Everyone knows that you need to keep your feet warm since childhood, but what to do if your feet are constantly cold and you can’t cope with this problem on your own?

Feet are cold: reasons

There are many reasons why your feet may be cold. This may be caused by poor-quality shoes, the habit of dressing too lightly in the cold season, a peculiarity of the person’s constitution, or internal diseases.

Most often, women between 15 and 45 years old have cold feet., this is due to hormonal characteristics body and the habit of the fair sex to pay more attention to beauty rather than to the practicality and thermal insulation properties of shoes. Older people often face this problem - after 50 years, most of them have impaired hormonal balance, develops one or more diseases vascular systems s, and the body is affected by many predisposing factors, such as overweight, smoking and not proper nutrition.

The most common reasons why your feet are cold

1. If your feet only get cold outside or in certain conditions, then most likely the culprit is too light or tight shoes, incorrectly selected clothes, and others. similar reasons. In such cases, feet get cold only in the cold season and only outside the house - as soon as you come home and put on warm slippers, all problems immediately disappear;

2. It is much more difficult if your feet are cold all the time, even in a warm room, and no warm shoes or woolen socks can save the situation. Constantly cold feet - a sign of circulatory disorders in the lower extremities and it is necessary to find out exactly what caused it.

Why do my feet always get cold?

1. Vegetative-vascular dystonia– with this disease, the normal innervation of blood vessels changes, the speed of blood flow in the vessels decreases and capillary circulation is disrupted. People suffering from VSD are constantly cold, they have cold and slightly damp feet and palms, as well as a tendency to headaches, migraines, fainting and exercise intolerance;

2. Anemia and other deficiency conditions - a lack of iron, vitamins A, E, C and others provokes a decrease in oxygen in the blood, makes blood vessels weaker and more brittle, and also worsens blood circulation in general. In these conditions, a person feels constant fatigue, drowsiness, headaches, often gets sick and cannot warm up even in a warm room;

3. Varicose veins veins– ugly “stars” on the vessels are not all that occurs with this disease. The structure and muscle tone of blood vessels are disrupted, in lower limbs blood flows with difficulty, which is why the patient feels pain and numbness, swelling appears on the legs, and they are constantly cold;

4. Change blood pressure – prolonged hyper- or hypotension also leads to circulatory disorders. At low pressure, the blood flow in the lower extremities weakens, and at high pressure it hardly flows into the spasmodic vessels of the legs;

5. Hormonal disorders – decreased function thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus and age-related changes in women they also often cause constant chilly feet. Hypothyroidism is characterized by constant fatigue, tearfulness, decreased mood, arrhythmias, brittle nails and hair. Diabetes mellitus causes increased sweating, increased heart rate, rapid decline or an increase in body weight, as well as a violation of the innervation of the lower extremities - the legs cease to feel heat, touch and even pain;

7. Taking some medicines – long-term use beta-blockers, other drugs that lower blood pressure, drugs containing ergot and some others, cause spasm of peripheral vessels and a feeling of coldness in the legs and palms;

8. Other reasons - feeling constant cold in the legs can be caused by other, less common diseases: grade 3-4 osteochondrosis, severe allergies, fungal infection, obliterating endarteritis and others.

What to do if your feet are cold

If your feet remain cold all the time and all your efforts to warm them are in vain, you should think about immediate appeal see your doctor, your body may need urgent help and treatment. And if so unpleasant feeling occurs periodically and does not cause any special problems, you can cope with cold feet using the following methods:

• Take a contrast shower to strengthen blood vessels and do contrast foot baths;
• Walk barefoot more and purchase a special massage mat for your feet;
• Massage your feet daily - on your own or with the help of special massagers;
• Do every evening foot baths With sea ​​salt or pine needles;
• Rub your feet with vodka or apple cider vinegar;
• Soar your feet with mustard

And besides, you should take your health seriously: start doing gymnastics or go to gym, establish proper nutrition, give up bad habits and strong coffee, sleep more and be less nervous, take a course of vitamins and buy yourself only comfortable shoes!

If doctors hear complaints from patients that their feet often get cold, they begin to find out the reason for this, asking questions about when, why and how often their feet get cold. Experts know: sometimes this “trivial” problem becomes one of the first symptoms of serious disorders in the body, and therefore it cannot be ignored.

If you notice that you often have cold extremities, answer yourself a few questions to quickly determine the cause of their freezing on your own or with a doctor.

When did you notice that your feet began to get cold?

Outdoors in cold weather? Or maybe you work in cold rooms?

If you are wearing shoes for the season, pay attention to the following. After you enter warm room or go home, take off your shoes, are your feet warm? If yes, then blood circulation in your feet is impaired due to narrow shoes, change them to warmer and more comfortable ones. It is better to buy a pair one size larger than your feet, as tight shoes squeeze the limbs and blood does not flow to the feet in the required amount.

Do you have a sedentary job?

This is also a serious risk factor. If you don't periodically stretch your legs, they will freeze for the same reason - tight shoes and insufficient blood flow to the extremities.

If you constantly have cold extremities...

...no means help to warm them up, and you don’t know what to do, contact a doctor immediately. This is a symptom of hemodynamic disorders in the lower extremities. The doctor will find out the consequences of this disease and prescribe a course of treatment.

Reasons why feet and toes are cold even in summer:

To the most common diseases of our modern life with signs of circulatory disorders of the extremities include:

1. Vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD)- the disease of the century. Every second person in the Russian Federation suffers from this disease. It is manifested by vascular spasms, disturbances of blood flow through the arteries and veins. All this leads to headaches, pressure surges and, as a consequence, to cold feet even when warm.
2. Blood pressuree. With low pressure in the human body, the high-speed blood flow through the vessels changes, which disrupts the exchange of the capillary network of the legs and arms. With increased pressure, vasospasm occurs, and the limbs become cold.
3. Varicose veins. Because of this disease, blood circulation through the vessels is slower, and the limbs suffer and become cold.
4. Anemia. It appears when there is a lack of iron in the diet. There is less and less hemoglobin in the blood; it does not receive enough oxygen, which is why the extremities are always cold.
5. Hypothyroidism- this is a violation metabolic processes thyroid gland. It leads to diabetes mellitus and occurs with age hormonal imbalance in the body, which can lead to cooling of the legs.
6. Osteochandrosis. The disease affects articular cartilage, which can be located in different parts of the human musculoskeletal system. This sometimes also causes a “tendency” to cold feet.
7. Some types allergies are also the reason why you can’t warm up cold hands and feet.
8. Frostbite leads to constantly cold extremities.
9. From lack liquids in the body, the limbs of the legs also lose the ability to maintain optimal temperature.
10. Worth giving up bad habits – smoking,usealcoholic drinks. They destroy healthy work vessels. This disorder may be affected by long-term depression or stress.

IN winter period Frequent freezing of the feet is familiar to everyone. Walking on a cold floor can cause your feet to freeze, even if the temperature inside the room is optimal. Therefore, many people put on woolen socks towards the end of November, and put them away only at the beginning of April. This is typical for the Russian climate.

If your feet regularly freeze, despite warm shoes and socks, it means that one of the body systems is not functioning correctly.

It is worth getting examined if your feet are cold:

• constantly;
• equally in warm and cold weather;
• take a long time to warm up even in warm water;
• at optimal air temperature.

Associated symptoms indicating the need for medical examination:

• general fatigue;
• painful sensations in the legs;
• constant drowsiness;
• obesity 1, 2 or 3 degrees;
• problems with veins.

This problem occurs more often in women. This protective function organism, the main purpose of which is to preserve offspring. At the slightest hint of the possibility of freezing, a rush of blood occurs specifically to the reproductive and other organs.

This does not exclude the possibility of freezing of the lower extremities in men. They also face this. Regardless of gender, a constant feeling of coldness in the legs is a symptom of a dysfunction in the body.

Possible causes of freezing feet:

Important! These are the main diseases, a symptom of which may be frequent freezing of the feet. To identify any of them, you must go through medical examination. It is impossible to make such a diagnosis on your own. Self-medication may cause serious harm to the body!

There may be other reasons that are not related to serious diseases:

• poor nutrition, lack of vitamins in the body;
• smoking;
• excess weight;
• nervous disorders;
• pregnancy.

Treatment

To choose a method of combating such a disease, you need to know the real reason his appearance. If any associated symptoms, described above, further actions An experienced specialist will advise you. He will prescribe tests, the results of which will make a diagnosis.

If there are no other symptoms, you should do several simple rules which will help in the fight against freezing feet.

• Clothing and shoes must be appropriate for the weather. The priority should be not fashion and beauty, but warmth and comfort. If internal organs will be protected from the cold, the body will not take heat from the legs to warm them.
• Shoes should always be loose. Tight shoes impair blood circulation, which can make your feet feel cold.
• You should change your diet in favor of protein foods. Vitamin C is needed by the body at any time of the year, not only in winter. Its excess is excreted in the urine, there is no reason to worry about its excess. Apples, liver and buckwheat contain a lot of iron. Pomegranate juice is beneficial.
• It is worth giving up smoking in extreme cold.
• During the cold season, you cannot go outside without saturating your body with calories. Breakfast should become a healthy habit.
• Even if there is sedentary work You should move more, do exercises, and walk more. Sport perfectly trains all body systems, dispersing blood throughout the body.
• If your feet are cold. You should take care of warm socks and insoles.
• Shoes must be dry. After a walk in the cold season, you need to dry your shoes, otherwise dampness will form in them.

Folk remedies

Warming ointments and tinctures give good results. They are easy to make at home with just a few ingredients on hand.

• Pepper tincture. For one bottle of vodka you need two hot peppers or two tablespoons of ground red pepper. In both cases, pepper is added to vodka and left for at least a day. After this, the tincture is rubbed into the feet. The procedure is carried out twice a day.
• Pepper cream. Red ground pepper and rosemary oil is added to baby cream, which is used to lubricate the feet. One tube of cream will require half a teaspoon of pepper. Rub in before going outside during the cold season.
• Mustard. This method is often used for colds. Legs are lowered into hot water With mustard powder. Add water as it cools to keep the temperature high. The procedure dilates blood vessels, warms the legs, and helps fight colds.

Important! Keep your head cool and your feet warm. This rule will help maintain health for many years.

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Anna Mironova

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As a rule, we pay little attention to the “chilliness” of our feet and hands. As a last resort, we wear warmer boots outside and warm socks in the apartment. And few people think about why, even at night in bed, their feet remain “icy” - and until they warm up, sleep does not come.

Why do extremities get cold, and what symptoms can be considered alarming?

The main reasons for always freezing hands and feet - which of us is more likely to have cold hands and feet?

When your feet and hands are cold from drafts in the apartment, hypothermia or wet shoes, this is normal. The problem is resolved quickly and does not require close examination.

Video: Why are your hands and feet cold, and what to do?

But if your limbs remain cold even in a warm room, and you are so used to it that you don’t even pay attention, You should still pay attention to the problem and find the cause.

When to see a doctor if you have constantly cold hands and feet – don’t miss the disease!

If cold extremities are not a one-time phenomenon (or associated with specific reasons), but permanently, you should listen to your body. Under such a seemingly innocent symptom, one of the diseases described above may be hidden.

You should consult a doctor if, in addition to chilly hands and feet, you periodically or constantly notice...

• Dizziness and fatigue.
• Tinnitus.
• Rapid heartbeat, heart pain.
• Obvious pallor of the skin.
• Pressure changes and headaches.
• Flashes of hot and cold.
• Increased irritability.
• Numbness and tingling in various parts bodies.
• Sudden weight gain (loss).
• Lethargy and depression.
• Constant swelling of the face.
• Memory loss.
• Feeling of aching and aching pain.
• Etc.

Remember that self-medication is unacceptable! Only an examination by a specialist will help to accurately identify the cause and select the necessary treatment.

Trying to find the cause on your own may make the problem worse (a disease found on early stage, much easier to treat).

How to warm chilly limbs if there is no disease, but your feet and hands are cold - 8 best ways

If the problem of regular freezing of extremities is familiar to you, then First of all, contact a specialist and find out the reason.

You can warm your hands and feet at home in the following ways:

1. Massage with essential oil. Oils with ginger, cinnamon or black pepper extract are recommended (these components help dilate blood vessels). Massage should be carried out until the feet are completely warm.
2. Bath with sea salt. Also add a couple of tablespoons of milk and 2-3 drops of rosemary oil. After the bath, massage your feet with cream and put on cotton socks.
3. After a bath, put dry mustard plasters on your feet in cotton socks. You can use a warming light ointment.
4. Do the bicycle exercise. In the “lying on your back” position, raise your legs up and “pedal” for 5-6 minutes. Then massage your feet - 2 minutes of massage for each.
5. Contrast baths. A great way to warm your feet and strengthen your body. The procedure should become regular. It increases vascular tone and is a good help for people suffering from “chilliness”. It is recommended to carry out the procedure 20-30 minutes before bedtime. In one basin the water is 30-35 degrees, in the other - 12-15. Immerse your feet in warm water for 3-5 minutes, then in cold water for 10 seconds, then in warm water again, etc. Repeat 5-6 times. Then dry your feet and put on socks. Remember about contraindications (one of them is varicose veins).
6. Ground red pepper. It should be poured into socks and worn until your feet are warm. It does not cause skin burns when dry, and slight skin irritation is insignificant.
7. Alcohol compress. After the bath, put on cotton socks and wet them bottom part vodka, and put on wool socks on top. The warming effect is quite fast.
8. Nuts or balls. We squeeze them tightly in our chilled palms and roll them with rotational movements for 2-4 minutes. Next, lower the nuts to the floor and roll them with your feet for 4-5 minutes.

• , your diet should contain everything essential vitamins and microelements.
• Load up on kiwi, blackcurrant and oranges: Vitamin C helps regulate blood clotting. Seeds and nuts help strengthen the walls of capillaries. Prunes, yolks and homemade apples are a source of iron.
• Eat less and more often. After eating, your body uses energy to digest food, so your body temperature drops slightly immediately after eating.
• Play sports and quit bad habits : it is important to strengthen blood vessels.
• Replace coffee with hot tea made with infusions of herbs and berries. Tea with ginger is extremely useful for blood vessels and as a warming agent from the inside.
• Choose the right shoes. Feet should not sweat or become hypothermic. Also, their shoes should not be tight: tight shoes sharply impair blood circulation in the legs.
• Swap tight jeans for roomier clothes. Tight garments on the lower half of the body slow down blood circulation in the legs (as well as tight turtleneck sleeves - in the hands).
• Constantly stretch your legs and arms if you have a sedentary job. Squats, walking, light gymnastics - exercises will help “disperse the blood” and speed up its passage through the vessels.
• If possible, visit the Russian bathhouse more often.

1. Place frozen feet and hands under hot water.
2. Warm up with alcohol (note - it does not warm, but only temporarily dilates the blood vessels, and the heat transfer increases greatly).
3. Cross your legs over your legs. Give up this habit categorically. Blood circulation in this position is disrupted after 10 minutes.

Video: Remedy for chilly hands and feet at home

Website website provides background information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible only under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. Whenever alarming symptoms consult a specialist!

Cold lower extremities are a pathology of the legs, which is easily explained and is associated with accelerated heat transfer during autumn or winter cold weather.

But if the feet begin to freeze in the summer in warm or hot weather, then this is an ominous sign that something is happening in the human body. pathological processes, which you should pay attention to in time.

Natural causes

Physiologically normal cooling skin legs may occur due to:

• constant and excessive insulation of feet at home under normal conditions;
• impaired blood flow due to incorrect position body within long period time: sitting with legs tucked under oneself or crossed;
• using tight shoes that are not the right size;
• hypothermia, getting wet lower body;
• impaired telecommunication in thin people tall people(due to low content subcutaneous fat deposits);
• pregnancy - in such a situation, increased blood circulation is redirected to the pelvic and abdominal area;
• menopause in women;
• being in a stressful situation.

Often the feet begin to freeze in senile and elderly people, in infants (due to the immaturity of normal thermoregulation).

To get rid of an unpleasant manifestation, it is enough to eliminate the factor that causes it: carry out hardening measures, wear comfortable breathable clothes made of natural materials, shoes, change your body position.

Pathological causes of cold feet

Feet can freeze due to various internal pathologies(as one of the symptoms); higher level glucose, iron deficiency, vascular abnormalities, tendency to allergies, etc.

Diabetes mellitus

In insulin-dependent people suffering diabetes mellitus, is developing concomitant disease– peripheral diabetic neuropathy. It is characterized by a slowdown in blood flow capillary network, as a result of which the blood vessels of the arms and legs do not receive enough heat and nutrients. At severe course diseases on the soles of the feet, ulcers, callous formations develop, microcracks and wounds occur (diabetic foot). The danger of the pathology lies in the fact that sensitivity is impaired and the person does not feel pain. As a result, there is a risk of developing gangrene and it may be necessary to amputate the affected limb.

Anemia

Anemia is a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is responsible for providing the tissues and organs of the body with oxygen. Due to pathology, the passage of metabolic processes slows down, observed sharp decline temperature in the extremities, they begin to regularly freeze not only in the cold, but also in the heat.

Vascular diseases

Spasm of blood vessels, their fragility and thinness are some of the possible reasons why extremities begin to freeze. At the first appearance of a symptom, a mandatory consultation with a vascular surgeon is necessary.

Raynaud's syndrome

The disease provokes spasms of small blood arteries, arterioles As a result, the blood supply to the area changes, and there is a lack of nutrients and oxygen. Heat exchange is disrupted.

Obliterating endarteritis

Develops due to difficulty moving arterial blood caused by inflammation inner surface vessels. The disease is accompanied by the formation of blood clots, pain when walking, tissue necrosis (as a result of lack of blood supply).

Venous stagnation

It is caused by improper functioning of the superficial and internal veins. The disease leads to a decrease in temperature in the extremities, the formation of edema associated with excess fluid accumulation in the cells, the appearance painful symptoms in the legs, worsening at night, after long hikes, increased physical activity.

Varicose veins

The disease is caused by inadequate functioning of the venous valves, the result of which is high blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels. This causes disruption of blood circulation, voids form in the veins, heat transfer is disrupted, the legs become numb, cold, and begin to swell and ache.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia

Pathology associated with the inability to timely and adequately change the width of blood vessels with changing external factors environment.

Low or high blood pressure

Affects the strength of blood flow (strengthens it or weakens it) in central or peripheral vessels.

Hypothyroidism

Metabolic disorder caused by thyroid dysfunction. Characteristic features pathologies are a feeling of fatigue, cold, apathy, decreased perceptual activity, memory impairment. The symptoms are complemented by pale skin, brittle nails, and decreased appetite.

Atopic dermatitis in childhood

Coldness of the skin may be a consequence of the fact that in childhood a person suffered from severe diathesis (allergies).

Taking certain medications

Treatment with certain medications can lead to disruption of heat exchange in the legs. Similar phenomenon occurs when using beta-blockers (Atenolol, Anaprilin), drugs created on the basis of ergot.

Acute allergic reactions

Active heat loss occurs with urticaria and Quincke's edema due to the rapid expansion of small blood vessels.

Neurological problems

Pathologies nervous system, which are potential provocateurs for the fact that the feet are very cold:

• diseases of peripheral innervating fibers: inflammation of the lumbar plexus, sciatic nerve neuromas;
• intervertebral hernia (lumbar and sacral);
• strokes, paresis, accompanied by complete or partial loss of sensation in the limbs.

Other reasons

At risk are:

• people suffering from obesity and overweight, physical inactivity;
• smokers;
• pregnant women.

Causes of freezing feet in certain categories of patients

Let's consider the specific provoking factors of freezing of the feet, characteristic of representatives of certain groups.

In children

In the early childhood The thermoregulation system has not yet been sufficiently formed, and therefore it does not work fully. This explains why their heels and toes are constantly cold.

The reasons why children’s feet are constantly cold, just like adults’, are:

• improper blood circulation (due to an existing disease);
• light weight;
• vitamin deficiency;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• incorrect posture;
• tight shoes, narrow, tight-fitting clothes;
• psychosomatic factor.

Icy feet at 5-6 years old may signal high temperature bodies.

During pregnancy

During gestation heavy load falls on the region pelvic organs. To provide good nutrition and oxygen supply, blood circulation increases in this area (due to decreased blood flow in the legs), changes occur in the functioning of the thyroid gland.

In older people

In older and older people, slow blood flow and a feeling of coldness in the legs occur due to:

• hormonal changes;
• gradual weight loss, loss of muscle mass.

Cold feet with sweating

Excessive sweating of the feet is a sign of hyperhidrosis (a tendency to increased sweating, occurs more often in men).

Similar symptoms also accompany:

• infectious diseases (tuberculosis);
• intoxication.

suffer from similar manifestations people with alcohol and drug addiction (with a sudden change in lifestyle).

Diagnostics

Since the nature of the anomaly is different, diagnosis should be aimed at identifying all possible causes and factors causing it. To establish a reliable diagnosis, a comprehensive examination is prescribed:

• blood vessels and heart;
• nerves and brain;
• genitourinary system.

Which doctor should I contact?

The patient's initial appointment is carried out by a therapist. He gives directions for tests, prescribes the necessary instrumental examinations. Further, based on the results obtained, a consultation with a phlebologist (vascular surgeon), cardiologist, or urologist may be required.

Treatment for cold feet

The disease is treated by eliminating the cause that provoked its development.

Medicines

If cold toes are a sign vascular diseases, then in this case the patient is prescribed:

• Ascorutin;
• Piracetam;
• Troxerutin;
• Neuromultivitis.

These drugs strengthen blood vessels, reduce their fragility, and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

Gymnastics

Physical techniques prevent blood stagnation in the vessels, normalize blood circulation, and promote the development and strengthening of muscles. If your feet are cold, you can do next complex gymnastic exercises:

• “Shaking”: while lying on your back, raise your legs up and perform vibration movements.
• “Reed in the wind”: turn on your stomach, bend your knees, and swing them lightly.
• Squats.
• Walking on outside feet.
• Picking up small objects lying on the floor with your toes.

Foot massage

Massage movements help improve blood circulation in tissues and prevent congestion. You can carry out the massage procedure yourself at home. The algorithm for its implementation includes:

• Warming up: rub your legs starting from the feet, moving to the toes, then moving to the calves, shins, and thighs.
• Massage your feet first light strokes, then the movements become intense, pressing.

Traditional methods

Knows what to do if your feet are cold alternative medicine. Helps treat cold feet folk recipes based on the action of natural natural ingredients. To warm the extremities, compresses, rubbing, contrast and herbal baths are used.

Before starting treatment, be sure to establish accurate diagnosis and consult a doctor.

1. Alcohol compress. Clean, warm woolen socks are moistened with alcohol (vodka, homemade moonshine), squeezed out and put on pre-steamed feet.
2. Hot pepper. The feet are steamed in warm water, lubricated with rich cream (vegetable or melted butter is suitable), pepper is applied, and socks are put on top.
3. Tincture of Sophora. Flowers or fruits are poured with alcohol and infused (0.5 liters of alcohol requires 50 grams of plant material). You should drink the medicine three times a day, one tsp. The product is recommended for blood pressure disorders, the course of treatment is from 12 to 16 weeks.
4. Mistletoe leaves. Crushed white or red mistletoe (1 tsp) is brewed with one glass of boiling water and left overnight. Drink two tablespoons before meals every day for three or four months.
5. Baths with pine oil. Prepare hot baths before bed: two liters warm water dilute 22 drops of pine needles (eucalyptus) ether, lower your feet into the liquid, leave for half an hour until the feeling of numbness disappears. After completing the procedure, problem areas are insulated.
6. Contrast foot baths before bed. The procedure helps restore normal blood circulation. To carry it out, you need to take two containers - with cold and warm water, then alternately lower the limbs into each of them, holding the legs for a few seconds in each.

Prevention methods

To prevent a constant feeling of cold in your feet, it is recommended:

• walk barefoot on grass, sand, small stones, pebbles;
• avoid overheating your feet, walk around the house without shoes more often;
• massage your feet regularly;
• maintain constant physical activity;
• harden the body with contrast shower, baths;
• ensure correct posture;
• strengthen musculoskeletal system by doing physical exercise, playing sports;
• organize a full-fledged and balanced diet nutrition, replenish the existing deficiency of vitamins, microelements, proteins, fatty acids;
• after long stay in the cold should be taken warm bath, you can warm up with tea.

If a person’s feet are always cold, this is a symptom that requires timely detection and eliminating the causes that caused it. Ignoring such a signal can lead to serious health problems requiring long-term and complex treatment.