What do Fingernails indicate about your health?
Your fingernails can reveal many clues about your overall health. They can, also, if observed properly, act as warning bells for many ailments. A change of color, a spot on your nail, a small bump or a scratch on the surface may be a sign of disease in your body. Ailments of the liver, lungs and heart often show up in the texture and color of your nails. Read the following to decipher what your nails are trying to tell you about your body.
Pale Nails
Pale nails are usually linked to aging. However, if you have very pale nails or if your nails go white it could indicate the presence of the following illnesses or conditions:
§ Anemia
§ Heart Disease or an impending heart attack
§ Liver disease
§ Malnutrition
White Nails
If a large portion of your nail becomes white with darker shades on the rims, it could mean you are suffering from liver problems such as hepatitis. Jaundice, which is another liver ailment can also causes discoloration of the nails giving them an off white tinge.
Yellow Nails
Yellow nails are most commonly caused by fungal infections or fungal growth. If the infection is not identified and cured, it may lead to the retraction of the nail bed and the nails may become thicker until they crumble eventually. In some cases, yellow nails could also indicate serious conditions like severe case of thyroid disease, lung ailments, diabetes and sometimes, even psoriasis.
Bluish Nails
Your nails go blue when your body is not getting sufficient oxygen. Extreme cases of oxygen deprivation can also lead to bluish skin, but nails are usually the first indicators. Bluish nails could also indicate an infection in the lungs like pneumonia. Diabetics are also prone to having nails with a light bluish base.
Wavy patterns on Nails
If the surface of your nail is rippled or pitted as if someone took a comb and created the pattern on it, it may be an early indication of psoriasis. It could also be an indication of inflammatory arthritis. Psoriasis is a skin condition that starts in the nails with an incidence of 10%.
Cracked Nails
If your nails become dry and brittle, they become prone to cracking and splitting. Cracked or split nails could be indicators of thyroid disease and if they are accompanied by a yellowish tinge, they could indicate a fungal infection.
Swollen Nail Fold
If the skin that surrounds your nail starting from the cuticle looks red and swollen, then it is known as inflammation of the nail fold. This inflammation could be the result of lupus or any other connective tissue disorder.
Lines / Bands beneath the Nails
If you ever notice dark lines or bands that appear beneath your nails, then visit a physician immediately, because chances are that these lines or bands are caused by melanoma, a very harmful kind of skin cancer.
Chewed Nails
Biting and chewing your nails might be an old and childhood habit of yours, but it could indicate signs of anxiety and may even result in infection in the digestive tract. Persistent nail biting and chewing could also indicate Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If you are not able to control your habit, see a doctor and seek professional help immediately.
Changes in your nail texture, color and appearance could mean that you have a health condition that needs to be addressed, but this is not necessarily true in all cases. It could turn out to be perfectly harmless and the result of poor hygiene. So don't panic each time you notice a minorchange in your nail appearance. See a doctor or a dermatologist who can help you understand the real cause of the change.
Best Regards
Prakash Nair
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