What health conditions are associated with ridging nails?
Ridges in the fingernails are often normal signs of aging. Slight vertical ridges commonly develop in older adults. In some cases, they may be a sign of health problems like vitamin deficiencies or diabetes. Deep horizontal ridges, called Beau’s lines, may indicate a serious condition.
What deficiency causes ridges in fingernails?
Our nails naturally develop slight vertical ridges as we age. However, severe and raised ridges can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin B12 or keratin can result in fingernail ridges. Hormonal changes can also cause ridges to appear.
Do ridges in fingernails indicate arthritis?
Your nails also offer clues about PsA in the rest of your body. For example, blood spots under your nail can mean you have a lot of swollen joints. Nails that crumble or have ridges could mean you have more joint pain than other people with PsA.
Does osteoarthritis cause ridges in fingernails?
Two cases of nail involvement associated with primary interphalangeal osteoarthritis of the hand, including leukonychia and longitudinal nail ridge, are reported.
What is longitudinal ridging?
Longitudinal ridging refers to the vertical raised lines present on the nails. There may also be discoloration and thickening of the nails along with the ridging. A certain number of lines are normally found on all fingernails, due to the basic aging process.
Why do rheumatologists look at your nails?
In most, it means an increased likelihood of rheumatic disease. This means that the presence of these nail changes in a patient with inflammatory arthritis, and/or recurrent tendinopathy/enthesopathy, and/or spinal pain & stiffness is significant.
What causes longitudinal ridging on fingernails?
Potential Causes of Longitudinal Ridging. Longitudinal ridging refers to the vertical raised lines present on the nails. There may also be discoloration and thickening of the nails along with the ridging. A certain number of lines are normally found on all fingernails, due to the basic aging process.
What causes ridging and pitting of the nails?
Longitudinal ridging and pitting of the nails may show up in 15% cases of people who suffer from alopecia areata. It can be triggered by a viral infection, trauma, or a hormonal change, with emotional and physical stress possibily resulting in aggravation of the preexisting condition.
Why do I have ridges on my Nails?
Ridges that appear alongside other symptoms such as rough or brittle nails that are not caused by aging may be a sign of other medical disorders and should be diagnosed by a doctor. Beau’s lines are nail ridges that run horizontally across the fingernail. These ridges are often deep, and multiple lines may appear across the nail.
How can I prevent fingernail ridges?
Eating a varied and healthful diet may be a positive step towards providing the body with the fuel it needs to create strong, healthy nails and prevent fingernail ridges. When fingernail ridges develop as a result of a person aging, they are harmless.