Secrets your hands reveal about your health, Latest Health News - The New Paper

Secrets your hands reveal about your health

You'll be surprised at how much your palms, fingers and even nails can tell you about your body. Here's what to look out for





Your nails lack a healthy, pinkish appearance. Instead, there's a whitish tinge to them, as well as in the creases of your palm.

This could mean... You have a low red blood cell or haemoglobin count.

"Haemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying component in red blood cells and also gives them their colour," says Dr Daryl Tan, a consultant and specialist in haematology at Raffles Cancer Centre. A low haemoglobin level could be a sign of conditions such as anaemia, bone marrow failure and kidney failure.




Hyperthyroidism could be due to Graves' disease, an immune system disorder that can be triggered by stress. Thankfully, doctors can easily treat it.


Your hands grow progressively larger and start looking "spade-like", with a swollen base and tapering off at the fingers. The skin on your hands, along with that on the rest of your body, feels rough and coarse. There may also be numbness or a tingling sensation in your fingers.

This could mean... You have too much growth hormones, which could point to a condition known as acromegaly.

Growth hormones occur naturally in our bodies, with more being produced when we're young to help with growth and bone development.


"This is often due to a benign brain tumour in the pituitary gland, which produces growth hormones," says Dr Teh. It's most common in women between 30 and 50 years old.


Your nails curve downward due to the thickening of the tissue beneath them, and end up looking like the base of an overturned spoon. It's also known as nail clubbing, and can develop quickly, often within weeks.

This could mean... You have a serious health condition, "the most common being a heart or lung disease, such as chronic infections, cancer and cardiovascular diseases", says Dr Teh.


Always consult a doctor if you notice any of these signs.

There's no need to set yourself up for unnecessary anxiety because these "are just signs of a possible underlying disease, not an actual diagnosis", says Dr Teh.

Also, don't self-medicate as many of these conditions tend to overlap.

This article first appeared  in Her World Plus  (