ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: Tumbleweed on July 05, 2008, 05:46:59 pm
-
Some people may consider this a bizarre post, but has anyone noticed deep ridges or creases across the width of their thumbnail on the side of their body their tumor is on? My thumbnail on the left side (only the left side) developed deep creases beginning several years ago, a few years after my symptoms began.
There is a theory in natural-healing circles that the health of the body is reflected in the condition of the fingernails. For example, prominent "moons" are considered a sign of vigor; interestingly, these generally disappear with age. Some marks on fingernails are nothing more than mineral deposits. But deep ridges or creases are considered signs of stress in associated internal systems or organs. The thumbnail, if I remember correctly, is associated with the health of the endocrine system. The study of fingernails as indicators of health is unsubstantiated and admittedly on the fringe; so, even as an avid "student" of the natural-healing arts, I haven't paid much attention to fingernails. But I find it fascinating that all my fingernails except that on my thumb on my affected side are really smooth and pink, with prominent moons, yet my thumbnail on the affected side looks horrible -- like a rough, unpaved roadbed with a washboard pattern. The creases are most obvious when looking at a sideview of my thumb.
It would be fascinating to learn of other people having deep creases across the width of their thumbnail on the affected side. Anyone?
Thanks,
Tumbleweed
-
Tumbleweed~
I have "ridges" on ALL my nails (vertical from bed to ends) - they didn't start until my 20's (actually I noticed it after taking off acrylics after my wedding at 24). Most of the women in my family have them and we all have thyroid issues. The lady at the health food store told my mom it was caused by the deficiency because of the thyroid problems...that is all I know...
K
-
Most adults have multiple superficial ridges along the lengths of their fingernails. This is normal and thought to be a sign of stress in general; the toll of life's stresses. I've noticed my vertical ridges in the past have become more prominent when I'm overworking and not eating right. They get more superficial when I'm taking good care of myself.
The creases across the width of my thumbnail are another matter. They're so deep, my thumbnail actually looks lumpy.
Anyone else care to chime in?
Tumbleweed
-
Just checked mine and no ridges.
Does a purple spot under my pointer finger nail mean anything other than I should move my hand out of the way when my 5 year old is trying to hammer in a nail? :D
Lori
-
Considering the fact that I am NOT a stressball, nor have ever let things "get to me" - I think I will stick with the nutritionalists theory that it is thyroid related! ;D
K
-
Could very well be, K. I wasn't discounting what your nutritionalist thought. We might also be talking about something different. A picture is worth a thousand words. I just wanted to assure everyone who has the garden-variety vertical ridges on their nails that they don't all have thyroid problems!
Tumbleweed
-
No finger/thumb nail creases for me - AN side or non-AN side ;D
Guess you're just "special" Tumbleweed LOL
Jan
-
Tumbleweed,
I have read and heard the same thing that by using the fingernails, but also the eyeballs you can roughly determine one's general health. Like a barometer of your health. Looking closely I can see tiny ridges on about all of my fingernails. No gullies though. You have a unique nail. Did you have any physical damage that could have occurred in the growing point area of the nail? I was impaled by a black spiny sea urchin in that growth area. The nail grew out all funky looking until the damage area grew out until clipped away. You may not even remember hitting your finger against a wall, door, tree, dog toy, kid toy etc. :-\
-
Hi Tumbleweed,
I have a crease on my right thumb nail and its been there for a few yrs, but my facial neuroma is on my left side. Interesting and maybe something else I can read up on.
Let me tell you as a woman, nail polish is a b****h to apply on my right thumb nail! >:( I try to smooth the crease down with an emery board and buffer for better application of nail polish. That's just a FYI ::)
Anne Marie
-
Sabuck: there's been no injury to my thumbnail that I can recall. And it's been wierd looking for several years now. It's a mystery.
It seems like there is probably no direct connection to my AN, as nobody else is reporting the same thing. Must be simply a case of Ugly Fingernailoma.
Best,
Tumbleweed
-
Tumbleweed:
While I'm skeptical about the theory that your fingernails are indicators of your state of health, I won't dismiss it out of hand.
FWIW: My left (AN side) thumbnail is identical to my right with a 'full moon' on each. No significant ridges. Oh, well.
Whatever caused your deep crease/ridges on one thumbnail is, as you noted, probably not AN related. You may never know the actual cause for it, but I wouldn't be too concerned. Lots of folks have small abnormalities on their body that are basically meaningless. Consider it a sign of your uniqueness. :)
Jim
-
Jim,
While I'm skeptical about the theory that your fingernails are indicators of your state of health, I won't dismiss it out of hand.
Good pun! :D
-
I have a Left AN and the left thumb nail is the only nail that has a half moon on it. The other nail beds on the left hand doesn't have any moons at all.
In the hospital, their always looking at the nail beds of patients, not only to see the whether there is cyanosis but disease of the beds. (I think)
-
I've had ridges in my fingernails for a long time. Can't remember when I didn't. I am very stressful and have thyroid problems. But my mother who is 81, no health problems at all, never been on or is on any medicine has ridges on her finger nails too. I guess I inherited her nails, not her health.
mema
-
Actually, yes, I do. My right thumb developed those creases about a year ago, roughly the same time I began to have symptoms. Coincidence? Or just strange nails?
Marci
-
That's fascinating, Marci. Good to know I'm not alone. Who knows if it's coincidence or not...
Best,
Tumbleweed
-
tumbleweed,
i have vertical ridges (from bed to the end) on my ring finger on my right hand and this is the AN side too. But I have always had these ridges, or at least I don't remember the time when I didn't have them, or I was born with this, dunno! But for sure it is there since the time of my conscious memories. And no one in my family has these ridges, so I guess this the way I was born. these ridges are not as deep as you say yours are, mine are well covered by a nail polish!
I have heard this theory about nails and health of the body but have no idea what part of my body ring finger's nail stands for.
Best wishes,
Hrissy
-
FWIW, my creased thumbnail quickly began to get smoother after having CK. Now almost 7 months post-treatment, it's dramatically smoother than it's been in the past several years, in fact barely creased at all. Before CK, it had become progressively creased over time. Fascinating.
Best wishes,
Tumbleweed
-
I bet it is all those steamed leafy greens you like to eat. ;) Seriously, your heightened attention to diet and general well being could account for the improvement in the state of your thumbnail. Maybe having you acoustic neuroma inactivated by radiation has helped, but it seems like a stretch to me.
Steve
-
That is really strange i just looked at my right thumb and it has the crease you are talking about ,and i had a right sided AN, and when i think back years and years ago , a wise old doctor looked at my nails once and said it could be a sign of something? but i was a kid then and he retired soon afterwards makes you wonder.
-
Actually, yes I do too! Hmmmmm - my right thumb seems to have one too! Geeze I hope thay they don't find a nasty on the follow-up MRI that I have yet to go for :(
-
I'm certain a creased thumb isn't always about an AN, Denisex2boys, so I wouldn't worry about that. In natural-healing circles, if I remember correctly, it generally indicates an imbalance with the endocrine system. Maybe one follows the other; i.e., the AN compromises the nervous system, which puts stress on the endocrine system. Just guessing.
Steve, what's interesting is I'd been on the leafy-greens diet for a couple decades before getting CK. Even while eating this way while my AN progressed before treatment, my thumb nail became increasingly creased (say that five times fast :D ). It was only after getting CK that I began to notice a dramatic improvementâ€â€this with no significant change in my diet or lifestyle.
Coincidence? I doubt it. The improvement and the timing are too dramatic to suggest that. But I can't say exactly what the mechanism is that's at work here, because my latest MRI did show my tumor swelling slightly in size. So it's obviously not directly related to the size of the tumor.
It would be interesting to consult a world-class Chinese doctor for an explanation of this. The Chinese look closely at fingernails to gauge the health of different organs.
Best wishes,
Tumbleweed