Why You Should Care About Your Nails

Most people do not think about their toenails or their fingernails. If they are treated badly, they can cause issues. If not paid attention to, several health issues can be missed. Care is actually simple. All a person has to do is pay attention. Healthcare professionals will tell a person that there are several ways to take care of them that will help people stay healthy. There are tips to know about and knowledge to think about. Though nails are not the first thought people have when they think health, here are some simple ways to keep healthy with them.

Bacteria and fungus

One of the problems of inadequate nail care is that people can develop bacteria and fungus under their nails. Not drying the hands adequately or cutting them improperly will cause issues. Both of these have simple solutions. This bacteria and fungus can cause all sorts of diseases that can compromise a person's health. Keep a watch out on how short nails are cut. Keep hands as dry as possible. Any infection can be painful. The biggest part to worry about, though, is letting any of this enter the bloodstream. Whatever enters the blood can get to the heart and spread quickly.

Nail pitting

If nails start developing pits, a person has several problems that could be occurring. One of the health issues could be psoriasis. This is a disease that speeds up the life cycle of the skin. It could be a symptom of a compromised immune system. Reiter's Syndrome, a form of arthritis, also has pitting of the nails as a symptom. The autoimmune disease Alopecia areata has this worry. If, at any time, a person sees that their nails are starting to pit, they should seek medical advice.

Nail clubbing

Clubbing of the nails is when there is an abnormal, rounded shape of them. This is usually indicative of either lung or heart issues. One of the first to think about is low oxygen content within the bloodstream. If a person has this, they may also have a shortness of breath and can get fatigued easier. Chronic coughing can also be a sign of issues. The person who has this may believe they are just working too hard, until the nail clubbing starts. This is yet another issue that requires medical advice.

Spoon nails

When nails start looking like the center has been scooped out, this is a sign of iron deficiency. A person could have anemia or hemochromatosis. Anemia is when there is either a lack of or dysfunctional red blood cells. There are several reasons this could be happening, including a lack of iron. Hemochromatosis, a liver issue, is an overload of iron. People can take iron, but they may want to consult a doctor.

Other issues

The nail is the world into even more medical issues. There could be lines appearing throughout the fingernails. The nails could be constantly dry and brittle. A person needs to research any of these conditions and talk to their doctor There have been cases of doctors seeing pictures of nails and giving extremely accurate diagnoses. The right diagnosis can save a life.

People need their fingers. The nails are just one part of keeping the hands healthy. Think about this, women receive classic engagement rings all the time. They want to show it off. Their nails could cause them not to want to. If the nails start showing issues, research what could be wrong. Do not think that the nails are just an annoyance. Take care of them, just like any other part of the body. Make sure to keep the family doctor apprised if any signs show up that are concerning.