Freezing (synonyms: sensitivity to cold; cold sensation; ICD-10-GM R20: sensitivity disorders of the skin) occurs physiologically at low ambient temperatures or may be a nonspecific general symptom in the setting of a disease.
Freezing is triggered at low ambient temperatures to alert to the risk of critical heat loss at the skin surface.
A feeling of cold can also occur regionally, for example in the context of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (pAVK; progressive stenosis (narrowing) or occlusion (closure) of the arteries supplying the arms/ (more frequently) legs, usually due to atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries)).
A pathological cause of freezing is, for example, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland).
Freezing can turn into chills if severe.
Freezing can be a symptom of many diseases (see under “Differential diagnoses”).
Course and prognosis: Freezing can occur physiologically (“naturally”) as already described, but it can also be a symptom among other non-specific symptoms such as fatigue. To the extent that there is no physiologic cause for the freezing, the cause of the freezing should be sought.The prognosis depends on the causative disease.
