Some people can tell our future just by looking at our hands. But our hands have hidden in them, another story – the state of our health and wellness. The condition of our fingers, nails and even their color indicate different health conditions and can serve as a warning of the underlying diseases or deficiencies. Let’s read those hands and find out more.
1. Numbness In Hands
High levels of sugar in the blood tend to cause damage in the nerve fibers in the fingers, affecting our sense of touch. This happens when the blood vessels in the fingers get damaged making it difficult for nutrients and oxygen to get to the nerves in the fingertips. This is also called peripheral neuropathy and is an early sign of diabetes. The other symptoms of the illness are dizziness, excessive urination, weight loss, fatigue and increased hunger.
2. Blotchy Palms
Blotchy palms could be a sign of liver cirrhosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver. In cirrhosis, real tissue in the liver is replaced by scar tissue because of drinking too much alcohol or due to hepatitis, or due to fatty liver disease. The liver in these conditions sends out extra hormones to the rest of the body, which dilates the blood vessels in the hands and feet, causing redness. If you have blotchy palms, are overweight and have pale eyes, you may have liver disease. Checking with your doctor is imperative as these symptoms could be indicative of a severe liver disease.
3. Pain In Your Wrist and Fingers
A pain in the wrists and fingers can be carpal tunnel syndrome. The pain can vary from a tingling sensation to an electric shock-like feeling. Carpal tunnel is developed by repetitive use or pressure on the median nerve, which asses through the forearm and wrist. Ice packs may help and so can stopping the frequent use of the wrist and hand muscles. Even a splint can help to hold the wrist still. You may need your doctor’s help to manage the inflammation and pain.
4. Blue Fingertips
Blue or black fingertips could be a sign of Buerger’s disease, a condition with inflamed and swollen blood vessels. Smoking or other forms of tobacco use is often associated with this illness. This condition could cause pain in your fingertips and you may have similar symptoms in your feet as well. You could also have painful sores in your fingers and toes.This calls for an immediate visit to your doctor, as without proper treatment it could lead to gangrene or require an amputation.
5. Shaky Hands
Tremors in your hands could be a sign of a Vitamin deficiency, anxiety or simply mean that you’re tired. It’s like a signal from your body telling you that all is not okay. These Vitamins could be Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B12. Other signs of a Vitamin deficiency can be fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, pale skin, weight loss or muscle weakness. What can help is prioritizing your health and wellness, eating and sleeping right, de-stressing with exercise, meditation or by taking up a hobby. If the tremors persist, you may want to have yourself checked by your physician to rule out conditions such Parkinson’s disease.
6. White Fingernails
Fingernails that are consistently white or turn white on pressing and don’t return to the normal color even when you let go, indicate an iron deficiency. What this means is that your blood doesn’t have enough iron to make hemoglobin, a protein that helps carry oxygen to your tissues and muscles. Many people with this deficiency are unaware they
have it, so looking at fingernails is a good trick to diagnose this condition. Other symptoms of this deficiency are a pale skin, fatigue, dizziness, cold extremities and headaches. If you think you may have an iron deficiency, visit your physician and get your blood tested. If diagnosed with this condition, you’ll be asked to include lots of iron rich food in your diet or take iron supplements.
7. A Lack of Movement
A lack of movement in the shoulder, arm and hand is usually caused by an injury to the Brachial Plexus, during a contact sport. They get damaged due to frequent stretching and compression of the nerve that then separates from the spinal cord. Sometimes, tumors can be responsible for this injury. In mild cases, there is only a slight numbness but a severe injury can stop movement of the affected hand altogether. Depending on the severity of the injury your doctor may recommend either physical therapy or a nerve transfer surgery, if required.
