Nails as window to our health

Nails as window to our health

Nails can reveal much about our state of health as many diseases and serious conditions can be detected by changes in the nails.Changes in the nail, such as discoloration or thickening, can signal healthproblems including liver and kidney diseases, heart and lung conditions, anemia, and diabetes. The shape, texture, and color of our natural nails act as a window into our body, and while some nail symptoms are harmless, others can be indicative of chronic diseases, including cancer..

Pale nails represent a blood disorder characterized by a low red blood cell count. “Anemia ensuring from low levels of iron can will cause to inadequate oxygen in the blood, that causes the skin and tissues to become pale, particularly the tissues under the nails and more seriously, pale nails could also be a signal of liver disease or early diabetes, both of which can lead to impaired blood flow. Dark spots or streaks appearing on a nail, which are not the result of an injury, It could be melanoma which is the most lethal form of skin cancer. Dark brown or black vertical lineson the finger nails bed should never be neglected asthese can be a signal of melanoma, which requires early detection and treatment.Pitting and Grooving depressions and small cracks in your nails are known as “pitting” of the nail bed and are often associated with psoriasis, an inflammatory disease that leads to scaly or red patches all over the body. White Lines with horizontally that span the whole nail, are paired, and appear on more than one nail are reffered to as Muehrcke’s lines. These might be an indication of kidney disease, liver abnormalities or a lack of protein and other nutrients. This may caused by a disruption in blood supply to the nail bed because of underlying disease. Yellowing or Thickening tells poor circulation Blue Nails represents that you’re not getting enough oxygen to your fingertips. This could be caused by respiratory disease or a vascular problem called Raynaud’s Disease, which is a rare disorder of the blood vessels. White spots on your nails are due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Excessively flexible nails may signify deficiency of calcium and sometimes protein. While nothing replaces a visit to your physician for a proper diagnosis, checking your fingernails for the following abnormalities will help you spot early warning signs, therefore wipe off that polish and take a look.

By – Madhuri Rawat
Department of Forestry
Uttaranchal (P.G.) College Of Bio-Medical Sciences & Hospital

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