Fingernails

[CLBernat]

Fingernails And What They Reveal
-- Dr. Gabrielle Traub
Ridges can signify a possible infection such as the flu.
Beau's lines — Transverse depressions. Occurs when growth at the nail root
(matrix) is interrupted by any severe acute illness e.g. heart attack,
measles, pneumonia, or fever. These lines emerge from under the nail folds weeks
later, and allow us to estimate when the patient was sick.
NAILS; corrugated; transversely: ars., med.
Mee's lines
Transverse white lines that run across the nail, following the shape of the
nail moon. Uncommon. Causality: after acute/severe illness, Arsenic poisoning.
Thus homeopathic remedy= Ars alb
Vertical ridges
(Lengthwise grooves or ridges) - may indicate a kidney disorder (kidney
failure); associated with ageing; iron deficiency (Anemia). May indicate a
tendency to develop arthritis
NAILS; roughness fingernails; ridges, longitudinal: fl-ac.
NAILS; roughness fingernails; ribbed: thuj.
NAILS; corrugated: ars., calc., calc-f., fl-ac., med., ph-ac., sabad., sel.,
Sil., thuj.

Nail shape
Clubbing of the fingers — fingertips widen and become round. Nails curve
around your fingertips, more convex. Proximal nail fold feels spongy. Caused by
enlargement in connective tissue as compensation for a chronic lack of
oxygen. e.g. severe emphysema Lung disease is present in 80 percent of people who
have clubbed fingers. It may also appear in chronic infections especially
abscesses, lung cancer, chronic lung (chronic bronchitis, emphysema) and heart
disease, longstanding TB, congenital heart disease, cyanotic, primary biliary
cirrhosis.
med., nit-ac., tub.
curved fingernails; consumption, in: med., tub.
Pitting
Small pits or depressions. Most common nail problem seen in 25 percent to 50
percent of people with psoriasis.
Extremities; NAILS; holes in: ars.
Psoriasis - pitting, onycholysis, thickening, circumscribed yellowish tan
discoloration "oil spot" lesion.
Spoon nails
Soft nails that look scooped out. Depression is usually large enough to hold
a drop of liquid. Often indicates iron deficiency anemia.
Extremities; NAILS; complaints of; depressed: med.
Onycholysis
Lifting of the nail from the nail bed. Causes: trauma, psoriasis, drug
reactions, bacterial/fungal infection, contact dermatitis from using nail
hardeners, thyroid disease, iron deficiency anemia or syphilis.
Looseness fingernails: apis., med., pyrog., ust.
Nail growth
Nail hypertrophy
Thickening of the nail. Either congenital (e.g. Mal de Meleda) or acquired -
The nail becomes deformed with claw like appearance. Causes: Not cutting the
nails, trauma, Leprosy, peripheral vascular disorders.
NAILS; hypertrophy: calc-f., fl-ac., graph., laur.
NAILS; thick: alum., anan., ant-c., ars., but-ac., calc., calc-f., calo.,
caust., falco-p., ferr., fl-ac., Graph., merc., pitu-a., pop-c., sabad., sec.,
sep., Sil., sulph., ust., x-ray
Nail atrophy:
The nail becomes thin, rudimentary and smaller size congenital or acquired.
Causes: Lichen planus, Epidermolysis bullosa, Darrier‘s disease, vascular
disturbances, Leprosy.
NAILS; atrophic: sil.
NAILS; grow, do not: ant-c., pitu-a., rad-br., sil.
Nail Patella Syndrome
a rare genetic disorder, occurs in 2.2 out of every 100,000 people and causes
abnormalities in the bones and nails. autosomal dominant. Carried by the ABO
blood group.
Nails present as small and concave, longitudinally grooved, abnormally split,
pitted, softened, discolored, or brittle.
Remedies: Thuja, Graphites, Calc-flour, Syph.
H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; grow, nails, do not: ant-c., calc., sil.
Discoloration
Half-and-Half (Lindsay's nails) — Look for an arc of brownish discoloration.
May occur in a small percentage of people who have kidney failure. Internal
diseases and nutritional deficits can cause changes in the appearance of the
nails.
Terry's nails
The nail looks opaque and white, but the nail tip has a dark pink to brown
band. May accompany cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, adult-onset diabetes,
cancer or ageing.
Cyanosis
A bluish discoloration visible at the nail bases in select patient with
severe hypoxemia or hypoperfusion. As with clubbing, it is not at all sensitive
for either of these conditions.

H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; discoloration, nails; blueness (59) :
acon., aesc., agar., apis, apoc., arg-n., arn., ars., asaf., aur., cact.,
camph., carbn-s., carb-v., chel., chin., chin-ar., chin-s., chlf., cic., cocc.,
colch., con., cupr., dig., dros., eup-pur., ferr., ferr-ar., ferr-p., gels.,
gins., graph., ip., manc., merc., merc-s., mez., mur-ac., nat-m., nit-ac.,
Nux-v., op., ox-ac., petr., ph-ac., phos., plb., rhus-t., sang., sars., sep.,
sil., sulph., sumb., tarent., thuj., Verat., verat-v.
Paronychia (felon)
Inflammation of the nail folds, which appear red, swollen and tender. The
cuticle may not be visible. Causes: fungal infection, secondary bacterial
infection, people who’s hands are often in water are more susceptible.
H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; panaritium, nails (53) : all-c., alum.,
Am-c., am-m., anac., Anthr., Apis, arn., asaf., bar-c., benz-ac., berb., bov.,
bufo, calc., caust., chin., cist., con., cur., Dios., eug., ferr., Fl-ac.,
gins., Hep., hyper., iod., iris, kali-c., kalm., lach., led., lyc., merc.,
Myris., nat-c., nat-h., nat-m., nat-s., Nit-ac., par., petr., phyt., plb., puls.,
rhus-t., sang., sep., Sil., sulph., Tarent-c., teucr.
NAILS; pulp, of; nails recede, leave raw surface: sec.
redness; fingernails: apis, ars., cortiso., crot-c., lepi., lith-c., ozone,
upa., x-ray
inflammation, fingernails; around: con., hell., kola., nat-m., nat-s.,
ph-ac., sil.
H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; fungus, under (4) : ant-c., graph., petr.,
thuj.
H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; inflammation, fingernails (1) : kali-c.
H; Hands; NAILS, fingers, general; inflammation, fingernails; root of (2) :
hep., stict.
Due to Candida
Ringworm

Splinter Haemorrhages
Looks like a splinter underneath the nail, virtually 100% diagnostic of
Sub-acute Bacterial Endocarditis (SBE). A bacterial infection affecting the
valves of the heart. Occasionally caused by Trichinosis, a parasitic infection
caused by eating raw or undercooked Pork.
D; Diseases; ENDOCARDITIS, heart: abrot., acet-ac., Acon., Ars., ars-i.,
Aur., aur-m., bism., bry., cact., calc., cocc., coc-c., colch., dig., ferr.,
iod., kali-ar., kali-c., kali-i., Kalm., lach., led., nat-m., naja, ox-ac.,
phos., phyt., plat., plb., sep., Spig., spong., tarent., verat-v.
D; Diseases; TRICHINOSIS (3) : ars., bapt., cina
Absent "half moons" - Pituitary problems or poor circulation.
NAILS; lunula absent: lyc., puls., tub.
White hue at base of nails:
Liver disease: chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Yellow nail syndrome
Yellow nail syndrome is characterized by yellow or green nails that lack a
cuticle, grow slowly, and are loose or detached (onycholysis). May be
associated with swelling of the hands and feet (lymphoedema), or a lung diseases e.g.
chronic bronchitis. Yellow nails can indicate internal disorders long before
other symptoms appear. Some of these are problems with the lymphatic system,
respiratory disorders, diabetes, and liver disorders.
NAILS: discoloration; yellowish: am-c., ambr., ant-c., ars., aur., bell.,
bry., calc., canth., carb-v., caust., cham., chel., chin., Con., ferr., hep.,
ign., lyc., merc., nit-ac., nux-v., op., plb., puls., Sep., Sil., spig.,
sulph.
White spots (Leukonychia)
Caused by trauma to the nails, over vigorous/excessive manicuring.
alum., ars., nit-ac., ozone, sep., Sil., sulph., thal.
Melanonychia
vertical pigmented bands or nail 'moles‘. A sudden change in the nail plate
could indicate a malignant melanoma or lesion. Commonly occur in dark-skinned
people, and are normal.
Brittle nails
Hypothyroidism: brittle nails - which separate easily from the nail bed
(Onycholysis) accompanied by dry, yellowish skin, fatigue, slow pulse, chilly,
coarse hair that falls out.
Hyperthyroidism: brittle nails - which separate easily from the nail bed
(Onycholysis) and are concave (spoon nails)
Brittle nails - may also suggest iron deficiency anemia, kidney and
circulatory problems.
NAILS; brittle: alum., alum-sil., ambr., anan., ant-c., ars., but-ac.,
calc., calc-f., cast-eq., caust., clem., cupr., dios., fl-ac., Graph., hep.,
hydrog., lept., lyc., med., merc., morg., nat-m., nit-ac., ozone, phos., Psor.,
rad-br., ruta, sabad., sec., sel., senec., sep., sil., spig., squil., sulph.,
syc-co., thuj., tub., x-ray

Nails that chip, peel, crack, or break easily - suggest a nutritional
deficiency, lacking hydrochloric acid, protein or minerals.
NAILS: cracked: ant-c., ars., lach., nat-m., sil.
Crumbling away of fingernails: but-ac.{Butyric acid: a volatile acid
obtained from butter}
NAILS; scatter like powder when cut: sil.
Summary:
Liver Diseases: White Nails
Kidney Diseases: Half of nail is pink, half is white
Heart Conditions: Nail bed is red
Lung Diseases: Yellowing and thickening of the nail, slowed growth rate
Anemia: Pale nail beds
Diabetes: Yellowish nails, with a slight blush at the base
Nutritional deficiencies
Vitamin A and calcium deficiencies - dry brittle nails.
Vitamin B deficiency - horizontal and vertical ridges, that break easily.
Vitamin B12 deficiency - dry, darkened nails with rounded and curved nail
ends.
Protein deficiency - white bands
Ayurvedic analysis:
Ayurveda considers nails as the waste product of the bones.
Dry, crooked, rough nails that break easily indicates a predominance of the
Vata constitution.
Soft, pink, tender nails that are easily bent are indication of a Pitta
constitution.
Thick, strong, soft and shiny nails indicate a Kapha constitution.
Longitudinal lines: indicate inability of the digestive system to absorb
food properly.
Transverse grooves: may indicate the presence of long-standing illness or
malnutrition.
Yellow nails: alert us to liver problems or jaundice.
Blue nails: indicate a weak heart.
Redness: shows an excess of red blood cells.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rochelle Marsden]

Dear Carol,
Thank you also for your Fingernail article which I will save and read. Very
useful I am sure to a lot of the list.

Regards
Rochelle
Registered Homeopath
EFT(Advanced) Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

[CLBernat]

In a message dated 1/9/2007 7:11:44 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
rochelle@ntlworld.com writes:

Thank you also for your Fingernail article which I will save and read. Very
useful I am sure to a lot of the list.
There is a Power point download with photos available from:
_http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/traub-finger-n ... opathy.asp_
(http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/traub-f ... opathy.asp)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Gabrielle Traub]

I'm so glad that you found my article on fingernails useful.
It was mentioned before, but at the very end of the article there is a
link to a power point presentation with photos depicting the various
nail presentations.

Dr. Gabrielle Traub

http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/traub-f ... opathy.asp

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, CLBernat@... wrote:
nail root
folds weeks
of the
poisoning.
(kidney
indicate a
sabad., sel.,
Nails curve
spongy. Caused by
of people who
especially
and heart
primary biliary
percent to 50
yellowish tan
to hold
nail
acquired -
cutting the
calo.,
sabad., sec.,
acquired.
vascular
and causes
by the ABO
abnormally split,
calc., sil.
discoloration.
Internal
appearance of the
brown
diabetes,
with
all sensitive
(59) :
cact.,
cic., cocc.,
ferr-p., gels.,
nit-ac.,
sars., sep.,
tender. The
bacterial
susceptible.
alum.,
berb., bov.,
Fl-ac.,
merc.,
phyt., plb., puls.,
lith-c., ozone,
graph., petr.,
kali-c.
of (2) :
of
affecting the
parasitic infection
ars-i.,
dig., ferr.,
ox-ac.,
lack a
lung diseases e.g.
long before
system,
bell.,
ferr., hep.,
spig.,
nail plate
dark-skinned
bed
pulse, chilly,
nail bed
Graph., hep.,
phos., Psor.,
squil., sulph.,
rate
easily.
curved nail
of the
Pitta
absorb
illness or