2023-07-09 10:47:00
The condition of your fingernails says a lot about your health. Most people know this, but we usually associate the statement with rather insignificant deficiency symptoms, such as too few vitamins or other trace elements. However, there are also serious diseases that make themselves felt in the fingernails at an early stage, including cancer.
Early signs of cancer often seem harmless, but should never be ignored. A closer look at your fingernails can potentially save your life.
Indication of lung cancer: The first signs are noticeable on fingernails
The following changes in the nails can be an indication of serious diseases:
thickened nails brittle nails sudden bulges watch glass nails
Thickened nails are typical of nail fungus, psoriasis or neurodermatitis. In connection with other symptoms, such as discoloration, there can be more to it than that. If the nails become thicker, harder, grow more slowly and are discolored yellow to gray-green, one speaks of “yellow nail syndrome”, for example. This is often accompanied by pneumonia, bronchitis or lymphedema, a swelling that impedes the flow of lymph.
Recognizing diseases on the fingernails: You have to pay attention to this
Brittle nails split very easily, either lengthwise or crosswise. With age, it is normal for the nail plate to become more brittle and therefore more fragile. In younger people, the reason for brittle nails is more likely to be malnutrition or frequent use of cleaning agents or nail polish remover. Such funds dry out the skin and nails. If the change occurs quite suddenly, an overactive thyroid gland or liver disease can also be behind it.
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All of the symptoms already mentioned are reason enough to get checked out by a doctor. At the latest when the nails suddenly bulge or even become watch glass nails, it is high time to see a doctor.
The latter usually occur in connection with so-called drumstick fingers. The ends of the fingers become thicker and the fingernails protrude. Hence the name of the watch glass nails: they curve both lengthwise and crosswise, making the nails appear larger and rounded, like the glass of a watch. The nails are also often discolored bluish.
Watch glass nails: symptoms and causes
According to experts, the cause of watch glass nails is a chronic lack of oxygen in the tissue. As a result, the fingers are no longer properly supplied with blood. The body then forms more capillaries, small blood vessels, to continue to ensure blood circulation – but this does not work because the blood circulation is disturbed for a completely different reason. The additional capillaries lead to the thickening of fingers and sometimes toes. Ultimately, the nail can no longer grow normally and watch glass nails develop.
This change in the fingernails occurs most frequently with lung diseases, such as lung cancer. If a bronchial carcinoma forms, a malignant tumor in the lungs, the permanent lack of oxygen can lead to watch glass nails. Also in other acute or chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema or tuberculosis. In rare cases, heart disease can also disrupt blood flow in this way, for example heart failure, heart defects with a right-to-left shunt, heart tumors or inflammation of the heart.
Although the heart and lungs provide us with oxygen, they are not the only organs that can cause oxygen starvation in the fingers. The following diseases can also be behind watch glass nails:
Liver diseases, especially cirrhosis of the liver Chronic intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis Metabolic diseases, especially cystic fibrosis Nerve paralysis or nerve damage (can only affect individual fingers) Inhalation of toxins, for example asbestos, chlorine or sulfur dioxide
If your fingernails are suddenly deformed, it is always advisable to see a doctor. While it is not dangerous in and of itself, the cause could be very serious. If lung cancer is actually behind the curved nails, those affected can still be treated in good time. The symptom usually appears in an early phase of the tumor.
Are you interested in the topics of “cancer diseases”, “prevention” and “treatment options”? You can find more information here:
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