research, Inc. • © 1996-2008

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20 Replies
Blue-Bunny profile image
Blue-Bunny

I'm not sure about everyone else, but my Raynaud's has nothing to do with a problem in my mouth. I have never had a dental problem so that rules out that cause.

Is this research supported by anyone else because at the moment it just looks a private dentist after more custom and anecdotal evidence is really poor evidence. Not sure what anyone else thinks but to my mind the research above needs to be reviewed and tested.

I would point out. That Raynaud's can be inherited, at least mine is. Runs straight through the family from one generation to the next.

stevieboy profile image
stevieboy in reply to Blue-Bunny

i am from a very large famliy large on both sides and lots of siplings .I am am the only one with Raynaunds and auto imume promlems as far as i know .

Blue-Bunny profile image
Blue-Bunny in reply to stevieboy

Hm, maybe not for everyone then, but then mines primary. Is yours?

I got mine from my mother, her father, his parents...

If you have secondary raynaud's on the other hand, then it's perfectly normal (it's normal anyway) to be the only one.

stevieboy profile image
stevieboy in reply to Blue-Bunny

mine started with scleroderma and other auto imumme stuff but no one else has it .Its just me .

tracynoe profile image
tracynoe

I have to agree with you Ravenshade I have not had any problems with my teeth and my mum also has raynauds. More likely that the dental problems are due to the underlying disease!!

Monika profile image
Monika

Thank you for this info. I was just wondering where one could get an accurate thyroid test if the ones usually done are not accurate.

Monika profile image
Monika

Also meant to say that I have had endless problems with my teeth and am now under the Eastman Dental Hospital in London who seem to think all my problems are linked to be raynauds and scleroderma.

Blue-Bunny profile image
Blue-Bunny in reply to Monika

Which would probably tie into tracynoe's theory that Raynaud's isn't a symptom, it's a cause.

stevieboy profile image
stevieboy in reply to Monika

yes excaly the same

mrsqwerty11 profile image
mrsqwerty11

Raynauds as nothing to do with my thyroid, test done are all ok with thyroid so I tend to disagree..

lifeforce profile image
lifeforce

I do love when anyone will share their opinions and ideas. Thank you!

dawnc profile image
dawnc

although no dental problems I've had raynaud's as a teenager. Now In my late 40's I have in the past 2 years been diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis and Hypothyroidism.

Blue-Bunny profile image
Blue-Bunny in reply to dawnc

Interesting. Although there's a possibility that the same problems could be down to just getting older, genetics or heck completely unrelated... it might be wise if research were conducted to find out if compared to a control group people with Raynaud's or Sceloderma were more likely to get Hypothyroidism.

Quick google yielded...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypot...

Now... something looks strikingly familiar.

"Stress also affects thyroid functioning through the sympathetic nervous system"

So...back to Raynaud's

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayna...

"Raynaud's phenomenon is an exaggeration of vasomotor responses to cold or emotional stress. More specifically, it is a hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system causing extreme vasoconstriction of the peripheral blood vessels, leading to tissue hypoxia"

Though whether hypothyroidism actually affects the sympathetic nervous system, I don't know much about. But it does seem like there might be something worth investigating here as to whether one has an effect at all on the other. It sounds plausible that Raynaud's could cause thyroid problems through some kind of interacting with the sympathetic nervous system, but it also seems just as possible for a thyroid problem to cause Raynaud's too.

I suspect that "Hypothyroidism" should have a diminishing effect on Raynaud's because Raynaud's is the Hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system...

Do we have any doctors around here?

Blue-Bunny profile image
Blue-Bunny in reply to Blue-Bunny

Seems like there might actually be something to this.

Case Study ish 1) jrheum.org/content/36/1/203... Raynaud's as a Symptom of Hypothyroidism in an 11 year old girl.

This abstract seems to confirm my thoughts 2) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

That said I can't find anything one way or the other and from just anecdotal evidence, you can't really draw too many conclusions.

stevieboy profile image
stevieboy

Well i have a lot of things on that list and dental promlems .

Because it causes a dry mouth and dry eye because its auto iummue so getting holes in gums and mouth infections .

I have hypothyridism scleroderma raynaunds rhumatiod Arthritis all of which will help to cause sjgeons ( spelt wrong ) Yes it is corrcet and i suppose the older you get the more it affcets you and the longer you have it ....I have just started having dental promlems .Not sure if the raynaunds causes it but all things togethor does

fairygoddess83 profile image
fairygoddess83

Hi guys thanks for the response...

I didnt think it would be for everyone..

Just thought it was a good bit of information!!

And about the mercury!!

:) xx

nanadx20 profile image
nanadx20

thanks fairygoddess83 for this info..I have a Drs. appointment this morning and will def. talk to him about this... :)

~debi~

graygirl1 profile image
graygirl1

Hi fairygoddess83,

Thank you for this information. Almost all the symptoms on the list apply to myself. I've suffered them for many years before my underactive thyroid was diagnosed. It's like which comes first, the chicken or the egg? I have been having lots of dental problems inspite of good dental practices. Everytime I see my dentist he shows me my xrays which shows the gums and bones eroding rapidly with teeth unstable. My joints are as bad and as for the poor memory, tell me about it!

I do think that all other problems are as a result of the underactive thyroid. This article has confirmed this for me. Thanks again.

Madge51 profile image
Madge51

Fascinating. I'm one of 6 and the only one who has Raynauds & Limited Systemic sclerosis. I have 3 daughters, two are twins & one has Raynauds. Go figure.

The article really resonates with me for several reasons. Born in 1951 the dental practices then seem primitive & I have a mouth full of amalgam. The puckering around my mouth makes me look like a 60/day smoker but I don't use nicotine. Small mouth is an indication of Sjogerns, and gum recession, whilst associated with ageing also, is pronounced in my case & I have cavities along the gum line.

This article confirms the conclusion that I'd come to through a process of elimination; It's like a domino effect, you can't loose weight, that increases the load on your joints & arthritis and all of this is depressing. The medical profession prescribes drugs that produce side effect so they prescribe more to alleviate those side effects & if your lucky it stops there. However, if like me you have a hiatus hernia & are on long term Omeprozol, your bones suffer - fractured rib without a fall or any impact. They need to be looking elsewhere for the root cause instead of just treating symptoms. I'm definitely going to be asking for a more sensitive thyroid test since my mums sister has that condition plus she had cancer in her jaw bone. Scary

Discontent profile image
Discontent

Unfortunately, I just found this, and I hope that my fingers can heal. Doesn't look like it. My RA said my levels were good. Something is wrong. my fingers are going away. Is it to little to late ?

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