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Finger Nails and Diagnosis

Ridges

horsetail and silica
are reputedly good
for the health of
nails (and skin).
X asks about bleeding under the nails, not caused by trauma. I'm going to put up a page on bleeding, in a minute

Ridges on your fingernails is a website that chronicles ridges on the site's authors nails in some detail.

Having looked at this site, I finally I took a look at my own nails and... they have ridges, not unlike these illustrated here. I am quite confident that, "Vertical ridges are normal. They are no big deal."

However, horizontal ridges can be serious.

to understand anomalies in nails we need to know something about their natural growth:-
nails: growth of...

 

 

If you have found any good information about ridges on fingernails, please tell me and I'll post it here. There is a niche, a need for information. normanallandr@yahoo.ca
    
Some horizontal ridge phenomena include:

Muehrcke lines are associated with albumin deficiency (as is kidney disease, and liver and severe malnutrition), but also seen in chemotherapy. (source eMedicine). They seem to be a simple interruption of pigmentation.

Beau's lines are horizontal lines of darkened cells and linear depressions. They may be associated with traumas, acute severe illness, malnutrition, major metabolic condition, chemotherapy or other damaging event, and is the result of any interruption in the protein formation of the nail plate.

I'm also going to post a history of this page, in a minute...

splitting nails, ridges, and Fe deficiency, an anecdote

 

"Ridges can signify a possible infection" Bates


A friend, who is rather a wizard at health care, sent me pages copied from a book with the following information on fingernail ridges (now I just need to find out who is the author). He also suggested that a lack of "moons" on the nails may be associated with a tendency towards diabetes, but I do not believe that this is necessarily correct. This source says that: ...

Lengthwise grooves or ridges may indicate a kidney disorder and is associated with aging. An iron deficiency may also cause ridges.

 

Bate's, a medical book on diagnosis says the following:-.

Brittle nails signify possible iron deficiency and thyroid problems, impaired kidney function, and circulation problems.

Yellow nails can indicate internal disorders long before other symptoms appear. Some of these are problems with the lymphatic system, respiratory disorders, diabetes, and liver disorders.

 

for
"crippled nails"
one might try
homeopathy

Nails that chip, peel, crack, or break easily show a nutritional deficiency and insufficient hydrochloric acid and protein. Minerals are also needed.

Brittle, soft, shiny nails without a moon may indicate an overactive thyroid.

White lines across the nail may indicate a liver disease.

White lines (longitudinal?) show possible heart disease, high fever, or arsenic poisoning.

Nails separated from the nail bed may signify a thyroid disorder.

Nails raised at the base ("clubbing") with small white ends show a respiratory disorder such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. ("Clubbing" with lung disorders is one condition of the nails that is recognized by Standard Medicine.)

Ridges can signify a possible infection such as the flu.

Downward curved nail ends may denote heart, liver, or respiratory problems.

Ridges running up and down the nails indicate a tendency to develop arthritis.

Lack of vitamin A and calcium causes dryness and brittleness.

Vitamin B deficiency causes fragility, with horizontal and vertical ridges.

Insufficient intake of vitamin B12 leads to excessive dryness, very rounded and curved nail ends, and darkened nails.

White bands can indicate protein deficiency.


I am not quite sure what to make of all this, but I will research it further and update this report.

Orthodoc's wisdom on finger nails is illustrated in Bates' Guide to Physical Examination:

Clubbing" has many causes, including hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and lung cancer. (Think, rather, "lung complaints".)
Not to be confused with "curved nails", a normal variant


Google finds this:

at the Mayo Clinic's site:

"Vertical nail ridges, which run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail, are fairly common. They don't indicate serious illness and typically increase with age... (however)...If your fingernails change color or develop horizontal ridges, see your doctor. These changes may indicate an underlying health problem."


and: at HealthLink

Ridges in Finger Nails
Q :.. I have had ridges in my nails, and for the past 2 years they have gotten so bad that they crack and split....
A: Nail ridges are fairly common in older people, There is actually a medical term, "onychorrhexis," for this condition...


Ridges on your fingernails chronicles ridges on the site's authors nails in some detail. There is a mention of the pharmaceutical Metronidazol (which I must look up - it's an antifungal pharmaceutical).

So finally, I take a look at my nails and... they have ridges, not unlike these illustrated here, so I'm back to "Vertical ridges are normal. They are no big deal."

Spoon nails are sometimes seen in iron deficiency anemia.

Splinter Hemorrhages may be associated with various infections.


Bottom Line

There isn't much reliable information out there on ridges (vertical) on fingernails, but on balance, I would say "It does not seem like you should worry too much about vertical ridges."

If you find any interesting information
please send it to
normanallandr@yahoo.ca
click here for Doctor Allan's Home Page
in so far as nail may reflect general health, look at "a treatment for most conditions!"
the herb,
horsetail,
a source of silica,
is reputably useful
for finger nail problems.
fingers ridg
 

Beyond the bottom line...

comments...

L.D. asks about the horizontal ridges which appeared (while he was doing deep emotional work, could they be connected)

A vertical ridges must mean something is happening at a point in the nail bed (over an extended time). A horizontal ridge must means that something happened/changed in the whole nail bed for a short time. If their ridges repeat, some process is repeating. What events are these changes? I'm not sure. I will thinks about it and welcome your thoughts.
Bare in mind, as Dr. Duckworth used to say, "Anything can cause anything."

  

LN writes about ridges, splitting nails, and what homeopaths might call "crippled nails", as follows:

"I chewed my nails my whole life. Every time I stopped, I couldn't get my nails to last very long because of splitting. It wasn't until I had my iron tested (after having heart attack symptoms) and discovered I had a severe iron deficiency that I was able to grow nails. I was prescribed to receive 5 iron infusions over 5 weeks. I stopped chewing my nails and they have grown with success. I still have many ridges but I also have learned that it takes a long time for these signs to clear."

W.W writes, "the white flecks which can appear on finger nails are due to a lack of zinc in the diet." 

questions...

B.P.asks, "in the last year, I have experienced dark discoloration of my toe nails, any idea what could be causing this? I do paint them most of the summer, however, I’ve not applied any polish all winter. Thank you in advance."

I think we would need to know more about the discoloration to comment...

I never answered BP's question. I'd probably need to see it to know.

I am going to start offering online and phone consultations,

but, I am not a great expert on finger nails,
though I'm learning,
and I do know a lot..

consultations: 416 928 9272 & normanallandr@yahoo.ca