All of us are concerned about our appearance, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to look our best whenever we go out. However, if your nails have developed some unsightly swelling around the nail beds, and your fingertips have begun to bulge, causing the nails to curl downward, you may have more to worry about than your physical appearance.

The condition, called “clubbed fingers,” is usually a warning sign of a more serious underlying condition and at the very least warrants a visit to your doctor. While clubbed nails on either your hands or your feet are nothing pretty to look at, it’s more important to find the underlying health issue that’s causing it before the condition progresses to something even more severe. 

Here are just a few possible causes of nail clubbing.

Lung Cancer

One of the most common health problems for those with clubbed nails is lung cancer. Be aware if nail clubbing is accompanied by:

• Bone and joint pain
• Shortness of breath
• Persistent cough
• Coughing up blood and mucus
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• An overall sense of weakness

Lung Disease

Cancer is only one form of lung disease you may be dealing with. Other conditions that affect the lung and may be the cause of clubbed nails can also include:

• Interstitial lung disease (inflammation of the lungs)
• Pulmonary fibrosis (lung tissue that has thickened and turned stiff)
• Cystic fibrosis (a genetic disorder that causes the lungs to overproduce mucus)
• Bronchiectasis (damaged tubes in the lungs)
• Lung abscess (bacteria in the lungs)

All of these are signs that the health of your lungs has been compromised. If any of these appear with clubbed nails, it’s time to take action and get a diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible.

Heart Health

Lungs are not the only organs that could cause clubbing. You might see the same symptoms if your heart health is compromised as well. Some forms of heart disease that may be the root of the problem are:

Congenital Heart Disease (a congenital disability that results when the heart does not form correctly). Symptoms include:

• Blueing of the skin
• Heart murmur
• Breathing too quickly
• Fatigue

A noncancerous tumor (a benign tumor that develops in the heart). Symptoms include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Swollen ankles
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Joint pain

Subacute bacterial endocarditis (an infection in the lining of the heart). Symptoms include:

• Mild fever
• Fast heart rate
• Excess sweating
• Loss of weight
• Joint pain
• Red spots on the skin
• Red streaks developing under fingernails

Other Causes of Nail Clubbing

Other reasons for clubbed nails could include:

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Get Checked Out by Your Podiatrist

Clubbed nails, whether on the hands or the feet, can indicate a severe health problem. If any of these symptoms appear with your clubbed nails, there is no time to waste. You must see your primary care physician as soon as possible to identify the problem and start a course of treatment to get you back to good health.