Did you know that your hands can be a major indicator of whether or not you have a dangerous illness?
Despite probably using your hands every day, have you ever stopped to take a good look at them? No? Well, you probably should, as hands could reveal to us oftentimes concerning medical conditions we may not otherwise be aware of.
It’s important to be aware that most medical conditions don’t just happen overnight. Instead, they “accumulate” over time until we eventually decide to head on over to a doctor in order to check if anything is wrong with us.
So, if your hands show any of these signs it may be time for you to start some investigations, as they could lead you to discover issues with your body that need to be checked out immediately!
Here’s what you should look out for!
Finger length reveals: Arthritis risk
Have you ever noticed how, typically, men’s ring fingers are longer than their index fingers? Well, the same trait in women could signal serious health issues, namely osteoarthritis in the knees. This correlation was found during an Arthritis & Rheumatism study.
Experts believe that the reason behind this difference in finger length may be low estrogen levels. On top of a signal for osteoarthritis in the knees for women, people of both genders that have this feature have shown both verbal aggression and higher athletic ability.
A longer ring finger also indicates an in-utero testosterone surge during the second trimester for men. But what else can men learn from this sort of physical feature? Well, the longer ring finger is also associated with having better relationships with women and having more children- all reasons to smile about, except that a British Journal of Cancer study also found a connection to a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Shaky hands reveal: Parkinson’s disease
We’ve all probably experienced shaky hands at one point or another. Typically a side effect of certain medications (antidepressants, asthma drugs, among others) or too much caffeine, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring this symptom up during your next doctor’s appointment.
If you’ve noticed a tremor in one hand, that could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. In fact, as many as 80% of people with this disease experience a tremor.
Essential tremor is also possible. This disorder causes uncontrollable shaking and those who suffer from it need medication and oftentimes therapy in order to manage it.
Nail color reveals: Kidney disease
A study on 100 patients with chronic kidney disease which took place in India found a troubling discovery. 36% of patients had half-and-half nails, which leads scientists to believe that your natural nail color could reveal this harmful condition. More to the point, the top of their nails were brown while the bottom half was white.
Scientists believe that this coloration could be caused by an increased concentration of certain hormones and chronic anemia which, you guessed it, are traits of chronic kidney disease.
Basically, if you notice these distinctive colors on your nail or dark vertical stripes beneath the nail bed, it’s time to contact your doctor!
Grip strength reveals: Heart health
Your grip strength may reveal very concerning medical issues, as proven by a Lancet study on nearly 140,000 adults from 17 countries. According to the study, a weak grip strength predicts a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
Not only that, but doctors believe a weak grip is a better predictor of death than blood pressure.
So, what can you do, on top of contacting your doctor immediately? Experts recommend aerobic exercise and whole-body strength training, as grip strength is a marker of overall muscle strength and fitness. This is especially important if you no longer feel confident in your grip- it’s time to act now before it’s too late!
Sweaty palms reveal: Hyperhidrosis
How many of you have experienced sweaty palms in nerve-wracking situations? While this may be a normal reaction, keep in mind that overly clammy hands could be a symptom of thyroid conditions, menopause, or hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis is an affection in which sweat glands, due to being overactive, produce far more perspiration than necessary. Most people who suffer from this condition actually only sweat from one or two parts of the body: the hands, feet, or armpits.
A good way to combat this is by getting a strong antiperspirant, as prescribed by your doctor.
Fingerprints reveal: High blood pressure
Fingerprints may not only be useful in tracking down criminals, but they could also alert us of high blood pressure. A British study, which looked at 139 fingerprints, found that people with whorl patterns (like a spiral) were more likely to have a high blood pressure than people with loops or arches.
And that’s not the only concerning study! Another one, which focused on 500 fingerprints, discovered a connection between the patterns and high blood pressure too.
But it’s not as strange as it sounds once you find out that actually, the whorl pattern is a marker of fetal development problems during some stages of pregnancy. These development problems are what lead people to have higher blood pressure later on in life.
Pale hands reveal: Anemia
Do you happen to have pale hands? Then they might reveal anemia. Acute and chronic anemia is linked to other issues such as hypothyroidism and sickle cell disease.
These forms of anemia occur when a person does not have enough healthy blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. That’s why patients with anemia experience pale skin and nail beds. As such, pale palms could be a strong indicator of anemia, as reported by the American Society of Hematology.
Even if you’re unsure whether or not your hands are truly pale, and even if you can’t tell by your nail beds, it’s always good to bring concerns of anemia up with your medical professional.
Either way, you should take care of your hands as well as you possibly can. This is why we recommend you use this hand cream that will both hydrate and leave your hands smelling amazing!
Clubbed nails reveal: Lung disease
Unfortunately, if you have clubbed nails, these may be a sign of various dangerous diseases. So, take a look at the shape of your nails. Do they curve down? Is there a large bulge at the end of the finger?
Clubbed fingers or hails are a sign that the oxygen levels in your blood are low, and this could be caused by lung disease.
Alternatively, these could be a sign of liver disease, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and even AIDS. Given this list of potential problems, we recommend contacting your doctor immediately! Even if it’s just a hunch, better safe than sorry!
Blotchy, red palms reveal: Liver disease
On the flip side of having pale hands, you may have blotchy, red palms caused by palmar erythema. This is what is known as a secondary symptom and it could actually reveal other diseases.
For example, you could be suffering from liver disease, according to the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. In fact, 23% of people with blotchy, red palms suffer from liver cirrhosis, developing palmar erythema.
Though warm hands are usually a sign of good health, in this case, they may point to the same liver problems, which is why you shouldn’t ignore these potential symptoms if you notice them in tandem.
Swollen knuckles reveal: High cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol then chances are you have swollen knuckles and vice versa. In fact, swollen knuckles could indicate a genetic high cholesterol condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, or FH for short.
Fat deposits found in the tendons are known as xanthomas. They lump together in the elbows, knees, and of course, hands.
A lot of people sometimes wrongly assume that swollen knuckles are a sign of a person working with their hands a lot, and while it is true that our hands do change in accordance with the labor we do, it’s better to check with a doctor instead of dismissing this condition.
Takeaways
Instead of relying on palm reading to discover your future, perhaps it’s better to check if your hands are giving you information about dangerous health-related problems. As we’ve discussed, these come in different forms from discoloration to blotchiness, clamminess, and others.
But also, make sure to take a good look at your nails while you’re at it. After all, you may not need fake nails to cover any imperfections as your nails may be telling you that it’s time to visit a doctor and get some tests done.
Have you noticed any of these things in your hands? Let us know in the comment down below- after, of course, you schedule an appointment with your doctors!
Other subtle signs you should be aware of are the ones that indicate that you may have dementia! Read all about the topic here!
2 Responses
Diagnostics of feet would be a good one besides the hands.
I do not seem to have any of these tell-tale signs that you pointed out. However, I do have high cholesterol, kidney disease and a few other problems, but the sign are not there. How do you figure that?