AWARENESS ARTICLES

INITIATED BY
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
BUSINESS HR
ETIQA

FINGERNAILS
19 November 2008

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Fingernails and your health

• Your fingernails can provide clues

to your overall health. But do you
know how to read the signs?

• Learn about some nail conditions

that might require medical
attention. If you have a nail
problem that doesn't seem to be
going away, or is associated with
other signs and symptoms, make
an appointment with your doctor
to get it checked out.

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Yellow nail syndrome

• Yellow discoloration in your

fingernails may result from a
respiratory condition, such as
chronic bronchitis, or from swelling
of your hands (lymphedema). In
yellow nail syndrome, nails thicken
and new growth slows, resulting in
discoloration. Nails affected with
this condition may lack a cuticle
and may detach from the nail bed
in places.

• Although this condition is often a

sign of respiratory disease, it's
possible to have yellow nails and
not have a respiratory condition.
Yellow nails may also result from
any condition that causes the
growth of your nails to slow down.
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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Nail pitting

• Small depressions in the nails are

common in people with psoriasis —
a skin condition that produces
scaly patches. They may also result
from nail injuries. Pitting may cause
your nails to crumble.

• Pitting is also associated with

conditions that can damage your
nail's cuticle, such as chronic
dermatitis of your fingers or
alopecia areata, an autoimmune
disease that causes hair loss

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Nail clubbing

• Clubbing occurs when the tips of

your fingers enlarge and your nails
curve around your fingertips. This
condition results from low oxygen
levels in your blood and could be a
sign of lung disease. Clubbing is
also associated with inflammatory
bowel disease and liver disease.

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Spoon nails

• Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft

nails that look scooped out. The
depression usually is large enough
to hold a drop of liquid. Spoon nails
may be a sign of iron deficiency
anemia.

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Terry's nails

• With the condition known as Terry's

nails, your nails look opaque, but
the tip has a dark band.
Sometimes this can be attributed
to aging. In other cases, it can be
a sign of serious illness, such as:

1. Congestive heart failure

2. Diabetes
3. Liver disease
4. Malnutrition

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Beau's lines

• Beau's lines are indentations that

run across your nails. They can
appear when growth at the area
under your cuticle is interrupted by
injury or severe illness. Diseases or
illnesses associated with Beau's lines
include:

1. Uncontrolled diabetes
2. Circulatory diseases, such as
peripheral artery disease
3. Illness associated with a high
fever, caused by pneumonia,
scarlet fever, mumps or
measles
4. Malnutrition

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FINGERNAILS — 7 signs of possible health problems

Nail separates from nail bed

• With a condition known as

onycholysis, your fingernails
become loose and can separate
from the nail bed. If your nails show
signs of detaching, this may be
associated with:

1. Injury or infection
2. Thyroid disease
3. Drug reactions
4. Reactions to nail hardeners or
acrylic nails
5. Psoriasis

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HAPPY READING!!!!

Take A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR

FINGERNAILS FROM TIME TO
TIME…..

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