Meaning & use
Raynaud's phenomenon
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablemedical
The medical pattern in which fingers or toes change color and go numb in response to cold or stress.
Grammar: Used as a mass noun: 'Raynaud's phenomenon is common.' The plural 'phenomena' is not used with this name.
Patterns
- Raynaud's phenomenon occurs
- cause Raynaud's phenomenon
- people with Raynaud's phenomenon
Raynaud's phenomenon makes her fingertips turn white when she opens the freezer.
Doctors ask about Raynaud's phenomenon when a patient reports cold, numb fingers.
In cold weather, Raynaud's phenomenon can affect the toes as well as the hands.
noununcountablemedicalspecialist
This set of symptoms when it appears as a sign of another disease, such as lupus or scleroderma.
Grammar: In this sense it contrasts with Raynaud's disease, which has no other cause.
Patterns
- secondary Raynaud's phenomenon
- Raynaud's phenomenon associated with something
Secondary Raynaud's phenomenon often starts later in life than the primary form.
Her Raynaud's phenomenon is linked to an underlying connective tissue disease.
Common combinations
- primary Raynaud's phenomenon
- Primary Raynaud's phenomenon usually causes no lasting damage.
- secondary Raynaud's phenomenon
- Secondary Raynaud's phenomenon can be a first sign of lupus.
- trigger Raynaud's phenomenon
- Cold rooms and stress can trigger Raynaud's phenomenon.
- symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon
- The symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon often come and go.
- diagnosed with Raynaud's phenomenon
- He was diagnosed with Raynaud's phenomenon after years of cold hands.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Raynaud's disease
- Often used for the same symptoms when no other illness is involved.
- Raynaud's syndrome
- A close term, often preferred when the problem is linked to another condition.
Word family
- Raynaud's disease noun
- The name used when the symptoms occur without another disease.
- Raynaud's syndrome noun
- Another name for the same circulation problem.
Commonly confused: Raynaud's phenomenon or phenomena?
Raynaud's phenomenon vs phenomena
'Phenomena' is the plural of 'phenomenon' in general English, but the medical name is fixed as Raynaud's phenomenon and is not pluralized.
Practice
Which sentence uses the term correctly?
Choose one answer.
The name is uncountable, so it takes no article: 'has Raynaud's phenomenon.' Adding 'a' or using 'phenomena' treats it as a countable common noun, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Raynaud's phenomenon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.