Cold intolerance is an abnormal sensitivity to a cold environment or cold temperatures.
Sensitivity to the cold; Intolerance to cold
Cold intolerance can be a symptom of a problem with metabolism.
Some people (often very thin women) do not tolerate cold temperatures because they have very little body fat to help keep them warm.
Some causes of cold intolerance are:
Follow the recommended therapy for treating the cause of the problem.
Contact your health care provider if you have long-term or extreme intolerance to cold.
Your provider will take a medical history and perform a physical examination.
Your provider's questions may include the following topics.
Time pattern:
Medical history:
Tests that may be performed include:
If your provider diagnoses cold intolerance, you may want to include the diagnosis in your personal medical record.
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Sawka MN, O'Connor FG. Disorders due to heat and cold. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 101.
Review Date:
1/18/2022 Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. |