Nail signs of Disease | Nail pitting | Finger clubbing | Signs of anemia | Terry's nails | spoon nails | beaus lines | the dark band on the nail

The appearance of your nails can be an important indicator of your overall health. Abnormalities or recent changes can be a sign of minor or major underlying health problems. 

It is important to know some common nail changes which will help you to detect and prevent many underlying health related issues.

Nail signs:

Nail pitting. 
It is commonly seen in psoriasis, a condition characterized by scaly patches on the skin. Up to 50% of people who have psoriasis experience changes in their nails.

Autoimmune diseases, such as alopecia areata, sarcoidosis, and pemphigus vulgaris are also associated with nail pitting

It is also associated with incontinentia pigmenti, a genetic disorder affecting the hair, skin, nails, teeth, and central nervous system.

Nail clubbing:

It occurs when the tips of the fingers enlarge and the nails curve around the fingertips, usually over the course of years.

Nail clubbing is sometimes the result of low oxygen in the blood and could be a sign of various types of lung disease. Nail clubbing is also associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and AIDS.

Spoon nails:

Spoon shaped nails also called koilonychia are soft nails that look scooped out like a spoon. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid.

Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.

Terry's nails:

Here most of the nails appear white except for a narrow pink band at the tip. Sometimes it is seen due to aging. 

But it can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure or diabetes

Beau's lines:

Beau's lines are indentations that run across the nails. The indentations can appear when growth at the area under the cuticle is interrupted by injury or severe illness.

Conditions associated with Beau's lines include uncontrolled diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as illnesses associated with a high fever, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia. Beau's lines can also be a sign of zinc deficiency.

Nail separation:

Nail separation is also a sign of compromised health. It is also called onycholysis, in which the fingernails become loose and can separate from the nail bed. The separated part of the nail becomes opaque with a white, yellow or green tinge.

Sometimes detached nails are associated with injury or infection. In other cases nail separation is a reaction to a particular drug or consumer product, such as nail hardeners or adhesives.

Yellow nail syndrome:

Yellow nail syndrome is a rare condition that affects the fingernails and toenails. You can see nails gradually turn yellow and thicken and separate from the nail bed

Yellow nail syndrome is often a sign of respiratory disease, such as chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, shortness of breath.

Splinter haemorrhage:

Here you may see the reddish-brown lines under the nails. It is called Splinter hemorrhages. Splinter hemorrhages are small areas of bleeding under the fingernails or toenails.
It is commonly due to trauma. But it is also a sign of a serious underlying health condition called endocarditis. 

So, you can see nail changes can be a useful indicator of your overall health. If you pay attention to any abnormalities like colour, shape or texture then it can help to identify potential health problems.


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Medical disclaimer: Medinaz Academy does not provide medical advice. The content available in our books and videos, on our website, or on our social media handles do not provide a diagnosis or other recommendation for treatment and are not a substitute for the professional judgment of a healthcare professional in diagnosis and treatment of any person or animal. We intend to provide educational information only. The determination of the need for medical services and the types of healthcare to be provided to a patient are decisions that should be made only by a physician or other licensed health care provider. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.

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