Coronation Street Star Reveals 20-Year Battle with Raynaud's Disease

Coronation Street star Samia Longchambon has revealed that she has been battling the painful condition of Raynaud's disease for the past 20 years. The 43-year-old actress, who has played the role of Maria Connor on the ITV soap opera since 2000, has been living with the circulatory disorder for most of her time on the show.

Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition where the blood stops flowing properly to the fingers and toes, causing them to change color when the person is cold, anxious, or stressed. Longchambon has shared that while her case is relatively mild, only affecting her fingers, the condition can be quite painful when the blood returns to the affected areas.

To manage her Raynaud's, Longchambon relies on various tips, such as keeping as warm as possible, wearing gloves when it's cold, and using hand warmers. She also finds that eating or drinking anything with ginger can help improve circulation. The actress emphasizes the importance of keeping her fingers moving to get the blood flowing again, even something as simple as going down the freezer aisle at the supermarket can trigger her Raynaud's symptoms.