Recent Blog Articles
New Harvard tool helps fact-check cancer claims
Hand pain from arthritis? This may help
Polio: What parents need to know now
Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: When and where is it safe?
Have lupus? What to know about birth control
Screening at home for memory loss: Should you try it?
Travel tummy troubles: Here’s how to prevent or soothe them
Easy, delicious summer veggie meals will help stretch your food budget
Tracking viruses: The best clues may be in the sewer
Promising therapy if PSA rises after prostate cancer surgery
In Brief: Viagra may help with cold feet and hands
In Brief
Viagra may help with cold feet and hands
The erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs all work in pretty much the same way. They relax constricted blood vessels in the penis by inhibiting an enzyme (phosphodiesterase type 5) crucial to the complicated business of maintaining proper blood vessel "tone." The spongy erectile tissue in the penis swells when blood flows in through dilated (opened) blood vessels. The erection is maintained by swollen tissue pressing on veins so the blood can't escape.
People with Raynaud's syndrome also have a problem with uptight blood vessels: The small blood vessels that supply their feet and hands go into spasm, usually in response to cold or occasionally stress. Because blood can't get through, their fingers and sometimes toes become numb and painful. In severe cases, which usually involve connective tissue disease, Raynaud's can result in the death of tissue and complications like gangrene.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
