Although most people don’t consider them important, our fingernails can actually tell a lot about our health. Any kind of change in the nails may indicate a certain disease or condition, which is why we need to pay more attention to them.
Take a look at your nails – have they changed their color or have dips and ridges on them? Are they thicker than usually or chipped? All these changes can indicate serious health problems and help you detect the problem on time. Here are 8 nail changes which indicate serious health problems:
Clubbed nails
If your nails are clubbed and “puffed” around the fingers, it may be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease, respiratory disease, AIDS or liver disease.
Dry and brittle nails
Brittle and dry nails are usually associated with hormonal imbalance or bacterial and fungal infections.
Ridges on the nails
Ridges on the fingernails may be a warning sign of arthritis, iron deficiency or lupus. If you notice ridges on your nails you should visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Pitted nails
Small dips and pits in the nails usually indicate alopecia areata, psoriasis, connective tissue problems or zinc deficiency.
Spooned nails
If your nails look curved like a spoon, you might be suffering from iron deficiency, hypothyroidism, heart disease or hemochromatosis (a liver disorder caused by high iron absorption).
Split nails
Split nails have a tendency to flake and are generally caused by malnutrition, some nutrients deficiencies (folic acid, vitamin C, protein) or psoriasis.
Thickened nails
The nails should think, smooth and strong, and never thick. Thickened nails indicate circulation problems, lung diseases, fungal infections, thyroid problems or psoriasis.
Discolored nails
The color of your nails can tell you if you’re suffering from a certain problem. White nails may be a sign of hepatitis, while dark stripes near the top indicate congestive heart failure. Blue nails are a sign of low blood oxygen levels, while green nails indicate bacterial infections. Dull-colored nails are a sign of vitamin deficiencies, while red streaks on the fingernails may be an early sign of heart valve infections.
As you can see, our fingernails can tell a lot about our health, which is why it’s important to notice any kind of change and take it seriously.