FINGERNAILS AND WHAT THEY REVEAL. By Gabrielle Traub

1
FINGERNAILS AND WHAT THEY REVEAL

• By Gabrielle Traub
• Homeopathy 4 Everyone January 2007

2
Lines and indentations

• Ridges can signify a possible infection such as
  the flu.
• Beau's lines Transverse depressions. Occurs
  when growth at the nail root (matrix) is
  interrupted by any severe acute illness e.g.
  heart attack, measles, pneumonia, or fever. These
  lines emerge from under the nail folds weeks
  later, and allow us to estimate when the patient
  was sick.
• NAILS corrugated transversely ars., med.

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
Mee's lines

• Transverse white lines that run across the nail,
  following the shape of the nail moon. Uncommon.
  Causality after acute/severe illness, Arsenic
  poisoning.
• Thus homeopathic remedy Ars alb

6
(No Transcript)
7
Vertical ridges

•  (Lengthwise grooves or ridges) - may indicate a
  kidney disorder (kidney failure) associated with
  ageing iron deficiency (Anemia). May indicate a
  tendency to develop arthritis
• NAILS roughness fingernails ridges,
  longitudinal fl-ac.
• NAILS roughness fingernails ribbed thuj.
• NAILS corrugated ars., calc., calc-f., fl-ac.,
  med., ph-ac., sabad., sel., Sil., thuj.

8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
Nail shape

• Clubbing of the fingers fingertips widen and
  become round. Nails curve around your fingertips,
  more convex. Proximal nail fold feels spongy.
  Caused by enlargement in connective tissue as
  compensation for a chronic lack of oxygen. e.g.
  severe emphysema Lung disease is present in 80
  percent of people who have clubbed fingers. It
  may also appear in chronic infections especially
  abscesses, lung cancer, chronic lung (chronic
  bronchitis, emphysema) and heart
  disease, longstanding TB, congenital heart
  disease, cyanotic, primary biliary cirrhosis.
• med., nit-ac., tub.
• curved fingernails consumption, in med., tub.

11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
Pitting

• Small pits or depressions. Most common nail
  problem seen in 25 percent to 50 percent of
  people with psoriasis.
• Extremities NAILS holes in ars.
• Psoriasis- pitting, onycholysis, thickening,
  circumscribed yellowish tan discoloration oil
  spot lesion.

14
(No Transcript)
15
Spoon nails

• Soft nails that look scooped out. Depression is
  usually large enough to hold a drop of liquid.
  Often indicates iron deficiency anemia.
• Extremities NAILS complaints of depressed
  med.

16
(No Transcript)
17
Onycholysis

• Lifting of the nail from the nail bed. Causes
  trauma, psoriasis, drug reactions,
  bacterial/fungal infection, contact dermatitis
  from using nail hardeners, thyroid disease, iron
  deficiency anemia or syphilis.
• Looseness fingernails apis., med., pyrog., ust.

18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
Nail growth

• Nail hypertrophy
• Thickening of the nail. Either congenital (e.g.
  Mal de Meleda) or acquired - The nail becomes
  deformed with claw like appearance. Causes Not
  cutting the nails, trauma, Leprosy, peripheral
  vascular disorders.
• NAILS hypertrophy calc-f., fl-ac., graph.,
  laur.
• NAILS thick alum., anan., ant-c., ars.,
  but-ac., calc., calc-f., calo., caust., falco-p.,
  ferr., fl-ac., Graph., merc., pitu-a., pop-c.,
  sabad., sec., sep., Sil., sulph., ust., x-ray

22
(No Transcript)
23
Nail atrophy

• The nail becomes thin, rudimentary and smaller
  size congenital or acquired. Causes Lichen
  planus, Epidermolysis bullosa, Darriers disease,
  vascular disturbances, Leprosy.
• NAILS atrophic sil.
• NAILS grow, do not ant-c., pitu-a., rad-br.,
  sil.

24
(No Transcript)
25
Nail Patella Syndrome

• a rare genetic disorder, occurs in 2.2 out of
  every 100,000 people
• Causes abnormalities in the bones and nails
• autosomal dominant
• Carried by the ABO blood group
• Nails present as small and concave,
  longitudinally grooved, abnormally split, pitted,
  softened, discolored, or brittle.
• Remedies Thuya, Graphites, Calc-flour, Syph. 
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general grow, nails,
  do not ant-c., calc., sil.

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
Discoloration

• Half-and-Half (Lindsay's nails) Look for an arc
  of brownish discoloration. May occur in a small
  percentage of people who have kidney failure.
  Internal diseases and nutritional deficits can
  cause changes in the appearance of the nails.

29
(No Transcript)
30
Terry's nails

• The nail looks opaque and white, but the nail tip
  has a dark pink to brown band. May accompany
  cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, adult-onset
  diabetes, cancer or ageing.

31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Cyanosis

• A bluish discoloration visible at the nail bases
  in select patient with severe hypoxemia or
  hypoperfusion. As with clubbing, it is not at all
  sensitive for either of these conditions.
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general discoloration,
  nails blueness (59) acon., aesc., agar., apis,
  apoc., arg-n., arn., ars., asaf., aur., cact.,
  camph., carbn-s., carb-v., chel., chin.,
  chin-ar., chin-s., chlf., cic., cocc., colch.,
  con., cupr., dig., dros., eup-pur., ferr.,
  ferr-ar., ferr-p., gels., gins., graph., ip.,
  manc., merc., merc-s., mez., mur-ac., nat-m.,
  nit-ac., Nux-v., op., ox-ac., petr., ph-ac.,
  phos., plb., rhus-t., sang., sars., sep., sil.,
  sulph., sumb., tarent., thuj., Verat., verat-v.

34
(No Transcript)
35
Paronychia (felon)

• Inflammation of the nail folds, which appear red,
  swollen and tender. The cuticle may not be
  visible. Causes fungal infection, secondary
  bacterial infection, people whos hands are often
  in water are more susceptible.
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general panaritium,
  nails (53) all-c., alum., Am-c., am-m., anac.,
  Anthr., Apis, arn., asaf., bar-c., benz-ac.,
  berb., bov., bufo, calc., caust., chin., cist.,
  con., cur., Dios., eug., ferr., Fl-ac., gins.,
  Hep., hyper., iod., iris, kali-c., kalm., lach.,
  led., lyc., merc., Myris., nat-c., nat-h.,
  nat-m., nat-s., Nit-ac., par., petr., phyt.,
  plb., puls., rhus-t., sang., sep., Sil., sulph.,
  Tarent-c., teucr.

36

• NAILS pulp, of nails recede, leave raw surface
  sec.
• redness fingernails apis, ars., cortiso.,
  crot-c., lepi., lith-c., ozone, upa., x-ray
• inflammation, fingernails around con., hell.,
  kola., nat-m., nat-s., ph-ac., sil.
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general fungus, under
  (4) ant-c., graph., petr., thuj.
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general inflammation,
  fingernails (1) kali-c.
• H Hands NAILS, fingers, general inflammation,
  fingernails root of (2) hep., stict.

37
(No Transcript)
38
Due to Candida
39
(No Transcript)
40
Ringworm
41
Splinter Haemorrhages

• Looks like a splinter underneath the nail,
  virtually 100 diagnostic of Sub-acute Bacterial
  Endocarditis (SBE). A bacterial infection
  affecting the valves of the heart. Occasionally
  caused by Trichinosis, a parasitic infection
  caused by eating raw or undercooked Pork.
• D Diseases ENDOCARDITIS, heart abrot.,
  acet-ac., Acon., Ars., ars-i., Aur., aur-m.,
  bism., bry., cact., calc., cocc., coc-c., colch.,
  dig., ferr., iod., kali-ar., kali-c., kali-i.,
  Kalm., lach., led., nat-m., naja, ox-ac., phos.,
  phyt., plat., plb., sep., Spig., spong., tarent.,
  verat-v.
• D Diseases TRICHINOSIS (3) ars., bapt., cina

42
(No Transcript)
43

• Absent "half moons" - Pituitary problems or poor
  circulation.
• NAILS lunula absent lyc., puls., tub.

44

• White hue at base of nails
• Liver disease chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.

45
Yellow nail syndrome

• Yellow nail syndrome is characterized by yellow
  or green nails that lack a cuticle, grow slowly,
  and are loose or detached (onycholysis). May be
  associated with swelling of the hands and feet
  (lymphoedema), or a lung diseases e.g. chronic
  bronchitis. 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.
• NAILS discoloration yellowish am-c., ambr.,
  ant-c., ars., aur., bell., bry., calc., canth.,
  carb-v., caust., cham., chel., chin., Con.,
  ferr., hep., ign., lyc., merc., nit-ac., nux-v.,
  op., plb., puls., Sep., Sil., spig., sulph.

46
(No Transcript)
47
(No Transcript)
48
(No Transcript)
49
White spots (Leukonychia)

• Caused by trauma to the nails, over
  vigorous/excessive manicuring.
• alum., ars., nit-ac., ozone, sep., Sil., sulph.,
  thal.

50
(No Transcript)
51
Melanonychia

• vertical pigmented bands or nail 'moles
• a sudden change in the nail plate could indicate
  a malignant melanoma or lesion. 
• Commonly occur in dark-skinned people, and are
  normal.

52
(No Transcript)
53
Brittle nails

• Hypothyroidism brittle nails - which separate
  easily from the nail bed (Onycholysis)
  accompanied by dry, yellowish skin, fatigue, slow
  pulse, chilly, coarse hair that falls out.
• Hyperthyroidism brittle nails - which separate
  easily from the nail bed (Onycholysis) and are
  concave (spoon nails)
• Brittle nails - may also suggest iron deficiency
  anemia, kidney and circulatory problems.
• NAILS brittle alum., alum-sil., ambr., anan.,
  ant-c., ars., but-ac., calc., calc-f., cast-eq.,
  caust., clem., cupr., dios., fl-ac., Graph.,
  hep., hydrog., lept., lyc., med., merc., morg.,
  nat-m., nit-ac., ozone, phos., Psor., rad-br.,
  ruta, sabad., sec., sel., senec., sep., sil.,
  spig., squil., sulph., syc-co., thuj., tub., x-ray

54

• Nails that chip, peel, crack, or break easily -
  suggest a nutritional deficiency, lacking
  hydrochloric acid, protein or minerals.
• NAILS cracked ant-c., ars., lach., nat-m., sil.
• Crumbling away of fingernails but-ac.Butyric
  acid a volatile acid obtained from butter
• NAILS scatter like powder when cut sil.

55
Splitting nails
56
Peeling nails
57
Summary

• Liver Diseases White Nails
• Kidney Diseases Half of nail is pink, half is
  white
• Heart Conditions Nail bed is red
• Lung Diseases Yellowing and thickening of the
  nail, slowed growth rate
• Anemia Pale nail beds
• Diabetes Yellowish nails, with a slight blush at
  the base

58
Nutritional deficiencies

• Vitamin A and calcium deficiencies - dry brittle
  nails.
• Vitamin B deficiency - horizontal and vertical
  ridges, that break easily.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency- dry, darkened nails with
  rounded and curved nail ends.
• Protein deficiency- white bands

59
Ayurvedic analysis

• Ayurveda considers nails as the waste product of
  the bones.
• Dry, crooked, rough nails that break easily
  indicates a predominance of the Vata
  constitution.
• Soft, pink, tender nails that are easily bent are
  indication of a Pitta constitution.
• Thick, strong, soft and shiny nails indicate a
  Kapha constitution.

60
Ayurvedic analysis

• Longitudinal lines indicate inability of the
  digestive system to absorb food properly.
• Transverse grooves may indicate the presence of
  long-standing illness or malnutrition.
• Yellow nails alert us to liver problems or
  jaundice.
• Blue nails indicate a weak heart.
• Redness shows an excess of red blood cells.