Five ways your hands could be warning you of serious health issues

Josh MiltonPublished Oct 25, 2024, 4:04pm

A graphic shows someone's hands against an emergency sign and the grim reaper. — From discoloured nails to ‘sausage fingers’, these are the signs to look out for (Picture: Getty)

Your health is in your hands – literally.

Given you pretty much see and use them every day, if your hands are a little red, it’s hard not to notice.

But when this happens, our hands are sometimes giving us subtle clues about our health and well-being – and when things aren’t exactly going to plan.

And Dr Donald Grant, a Bristol-based GP and a senior clinical advisor for the online chemist The Independent Pharmacy, doesn’t just mean that your hand being itchy is a sign you’ve been bitten by a mosquito.

‘From cardiovascular disease to psoriasis, our hands can tell us a lot about our health – indicating potentially serious health conditions,’ he says.

‘It’s vital to understand the telltale signs of illness and how to spot changes in hands to avoid a further reduction in well-being.’

Dr Grant says that given scabies – a tortuous skin rash caused by teeny tiny mites – is on the rise in the UK, it’s vital people keep an eye on their hands.

1. Nails

We’ve all heard how smoking stains our fingernails yellow – but our nails can hint at other conditions, too.

‘A range of health issues can all lead to alterations in nail appearance and texture,’ Dr Gant explains.

Cropped shot of a senior woman holding hands with a nurse — Dr Grant stresses people should see their GP if they have any concerns (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Firstly, pitted nails are when small dents or pits form on the surface of fingernails and can indicate psoriasis, in severe cases, it can cause the nails to crumble.’

Psoriasis (pronounced sore-EYE-ah-sis) is a common chronic skin disease that makes patches of our skin flaky and scale-like.

‘Additionally, yellow nails can be an indicator of a range of health issues, including fungal infections or underlying health conditions such as lung disease,’ the GP adds. In the latter, it’s often called ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome’ and causes swelling and breathing problems.

2. Skin

The appearance and texture of our skin can also change ‘rapidly’ when we fall ill, stresses Dr Grant.

‘Palmar Erythema is a skin condition causing the palms of hands to turn red, it can also bring a burning sensation and affects people for a range of reasons, including pregnancy,’ he says.

‘However, it can also be a sign of worrying health conditions such as lymphoma or liver disease.’

When we don’t have enough vitamins such as calcium or vitamin D, dry spots can pop up on our hands. Dry skin may also be a sign of eczema, a broad term for skin conditions that often take the form of itchy and, at times, debilitating rashes.

3. Stiff joints

If your hands begin to painfully creak and click as you move, this could be a sign of arthritis, warns Dr Grant.

Arthritis is a catchall term for more than 100 kinds of inflammatory joint conditions, all of which can flare for different reasons – and most have next to nothing to do with age.

Manicure in trendy coral color. Woman hands on blue background. Color of 2019 year concept. Summer vibes. Copy space for your text. — While often associated with older age, arthritis can happen at any time (Picture: Getty Images)

Osteoarthritis is among these 100 conditions, being one of the most common. The degenerative joint disease sees the padding in people’s fingers slowly erode, mainly impacting the base of the thumb and middle joints but causing pain in the entire hand.

‘While it can be difficult to treat osteoarthritis, anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen can be used to manage pain and swelling while adopting a healthy amount of exercise can help ease stiffness,’ says Dr Grant.

4. Cold hands

If you’re having to throw on a pair of mittens even when it’s not winter, that’s not the best sign.

Cold hands are usually a sign of poor blood circulation, but also be a sign of anaemia, when we have fewer healthy red blood cells in the body. The condition can be caused, for example, by a lack of iron in our diet.

Closeup of a support hands. Closeup shot of a young woman holding a senior man's hands in comfort. Female carer holding hands of senior man — Your hands being cold to the touch can be a sign of different health conditions (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Aside from anaemia, cold hands may also indicate an underlying health condition such as diabetes or blood clots,’ says Dr Grant.

‘If you experience a long-lasting change in hand temperature, it may be best to seek additional medical advice.’

5. Thickened fingers

Yes, ‘sausage fingers’ aren’t really a sign of a clean bill of health. So keeping an eye on the width of your fingers can help spot ‘life-threatening diseases’.

‘A common symptom of pulmonary fibrosis – a type of lung disease – is the widening of fingers and clubbing of fingernails,’ says Dr Grant.

‘Dactylitus, where fingers become much wider in appearance, can be a sign of sickle cell disease, tuberculosis or a bacterial infection.