What Your Finger Nails Reveal About Your Health
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Discolored Nails
A healthy fingernail should be pink with a touch of pinkish white (moons) near the base. If your nails are a dull color, streaked or have colors, you may have a hidden health problem.
- Green nails are a sign of bacterial infection
- Red streaks in your nail bed are a warning of a heart valve infection
- “Blueish” nails signal low oxygen levels in your blood or poor circulation
- Dull nails are often a sign of a vitamin deficiency
- White nails may signal liver disease, such as hepatitis
- Dark stripes at the top (Terry’s nails) are associated with aging, congestive heart failure, or poor circulation
Thick Nails
You want your nails to be strong, but if they exceptionally thick or resemble claws more than traditional nails, this could be a clue for underlying health problems.
- Thickened nails that are otherwise normal can signal lung disease
- Thick and rough-textured nails can signal a fungal or yeast infection
- Thick and separated nails may mean thyroid disease or psoriasis
- Unusual thickness may also be a symptom of a circulation problem
Split Nails
Split, or chipped nails that seem to flake away in layers may be associated with several health conditions.
Split nails result from folic acid, Vitamin C, and protein deficiencies
- Split nails combined with a pitted nail bed (base) can signal psoriasis, which begins in nails 10% of the time according to WebMD
- Split nails may result from chronic malnutrition
Concave or Spoon Nails
Spoon fingernails signal a number of internal issues. To be considered full spoons, nails will be soft and curve up, forming a dip that is often big enough to hold water. Spoon nails signal:
- Iron deficiency (suspect anemia)
- Hemachromatosis, a liver disorder where your body absorbs too much iron. Have your ferretin levels checked.
- Heart disease
- Hypothyroidism
Pitted Nails
Small dips or holes in your nails can be a sign that you need to look more closely at your health. Nail pitting can signal:
- Psoriasis
- Connective tissue disorder
- Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss
- Zinc deficiency (when the pit seems to form a line across the middle of your nail)
Ridges in Your Nails
Nails should have smooth surfaces with almost imperceptible lines. Obvious ridge lines are a signal that something is up with your body. Some of the most common conditions associated with heavy ridge lines are:
- Iron deficiency (suspect anemia)
- Inflammatory or autoimmune arthritis
- Lupus (red lines at the base of your nails)
Dry, Brittle Nails
Common cause-Low thyroid or hypothyroidism leads to brittle, dry fingernails that crack and split easily
- Fungus can make nails dry or even crumbly, affecting 12% of all Americans according to the American Academy of Dermatology
Clubbed Nails
If your nails seem to have puffed around your fingers, or “clubbed”. Clubbed nails can mean:
- Lung disease, especially if you already have trouble breathing
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver disease
Don’t ignore your hands or the health warnings they send. Investigate any abnormal nail signs with appropriate doctor visits and lab testing.
Exciting News – My New Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia membership site is up and running. For a limited time bonus offer, get a free pre-release copy of my 5th edition Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (not available any where else).
Find out more at www.treatingandbeatingfibromyalgia.com
Fibro and CFS and MS and many other illness come learn and talk to other who are on a great non toxic treatment, google LDN and your illness see how many benefit from LDN. Come join us https://www.facebook.com/groups/GotEndorphins/
I wish LDN was as great as some lead us to believe…sorry but no luck with my patients or in the fibro community I’m in. LDN has failed to live up to the hype…while there are some who do benefit, I’ve not had one single patient over last 3 years say they think it helped. If it is helping you then stay on it and I wish you and those in your group best because anything that works really works is welcomed.
what if my nails are fine but the toe nails are thick nd hard to cut? what does that mean?
Toe nails are just like finger nails so using the article see the signs for thick hard nails.
My nails have deep ridges. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and CFS. ANA is negative. As you know, some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and lupus overlap. I have most, if not all of those plus I have the malar rash during my worst pain and fatigue days. Is there any other way to discern which disease you actually have and how are the treatments different?
Through blood work. Lupus will show positive autoimmune markets ANA, fibro will not.
Blood test is the main way along with elimination.