Long before a health condition becomes obvious, the body often sends out quiet, easily overlooked signals that something isn’t quite right. While some warning signs are well known, others can seem unusual or unrelated at first glance – making them harder to recognise or connect to an underlying illness. This is where awareness becomes powerful, especially when it comes to subtle changes in the hands and nails that can offer valuable clues about what’s happening inside the body.
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Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, has highlighted five key changes in the nails and hands that may signal underlying health issues – and in some cases, chronic conditions such as arthritis or psoriasis. In an Instagram video shared on December 9, the physician explains that recognising these subtle signs early can aid in identifying serious health conditions and support timely diagnosis and treatment.
Clubbing
According to Dr Kunal Sood, clubbing causes the fingertips to appear rounded with curved nails as the soft tissue enlarges – a physical change that can sometimes signal underlying lung or heart disease. He explains, “It occurs when megakaryocytes bypass the lungs and release growth factors like VEGF and PDGF at the fingertips. It is linked to chronic lung disease (lung cancer, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis) and heart conditions with long-term low oxygen such as cyanotic congenital heart disease or endocarditis.”
Spoon-shaped nails
Koilonychia or spoon-shaped nails might be an early warning sign of iron deficiency anaemia. Dr Sood highlights, “Koilonychia creates thin, concave nails due to impaired keratin formation when iron-dependent enzymes weaken. It often reflects iron deficiency from blood loss, heavy periods, low intake, malabsorption, or increased need in pregnancy. These nail changes can precede other symptoms for months.”
Red nail streaks
If you notice red streaks on your nails, Dr Sood states that it might be an indication of blood vessel inflammation. He explains, “Splinter hemorrhages look like red-brown lines under the nails from ruptured capillaries. While trauma is common, multiple streaks or those near the nail base raise concern for systemic conditions such as vasculitis, lupus, connective-tissue disease, or infective endocarditis.”
Swollen finger joints
Swollen joints on your fingers are a classic sign of arthritis. The physician points out, “Swelling may reflect osteoarthritis from cartilage loss or inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis involving synovial inflammation. Because trauma, gout or metabolic issues can mimic this finding, clinical exam and imaging help distinguish causes.”
Pitting in nails
According to Dr Sood, pitting in nails is a hallmark sign of nail-matrix involvement in psoriasis. He elaborates, “About one-third of psoriasis patients show pits, and prevalence increases with disease duration. It may accompany discoloration, thickening or onycholysis and is common in psoriatic arthritis, making it a useful early clue.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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