Dear MIRIAM: HANDY WAY TO CHECK HEALTH.Byline: Dr MIRIAM STOPPARD Dear Miriam AS you can see from my photo, I have club fingernails. I saw some pictures in a magazine of fingernails, and one of them looked the same as mine. The magazine also said you could tell a lot about what was wrong with you by looking at your nails. What is making my fingers like that? THANK you for sending a photo of your nails. You're right, doctors can tell a lot about health by looking at nails. Liver disease, psoriasis and some vitamin and mineral deficiencies can be spotted. But clubbing has a very special significance. The appearance of clubbed fingers has classical features - enlarged, rounded finger ends. Often it is a sign of lung disease. Many people with emphysema emphysema (ĕmfĭsē`mə), pathological or physiological enlargement or overdistention of the air sacs of the lungs. A major cause of pulmonary insufficiency in chronic cigarette smokers, emphysema is a progressive disease that commonly and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease n. Abbr. COPD A chronic lung disease, such as asthma or emphysema, in which breathing becomes slowed or forced. (COPD COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD abbr. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ) develop clubbed fingers. Once fingers have become clubbed they rarely return to normal, even if the lung condition improves. If your fingers become clubbed and you aren't having medical care for respiratory problems, see your GP. |
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