Your fingernails aren’t just for aesthetic appeal, they can indicate a lot about your health too. The state of your nails, their growth rate, color, and thickness are all indications of your wellness or any underlying chronic diseases. Below we give you some nail symptoms which warrant immediate medical attention. Problems in the liver, lungs and even heart are indicated in your nails.
Read on to know more about your Nail Health!
Pale Nails
Very pale nails can often be an indication of illnesses such as
- Liver disease
- Malnutrition
- Anemia
If your nails appear very pale, with no signs of pink, speak to your doctor about it!
Yellow Nails
Many people’s nails yellow with age. Even when you indulge in habits like smoking, it’s bound to leave you with yellow nails. However, yellow, crumbly and thick nails are a sign of a fungal infection.
In some cases, yellow nails could also be a sign of psoriasis, diabetes or thyroid disease.
Horizontal Ridges
Horizontal ridges usually occur due to illnesses with high fever like pneumonia. It literally means your body is fighting a bigger illness and has paused the growth of your nails. It’s usually seen in more than one nail.
Horizontal ridges may be due to psoriasis, diabetes and also zinc deficiency. Other horizontal lines, also called Mees’ Lines, may be due to malaria, Hodgkin’s disease, leprosy or arsenic poisoning.
White Nails
White nails with dark rims are a sign of liver diseases. It could usually be problems like hepatitis. Sometimes these nails also called as Terry’s nails can be a result of aging too.
Dry, Cracked and Brittle Nails
Such nails have been linked to thyroid diseases, particularly hypothyroidism which causes cracking of nails. They could also indicate a deficiency of vitamins especially A, B, and C.
Many times, it could also indicate being exposed to chemicals, like washing powders, nail polish removers and various chemicals.
Bluish Nails
Bluish fingernails usually can be due to the low amount of hemoglobin within red blood cells and are often an indicator of breathing problems. Chronic cyanosis or blue nails can indicate different lung and breathing issues, asthma, COPD, and chronic bronchitis.
Certain heart problems are also said to be associated with bluish nails.
Nail Clubbing
The term clubbing means fingernails which have become enlarged and have curved outward. This is another indicator of lung diseases and means low oxygen in the blood. Nail clubbing is also associated with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), cardiovascular disease and liver diseases.
Dark lines or Discolorations under the Nail
Now, this is one condition which needs immediate medical attention. This could be an indication of melanoma, a form of skin cancer. Go and visit your doctor immediately if you notice this sign to avoid any delays.
White Spots
Last, but not the least, these are indicators of mild trauma. They aren’t deadly indications and usually fade out on their own. If it does not go away, check with the doctor for indications of fungal infection.
Healthy Nails
Finally, healthy nails are always a good sign. Understand that these are not usually the first signs of illness. And nail abnormalities may not always indicate a serious illness-not everyone with bluish nails has respiratory diseases; the condition could be temporary too.
If you are too worried, always visit a dermatologist and check your symptoms.
