Small signs on nails warn of many potential dangers

Dr. Spencer Kroll has a book on her shelf since medical school. In it, there is information about the once-popular examination of doctors. When shaking the patient’s hand, the doctor will gently rotate the hand to see the nail.

“It’s an important part of the diagnosis,” said Dr. Kroll, an internist in New Jersey. They looked at the color and texture of the nails before the complicated tests that followed.”

White spots on the nails appear for many reasons – from minor cosmetic problems to serious, life-threatening illnesses. Fortunately, the latter possibility is more rare.

Artwork: Firstcry Parenting

Nail injury

If you bump your fingernail against something, you will see white spots or marks from the injury. In addition, people with nail polish also experience allergic reactions.

In this case, it takes a while for the white nodule to disappear due to the slow growth of the nail. In winter, nails have a faster rate of change.

Psoriasis or Eczema

Nails are extensions of the skin and are actually a type of skin. So some diseases that affect the skin can also affect the nails.

Psoriasis and eczema are skin conditions that cause itching, rashes, and redness.

Psoriasis easily causes nails to thicken and whiten or appear white dots. Nail eczema has nodules, discoloration, and thickening. A dermatologist can help you find an effective treatment.

Mushroom

Mushrooms can thicken and whiten nails. This condition is also often confused with psoriasis. For a correct diagnosis, the doctor may cut or scrape the patient’s fingernails and send them to a lab to determine if the fungus is causing the infection.

Covid-19

One of the symptoms of Covid-19 involves toes and toenails with the name “Covid toes”. This usually results in red, swollen toes, but sometimes patients also see pale, slightly white nails.

Vitamin/mineral deficiency

Your grandmother may have said that the white spots on your nails are due to a lack of calcium and that you need to drink more milk. Some doctors agree that vitamin and mineral deficiencies could be the cause, while others say it’s not.

A lack of vitamin D, calcium and zinc is likely the problem, says Dr. Kroll. When examining patients with white spots, he sometimes asks for blood tests and listens carefully to the patient’s history, especially diet.

More serious illnesses

White spots are also a sign of autoimmune disease, heart disease, or kidney failure. But if you just have white spots and no other symptoms, Dr. Kroll says you shouldn’t worry, just self-monitor.

But you should seek medical attention immediately if other abnormalities such as shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, and ankle swelling appear.

Side effects of medications

White spots on fingernails are at risk of being one of the lesser known side effects of drugs for skin infections, joint pain relief, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, chemotherapy.

An Yen (According to The Healthy)