What do bent nails mean

This can be a sign of arsenic poisoning. If you have this symptom, your doctor will take hair or tissue samples to check for arsenic in your body. When the nail plate separates from the nail bed, it causes a white discoloration. This is called onycholysis. This can be due to infection, trauma, or products used on the nails.

Pitting refers to small depressions, or little pits, in the nail. Some systemic diseases can also cause pitting. This is often due to aging, but it can also be caused by:. Sometimes the nail lacks a cuticle and may even pull away from the nail bed.

This can be the result of:. These are just some of the signs of abnormal fingernails. In many cases, proper care of your nails is enough to correct their appearance. You can prevent many nail abnormalities by taking good care of your nails. Follow these general guidelines to keep your nails healthy:. If you have a problem with brittle or weak nails, keep them short to avoid breakage.

Use lotion on your nails and cuticles to keep the nail and nail beds moisturized. Shop for nail lotions. If you get professional manicures or pedicures, make sure your nail salon is properly certified and that nail technicians use proper sterilization techniques.

You should avoid long-term use of nail polish and nail polish removers. Shop for manicure scissors. Your fingernails can reveal a lot about the state of your health.

Conditions ranging from stress to thyroid disease may be causing changes in your…. A narrow, vertical black line on your nail is called a splinter hemorrhage. Lines that create a horizontal stripe are called Beau's lines. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Fingernails: Possible problems. Products and services. Slide show: 7 fingernail problems not to ignore. Previous Next 2 of 7 Nail clubbing Nail clubbing occurs when the tips of the fingers enlarge and the nails curve around the fingertips, usually over the course of years.

Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Idiopathic : This is a category in which clubbing occurs for no obvious reason, and is not of any concern medically: it just is. Inherited trait : There are a few ways that clubbing can be inherited. Most often the trait is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, meaning that if one of your parents carries the trait, there is a chance that you will also inherit the trait.

Secondary clubbing : Secondary clubbing refers to clubbing that occurs in association with a medical condition. Conditions which are commonly associated with clubbing include:. The underlying process behind clubbing is still not understood. Scientists feel it may be related to platelet-derived growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor although the precise mechanism is not known.

Nobody is quite certain why clubbing occurs, and there are probably several mechanisms. It's thought that for many people, dilation of blood vessels in the distant regions of the fingers results in the formation of connective tissue leading to the appearance of clubbing, but there are likely many different reasons for why this happens.

Most often, clubbing is noted on a physical exam and is expected based on other findings such as the presence of lung disease or cancer. Clubbing is often obvious, but when subtle, other findings and measurements may be done to confirm the diagnosis. These include:. Differential diagnosis : Chronic kidney disease and other disorders such as systemic sclerosis may cause finger changes that mimic the appearance of digital clubbing. If your healthcare provider notes you have clubbing, or if you bring up this concern to your healthcare provider, the first thing they will do is ask you about your family history to determine if it may be a hereditary trait.

The healthcare provider will then do a careful history and physical exam, keeping in mind the possible causes associated with secondary clubbing. Some tests, depending upon your symptoms, may include:. There is no specific treatment, including surgical procedures for clubbing. Treatment of the underlying cause of clubbing can result in the resolution of clubbing for some people, for example, in people who have heart valve defects, clubbing may go away after successful surgery.

One common cause of nail clubbing is any lung-related issue, but there are many other reasons. It can be inherited from family members, or it can be brought on by lung cancer or lung conditions including an empyema and pulmonary tuberculosis. It can be caused by congenital heart disease, a gastrointestinal condition, or endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism.

Yes, liver disease can cause nail clubbing or other changes in nail structure. Identifying these changes in nail appearance may help health providers to diagnose certain diseases and infections.

If the angle between the base of the nail and the nail itself is more than degrees, it is considered clubbing or digital clubbing. Between and degrees may be an early stage of clubbing. To evaluate nail clubbing, you can visit your primary care provider or a board-certified dermatologist to help evaluate nail clubbing and refer you to a specialist if necessary. Limiting processed foods and red meats can help ward off cancer risk.

These recipes focus on antioxidant-rich foods to better protect you and your loved ones. Sign up and get your guide! Digital clubbing. Lung India. Burcovschii S, Aboeed A.