NAILS—THE INDICES OF HEALTH

Interesting film, “memoirs of a geisha”! Seyuri is being trained to be a good hostess. “With a mere display of hand from the kimono till the wrist, seek the attention of the guests during tea ceremony” she is told! Rhet Butler the notoriously appealing hero of the epic “gone with the

wind” is known to have well manicured hands, even in war times, even

as a guy, even in those days!! Scarlet’s hardships are revealed to

Rhet Butler in a handshake when he feels her rough hands!!

Hands tell a tale, as homeopaths we know that, but nails, apart from

vanity are indices of health. For any physician they are of great

significance to assess the patient.

Let us enumerate some of the common changes in the nail shape,
texture, colour and surrounding area and its health significance!

1)      Changes in the nail colour:
Paleness in the nail colour is an indication of anemia. Yellowness an indication of liver complaints, addictions
Blueness of the nails is common in extreme coldness, and some heart,
and lung complaints.

White semi circles at the base of the nails: commonly seen in congestive cardiac failure and liver cirrhosis.

2)      Changes in the texture:
Chapping of the nails: This is the most common condition of the nails
and can be commonly due to some fungal infection of the nails. Iron
deficiencies are also known to cause chapping.
Vertical striations: may indicate kidney disorders or beginning of arthritis

Transverse depressed ridges: Common after an acute illness like measles, pneumonia etc which interrupts the normal nail growth.

Pitting of nails: It is common in most patients with psoriasis, the patch of which could be elsewhere on the skin.

Thickening of nails: Nails may thicken and have a claw like appearance especially the toe nails, if they are not cut frequently. Thickening due to fungal infection is more common though.. Thickening also occurs in some infections like leprosy.

Splinter Hemorrhage: look of the nail is as if a splinter is stuck. This sign is almost a diagnostic of the bacterial infection of the valves of the heart.

3)        Changes in the shape

 Clubbing: Nails appear curved vertically like a convex. It is a sign of impaired oxygen supplement to the nails in severe cardiac and lung conditions like emphysema, congenital heart diseases.

Spoon shaped nails: There is a concavity in the nails, so that they appear spoon shaped, which is seen in severe iron deficiency.

4)        Changes in the nail bed

Spongy soft nail bed: is seen in the infections of the nail bed usually due to nail biting.

Erosion of the nail into the bed with the nail bed engulfing the nail; very rarely seen but common in the cancers of the nail bed.

Hang nails: small tags of skin hanging from the nail bed are caused due to dryness of the skin.

Homoeopathy definitely offers cure to these nail problems. There are various remedies that have these peculiar nail changes. A homeopath can take a cue of the impending illness from the nail changes. Hit the nail on its diagnostic head, gently with the homoeopathic remedies and confirm cure!!