Nails are horn-like keratinous structures covering the tips of the fingers and toes, made of alpha-keratin.
Mnemonic: "N.A.I.L. = Natural Armor In Life"
STRUCTURE OF NAILS
- Nail Plate → Hard, visible part.
- Nail Matrix → Produces new nail cells.
- Nail Bed → Skin under the nail plate.
- Lunula → White crescent at nail base.
- Cuticle (Eponychium) → Protects nail base.
- Hyponychium → Skin under free nail edge.
Mnemonic: "P.M.B.L.C.H." (Plate, Matrix, Bed, Lunula,
Cuticle, Hyponychium)
COMMON NAIL DISORDERS
1. BRITTLE NAILS (Onychorrhexis)
- Caused by Vitamin Deficiency (Iron, Biotin), Aging, Thyroid Disease.
- Nails become dry, cracked, and split easily.
- Mnemonic: "B.V.A.T." (Brittle Nails → Vitamin Deficiency, Aging, Thyroid)
- Homeopathy: Silicea, Calc Fluor, Nat Mur, Graphites
2. YELLOW NAIL SYNDROME
- Thickened, Yellow Nails.
- Associated with Lung Disease (COPD), Lymphedema.
- Mnemonic: "Y.L.C." (Yellow Nails → Lung Disease, Lymphedema, Chronic Infections)
- Homeopathy: Antimonium Crudum, Graphites, Thuja
3. WHITE NAILS (Leukonychia)
- White Spots (Punctate) → Trauma, Nutritional Deficiency.
- Total White Nails → Liver Disease (Cirrhosis).
- Mnemonic: "W.L.T." (White Nails → Liver, Trauma, Total Leukonychia)
- Homeopathy: Calcarea Carb, Nat Mur, Phosphorus
4. BLUE NAILS (Cyanosis)
- Due to Poor Oxygenation (Heart, Lung Disease).
- Common in Raynaud’s Disease, COPD.
- Mnemonic: "B.C.H." (Blue Nails → Cyanosis, Heart Disease, Hypoxia)
- Homeopathy: Carbo Veg, Lachesis, Arsenicum Album
5. KOILONYCHIA (Spoon Nails)
- Concave, Spoon-Shaped Nails.
- Caused by Iron Deficiency Anemia.
- Mnemonic: "K.I.D." (Koilonychia → Iron Deficiency)
- Homeopathy: Ferrum Met, Nat Mur, Calc Phos
6. CLUBBING (Hippocratic Nails)
- Rounded, Bulging Nails With Increased Curvature.
- Associated With Heart & Lung Diseases (Congenital Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, TB).
- Mnemonic: "C.H.L." (Clubbing → Heart, Lung Disease)
- Homeopathy: Carbo Veg, Lachesis, Digitalis
7. PITTING NAILS
- Small Depressions (Pits) in Nail Surface.
- Common in Psoriasis & Alopecia Areata.
- Mnemonic: "P.P.A." (Pitting → Psoriasis, Alopecia Areata)
- Homeopathy: Arsenicum Album, Mezereum, Nat Sulph
8. BEAU’S LINES
- Horizontal Grooves Across Nails.
- Due to Severe Illness, High Fever, Trauma.
- Mnemonic: "B.I.T." (Beau’s Lines → Illness, Trauma)
- Homeopathy: Silicea, Nat Mur, Phosphoric Acid
9. INGROWN TOENAIL
(Onychocryptosis)
- Nail Grows Into Surrounding Skin → Pain, Inflammation, Infection.
- Caused by Tight Shoes, Improper Nail Cutting.
- Mnemonic: "I.T.I." (Ingrown Nail → Tight Shoes, Improper Cutting, Infection)
- Homeopathy: Graphites, Silicea, Hepar Sulph
10. PARONYCHIA (Nail Fold
Infection)
- Red, Swollen, Painful Nail Fold (Bacterial or Fungal).
- Common in Nail Biters, Dishwashers.
- Mnemonic: "P.N.I." (Paronychia → Nail Biting, Infection)
- Homeopathy: Hepar Sulph, Silicea, Merc Sol
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR NAIL
DISORDERS
- For Brittle Nails: Silicea, Calc Fluor, Graphites
- For Yellow Nails: Antimonium Crudum, Thuja
- For White Nails (Leukonychia): Calcarea Carb, Phosphorus
- For Blue Nails (Cyanosis): Carbo Veg, Lachesis
- For Spoon Nails (Koilonychia): Ferrum Met, Nat Mur
- For Clubbing: Digitalis, Lachesis
- For Pitting Nails (Psoriasis): Arsenicum Album, Mezereum
- For Beau’s Lines: Silicea, Phosphoric Acid
- For Ingrown Toenail: Graphites, Silicea
- For Paronychia: Hepar Sulph, Merc Sol
Mnemonic: "S.Y.W.B.I.P." (Silicea, Yellow Nails, White
Nails, Blue Nails, Ingrown, Paronychia)
FINAL REVISION WITH MNEMONICS
- Structure = "P.M.B.L.C.H." (Plate, Matrix, Bed, Lunula, Cuticle, Hyponychium)
- Brittle Nails = "B.V.A.T." (Brittle → Vitamin Deficiency, Aging, Thyroid)
- Yellow Nails = "Y.L.C." (Yellow → Lung Disease, Lymphedema, Chronic Infections)
- White Nails = "W.L.T." (White → Liver, Trauma, Total Leukonychia)
- Blue Nails = "B.C.H." (Blue → Cyanosis, Heart Disease, Hypoxia)
- Spoon Nails (Koilonychia) = "K.I.D." (Koilonychia → Iron Deficiency)
- Clubbing = "C.H.L." (Clubbing → Heart, Lung Disease)
- Pitting Nails = "P.P.A." (Pitting → Psoriasis, Alopecia Areata)
- Beau’s Lines = "B.I.T." (Beau’s → Illness, Trauma)
- Ingrown Toenail = "I.T.I." (Ingrown → Tight Shoes, Improper Cutting, Infection)
- Paronychia = "P.N.I." (Paronychia → Nail Biting, Infection)
- Homeopathy = "S.Y.W.B.I.P." (Silicea, Yellow, White, Blue,
Ingrown, Paronychia)
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PRACTICE OF MEDICINE