3 signs that can identify heart disease and cancer in the hands

When it comes to signs of heart disease or cancer, we often pay attention to signs such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue... (heart attack) or fatigue, unintentional weight loss... (cancer). letter) without paying attention to the hand signals.

Changes in the shape or color of the fingers can also signal many health conditions. It is important that if you see a difference in your hands, you should have a health check-up early.

Below are 3 signs in the hands that can warn of heart disease or cancer.

1. Finger clubbing

Clubbing or finger clubbing is a condition in which the fingertips swell and may become warm or discolored. A downward-curving nail looks like an upside-down spoon, which may look like your nail is floating and not actually attached to your finger.

To know if the curve in your finger is clubbing, there is a simple test: you press your fingernails together, if you notice a small needle-shaped tunnel of light erect then your finger is probably fine.

Clubbing usually develops gradually over years but can occur suddenly if there is a lung abscess. The most common cause of clubbing is lung cancer.

However, this finger condition can also indicate other conditions, and not everyone with lung cancer will develop clubbing. In addition to lung cancer, finger clubbing warns of a number of other heart and lung related diseases such as:

+ Aortic aneurysm

+ Bronchiectasis

+ Congenital heart disease

+ Cystic fibrosis

+ Pulmonary empyema

+ Endocarditis

+ Lung abscess

+ Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Is finger clubbing contagious?

No, clubbing is not contagious. Clubbing may not even be a disease. It may be a sign or symptom of another disease. However, curled fingers can be a sign of an infectious disease.

2. Swollen finger joints

Swollen finger or foot joints can warn of heart problems and high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is one of the factors that cause cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks.

Many heart diseases cause fluid to accumulate in the feet and legs. As fluid builds up, you may notice swelling, which can extend all the way to your calves and groin. The NHS says that this swelling may be milder in the morning and get worse later in the day.

In addition, for people with high blood cholesterol levels due to genetics, eating too much fast food and not taking good care of themselves can lead to swollen finger joints. This condition is called Xanthomas - a condition in which cholesterol accumulates in the tendons.

According to the American Heart Association, if left undiagnosed and untreated, people with hereditary high cholesterol are 20 times more likely to develop heart disease. Patients are also much more susceptible to peripheral vascular disease and stroke at an early age than the general population.

3. Bruised fingers

Another potential warning sign is the sudden appearance of bruising on your fingers. This is quite unusual and could indicate a blood-related problem.

Unless you have been hit or seriously injured, if you have bruises on your fingers that you don't recognize and don't know the cause, this could be a warning sign of cancer.

One of the common warning signs and symptoms of leukemia is bruising. Cancer-related bruises often appear in unusual locations and appear suddenly.

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is a blood cancer, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal blood cells. This uncontrolled growth takes place in the bone marrow, which produces most of the body's blood. Leukemic cells are usually immature (still developing) white blood cells.

In addition to unexplained bruising on the skin or fingers, other symptoms of leukemia include:

- Tired

- Fever or night sweats

- Frequent infections

- Short of breath

- Pale skin

- Unexplained weight loss

- Osteoarthritis pain

- Pain or feeling of tightness under the left ribs.

- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, groin or stomach, enlarged spleen or liver

- Bleeds easily

However, if your fingers change color to blue or purple, this could also be a sign of Raynaud's phenomenon, when blood stops flowing to the fingers and toes, causing discoloration.

This is often triggered by stress but is usually harmless. If the condition becomes painful or is associated with other conditions, it may be a sign of lupus or Crohn's disease.

4. Other symptoms of heart disease and cancer

In addition to the three hand signs mentioned, we can recognize heart disease or cancer through other signs that are easier to recognize.

- Other symptoms of heart disease

The most obvious sign of coronary heart disease is a heart attack or angina, but there are many different symptoms, specifically:

+ Chest pain

+ Short of breath

+ Coughing or wheezing

+ Swelling in the legs, ankles or feet

+ Poor circulation

+ Fatigue

+ Palpitation

- Other symptoms of cancer

Although there are many different types of cancer, cancer can cause some common symptoms such as:

+ Fatigue or extreme fatigue that is not relieved by rest.

+ Unexplained weight loss

+ Eating problems such as not feeling hungry, difficulty swallowing, stomach pain or nausea and vomiting

+ Swelling anywhere on the body

+ Thickening or lump in the breast or other parts of the body

+ Pain, especially pain that is new or of unknown cause, does not go away or gets worse

+ Skin changes such as a bleeding or scaly lump, a new mole or change in a mole, a sore that does not heal, or yellowish skin or eyes.

+ Cough or hoarseness that does not go away

+ Unusual bleeding or bruising for unknown reasons

Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea, that don't go away or the shape of your stools change

+ Bladder changes such as pain when urinating, blood in urine, or needing to urinate more or less

+ Fever or night sweats

+ Headache

+ Vision or hearing problems

+ Mouth changes such as ulcers, bleeding, pain or numbness.