Nails & # 39; Clubbing & # 39; could report lung cancer

The development of a new and persistent cough, as well as wheezing or spitting bloody phlegm are all important symptoms that could signal lung health problems and potentially early signs of lung cancer. But did you know that a particular change in nail growth could also be a serious SOS of your lungs and a possible sign of cancer?

Recently, Jean Williams Taylor, who comes from England, posted on Facebook a photo that showed that his nails had grown in a bent and downward angle. She added that she had been asked to consult a doctor after the post. After a series of tests, x-rays, X-rays and biopsies, Taylor said she was suffering from cancer in both lungs. In an effort to raise awareness, she wrote about her diagnosis on Facebook stating, "When your nails bend, it's often related to heart and lung disease and its official term is" clubbing. " I did not know… ? "

Here is his full article and a photo of his own nail:

Medical experts explain that lung cancer is, in fact, the most common cause of nail knocking. Nail deformation often occurs in heart and lung diseases that reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood. This can be a serious sign of lung cancer, doctors say.

Here's what you need to know about clubbing and how your nails can give you a window to your health.

What is nail clubbing?

Clubbing is a nail curvature and softening of the nail bed, says Dr. Norman Edelman, senior scientific adviser of the American Lung Association.

"We do not know exactly what causes it," he says. "It tends to be associated with low oxygen in the blood."

The discotheque, he said, could also be caused by the shunt of venous blood in the lungs.

"We think these conditions release a substance in the blood that dilates some blood vessels," he says.

When the nail bed softens during the clubbing process, it may seem that the nails are floating instead of being firmly attached. The nails form a sharper angle. According to the National Institutes of Health, the last part of the finger may look fat or bulging and potentially hot and red. When the nails are massaged, they grow down and look like the rounded part of a spoon upside down.

Here is an illustration of Medline Plus, a National Institutes of Health resource website that displays club nails.

The nightclub can occur in various lung and other diseases, says Edelman, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, congenital heart disease and some intestinal diseases.

According to Edelman, a congenital form exists in some families and has no medical importance.

What are some other signs of lung cancer?

In most cases, the signs of lung cancer come late, says Edelman.

"That's why CT screening is so important," he says.

Some people with early lung cancer have symptoms. Health professionals therefore recommend seeing a doctor as soon as you notice symptoms, because cancer can be diagnosed early, when treatment is more effective.

According to the American Lung Association, some of the most common symptoms or early lung cancer are:

• A cough that does not go away or worsens
• Spit blood or rusty sputum (sputum or phlegm)
• Chest pain often aggravated by deep breathing, coughing or laughing
• Hoarseness
• Weight loss and loss of appetite
• breathlessness
• Feeling tired or weak
• Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that do not go away or do not return.
• New appearance of wheezing

Since the signs can be so elusive, the American Cancer Society recommends that physicians discuss screening with high-risk individuals. This includes patients aged 55 to 74 who have a history of smoking equivalent to one pack a day for 30 years and who have not quit smoking for more than 15 years.

In May, scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center released a study showing that the risk of lung cancer dropped significantly less than five years after quitting. However, there is bad news: It is not because you quit smoking years ago that your risk of lung cancer is eliminated.

The conclusion? According to Dr. Matthew Freidberg, professor of medicine at Vanderbilt, author of the study, the importance of quitting smoking is certainly important.

"Former heavy smokers also need to realize that the risk of lung cancer remains high for decades after smoking their last cigarettes," he said, adding that this is why it was so important to screen for lung cancer.

What can our nails tell us about health?

Curious to know what your nail growth can tell you about your health? A lot, actually.

For example, white spots on the nails may be due to vitamin deficiencies or drug use.

The Mayo Clinic, which is a non-profit academic medical center based in Rochester, Minnesota, has created a slide show of nail problems that should not be ignored.

"Nails in spoon" with depressions in the center could be a sign of iron deficiency or hemochromatosis, a liver disease in which your body absorbs too much iron from the foods you consume. This deformation of the nails could also be a sign of heart disease or hypothyroidism.

According to the Mayo Clinic, when the nails look white, except for a narrow pink band at the tip, it's called Terry's nails, which can be simply attributed to aging. In other cases, it may mean liver disease, kidney failure, diabetes, or congestive heart failure.

Delivery here? The changes in your nails should not be overlooked and certainly deserve to be discussed with your health care provider.