What our hands tell us about our health ?

Our hands can tell us a lot about our health, says Dr Donald Grant, a Bristol-based GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, who says it is “essential to understand the signs of illness and how to spot changes in your hands to avoid further declines in wellbeing”.

Dr Grant explains the signs you can spot on your hands and what they mean for your health:

1. Nails

“A range of health problems can lead to changes in the appearance and texture of your nails,” explains Dr Gant.

First, pitted nails, where tiny scratches or pits form on the surface of the nails and can indicate psoriasis, and in severe cases, can cause the nails to crumble.

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin condition that causes dry, scaly patches on the skin.

“In addition, yellow nails can be a sign of a range of health problems, including fungal infections or underlying health conditions, such as lung disease,” says the doctor. The latter, often called “yellow nail syndrome,” causes swelling and breathing problems.

2. Skin

Dr. Grant stresses that the appearance and texture of our skin can also change “rapidly” when we get sick.

“Palm erythema is a skin condition that causes the palms of the hands to turn red, and can also cause a burning sensation and affects people for a range of reasons, including pregnancy. However, it can also be a sign of worrying health conditions, such as lymphoma or liver disease,” he says.

When we don’t get enough vitamins, such as calcium or vitamin D, dry patches can appear on our hands. Dry skin can also be a sign of eczema, a broad term for skin conditions that often take the form of an itchy, sometimes debilitating rash.

3. Joint stiffness

Dr Grant warns that if your hands start to creak painfully when you move, it could be a sign of arthritis, an umbrella term for more than 100 types of arthritis, all of which can be aggravated by a variety of reasons – most of which have nothing to do with age.

Osteoarthritis is one of the 100 conditions, and it is one of the most common. The degenerative joint disease slowly wears away the padding in the fingers, mainly affecting the base of the thumb and middle joints but causing pain throughout the hand.

“While osteoarthritis can be difficult to treat, anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help relieve pain and swelling, and exercise can help reduce stiffness,” says Dr Grant.

4. Cold hands

If you have cold hands even when it’s not cold, it’s usually a sign of poor circulation, but it can also be a sign of anaemia, when we have fewer healthy red blood cells in our body. This can be caused, for example, by a lack of iron in our diet.

“Apart from anaemia, cold hands can also be a sign of an underlying health condition such as diabetes or blood clots,” explains Dr Grant. “If you notice a long-term change in hand temperature, it may be worth seeking further medical advice.”

5. Thick fingers

Monitoring the size of your fingers can help spot “life-threatening conditions” early.

“A common symptom of pulmonary fibrosis – a type of lung disease – is widening of the fingers and curved nails,” says Dr Grant. “Digital hyperplasia, where the fingers become much wider in appearance, can be a sign of sickle cell disease, tuberculosis or a bacterial infection. With so many potentially serious causes, I strongly advise people to seek urgent medical attention if they notice any changes in their fingers.”

Source: Metro - https://ar.rt.com/ylfa - Published on 29-10-2024