Clue 1: A black line
 |
| Black nail: 34 year old patient |
Look for: A
black discoloration that's a straight vertical line or streak and grows
from the nail bed, usually on a single nail. About 75 percent of cases
involve the big toe or the thumb, according to a review in the British
Journal of Dermatology. Especially worrisome: a discoloration that's
increasing or that's wider at the lower part of the nail than the tip. That tells you that whatever is producing the pigment is producing more
of it.
Also beware when the skin below the nail
is deeply pigmented as well.
What it might mean: Melanoma, the
deadliest form of cancer. People with darker skin are more vulnerable
than Caucasians to subungual melanoma (melanoma of the nail bed), but
darker-skinned races also have more dark lines in nails that are benign,
according to a 2004 report in American Family Physician.
Next steps: Always
have a doctor check out a suspicious black line on the nail quickly
because of the high skin cancer risk. A black line on the nail may also
be caused by a harmless mole or an injury. A biopsy can confirm
melanoma.Clue 2: Small vertical red lines
Look for: Red
(or sometimes brownish red) streaks in the nail. They look like blood
or dried blood. These are known as "splinter
hemorrhages" because they look like a splinter but are caused by
bleeding (heamorrhage) under the fingernail or toenail. They run in the
same direction as nail growth.
What it might mean: Heart
trouble. The "splinters" are caused by tiny clots that damage the small
capillaries beneath the nail. They're associated with an infection of
the heart valves known as endocarditis. Don't panic if you see one,
though: Sometimes an ordinary injury to the nail can cause a splinter
haemorrhage.
Next steps: No treatment is needed
for the splinter haemorrhage itself. A doctor can evaluate and treat the
underlying cause if it's heart-related.Clue 3: Wide, "clubbed" nails
Look for: Uniformly widened fingertips or toes -- they appear to bulge out beyond the last knuckle -- where the nails have widened, too, so that they curve down and appear to wrap around the tips of the finger like an upside-down spoon. (Normal nails are narrower than their base fingers.) These extra-wide nails are called "clubbed" nails.What it might mean: Clubbed nails are a common sign of pulmonary (lung) disease. Although the nails' odd shape develops over many months to years, people are often unaware of the underlying condition, which can include lung cancer.
Next steps: If you haven't had a physical exam lately, consider one, especially if you have other symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
Clue 4: Spoon-like depressions
Look for: Nail beds that have little dips in them, an effect called koilonychia, or "spooning." If you put your hand flat on the table, the spooned nails look like they could each hold liquid. The nails will also be unusually pale or stay whitish for more than a minute after you press gently on one. (Normally it would turn white for a second or two before returning to its original pinkish colour.) The moons at the base of the nails may look particularly white.What it might mean: Iron-deficiency anaemia. Spooning can also be seen in the nails of people with heamochromatosis, or "iron overload disease," a condition usually caused by a defective gene that leads to too much iron being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Other symptoms for both conditions can include fatigue and lack of energy, or they may be symptomless.
Next steps: A complete blood count can diagnose anaemia, and a physical exam might pinpoint the cause of iron problems. Iron supplements and dietary changes are often prescribed as first-line treatments for anaemia.
No comments:
Post a Comment