Clubbed nails were described in ancient times by Hippocrates and is a clinical sign that may accompany a number of different disease processes. Clubbing refers to swelling in the tip of the digit that results in loss of the normal angle seen between the nail and the nail bed. The fingertips appear broader and rounder when clubbing is present. While the exact mechanism that leads to clubbing is poorly understood, it is known to develop most often in people with conditions of the heart or lungs that decrease the total amount of oxygen in the blood. However, clubbing can also accompany malignancies and some gastrointestinal conditions. Clubbing may have a slow onset to the point where the individual is unaware of the change. It is usually painless but can rarely be accompanied by discomfort in the fingertips. Rare skin conditions including pachydermoperiostosis and palmoplantar keratoderma are unusual causes of nail clubbing.
Other causes of nail clubbing
- Acromegaly
- Bacterial Endocarditis
- Empyema
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Idiopathic (Unknown Cause)
- Metastatic Cancer to the Lungs
- Pachydermoperiostosis
- Palmoplantar Keratoderma
QUESTION
An average adult has about ________ square feet of skin. See AnswerPictures, Images, Illustrations & Quizzes
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Burning or Swollen Feet? What Foot Pain Symptoms Say About Your Health
Foot pain and heel pain can be signs of serious health problems. Discover information about cold feet, itchy feet, burning feet...
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Nail Disorders: What Nails Say About Your Health
Nail disorders and diseases may be a sign of problems in the body. Nails can be spoon-shaped, blue, or have white lines. Some...
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Picture of Clubbed Nails
Clubbed nails occur when your fingertips bulge and the nails curve down and get shiny. The condition is usually one you are born...
Causes of Nail Clubbing
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Beta Thalassemia
Beta Thalassemia is the most familiar type of thalassemia. Thalassemia is not just one disease but rather a complex series of genetic (inherited) disorders all of which involve underproduction of hemoglobin. Beta thalassemia major symptoms include pale skin, irritability, growth retardation, swelling of the abdomen, and jaundice. Beta thalassemia treatments include directly relieving the symptoms of the illness.
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Can a Nail Grow Back if Removed?
Yes, nails have good regeneration capacity, but they grow slowly. Fingernails may grow one-tenth of a millimeter each day, so completely removed fingernails usually grow within 6 months. Toenails may grow at about one-half or one-third the rate of the fingernails, so completely removed toenails may grow within 18 months.
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Cirrhosis (Liver)
Cirrhosis of the liver refers to a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue caused by alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C. This disease leads to abnormalities in the liver's ability to handle toxins and blood flow, causing internal bleeding, kidney failure, mental confusion, coma, body fluid accumulation, and frequent infections. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin (jaundice), itching, and fatigue. The prognosis is good for some people with cirrhosis of the liver, and the survival can be up to 12 years; however the life expectancy is about 6 months to 2 years for people with severe cirrhosis with major complications.
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COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung condition caused by smoking tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke, and/or air pollutants. Conditions that accompany COPD include chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, and chronic cough. Treatment of COPD includes GOLD guidelines, smoking cessation, medications, and surgery. The life expectancy of a person with COPD depends on the stage of the disease.
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Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are common symptoms and signs.
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Emphysema
Emphysema is a COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) that often occurs with other obstructive pulmonary problems and chronic bronchitis. Causes of emphysema include chronic cigarette smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, and in the underdeveloped parts of the world. Symptoms of emphysema include chronic cough, chest discomfort, breathlessness, and wheezing. Treatments include medication and lifestyle changes.
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How Do You Fix a Laceration on a Nail Bed?
Nail bed injuries are the most common type of fingertip injuries seen in emergency rooms. If you get injured on your nails, you must remove jewelry, clean the area with soap and water, trim the nail, stop the bleeding, apply ice and elevate the area. Seek help in the ER for a more serious nail bed injury.
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Interstitial Lung Disease (Interstitial Pneumonia)
Interstitial lung disease refers to a variety of diseased that thicken the tissue between the lungs' air sacks. Symptoms of interstitial lung disease include shortness of breath, cough, and vascular problems, and their treatment depends on the underlying cause of the tissue thickening. Causes include viruses, bacteria, tobacco smoke, environmental factors, cancer, and heart or kidney failure.
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Lung Cancer
Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other form of cancer. Eight out of 10 lung cancers are due to tobacco smoke. Lung cancers are classified as either small-cell or non-small-cell lung cancers.
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that forms in the chest lining (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), and the heart sac (pericardial mesothelioma) in rare cases. Chest pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, and night sweats are symptoms and signs of mesothelioma. Treatment depends upon the stage and type of mesothelioma.
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Pneumonia
Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Symptoms and signs include cough, fever, shortness of breath, and chills. Antibiotics treat pneumonia, and the choice of the antibiotic depends upon the cause of the infection.
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Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBS) is a liver disease in which bile building up in the organ damages bile ducts. Ultimately, this can cause liver failure. A number of drugs are available to treat this disease of unknown cause, but the only ultimate cure is a liver transplant.
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Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis, a disease resulting from chronic inflammation, causes small lumps (granulomas) to develop in a wide range of body tissues and can appear in almost any body organ. However, sarcoidosis most often starts in the lungs or lymph nodes.
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Thymoma
Thymoma is an uncommon cancer of the thymus gland. Many thymomas are asymptomatic. When symptoms do occur, they include chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. Treatment of thymomas includes surgery, and sometimes, radiation and chemotherapy. The prognosis for thymoma is excellent when it is found in the early stages.
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Thyroid Cancer
There are four major types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Tumors on the thyroid are referred to as thyroid nodules. Symptoms of thyroid cancer include swollen lymph nodes, pain in the throat, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and a lump near the Adam's apple. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy, surgery, radioactive iodine, hormone treatment or external radiation and depends upon the type of thyroid cancer, the patient's age, the tumor size, and whether the cancer has metastasized.
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Tuberculosis (TB)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Symptoms and signs of TB include bloody sputum, fever, cough, weight loss, and chest pain. Treatment depends upon the type of TB infection.
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Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms and signs include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
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What Is Bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis has three types: cylindrical bronchiectasis, saccular or varicose bronchiectasis, and cystic bronchiectasis. Causes of bronchiectasis include infection, environmental exposure, drug or alcohol abuse, and alpha-1 antitrypsin (congenital). Symptoms of bronchiectasis include shortness of breath, fatigue, chronic cough, bloody sputum, and wheezing. Treatment for bronchiectasis includes antibiotics and possibly surgery.
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What Should I Do After an Unwanted Pregnancy?
There are a variety of options that may help you handle your situation. It might help you to visualize each option and decide how you feel about it. Consider reaching out to trained professionals or close friends if you get overwhelmed.
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