Doctor reveals warning sign of silent killer that you might spot in your hand
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Basak Gurbuz Derman/Boy-anupong/Getty Images
A doctor has revealed one of the warning signs of a serious illness that can be visible in your hands.
Most of us know to look out for unusual changes in our bodies, such as lumps, pain and a decrease in appetite.
But there are some signs that are less obvious, which is why it's important to seek medical advice if you're concerned about any unusual changes.
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Monika Wassermann, medical director at Olio Lusso, has explained how the appearance of your nails could provide clues about your cholesterol level.
"Our bodies should ring alarm bells when under attack. Well, I beg to differ [as] this is not always the case with high cholesterol," she told Express.co.uk.
"High cholesterol attacks in silence, making it difficult to notice its symptoms. However, this does not mean you can completely fail to identify high cholesterol levels in your body."
Monika explained that cholesterol can cause the nails to appear pale, due to poor circulation caused by plaques in the blood vessels.
She added: “If you didn't know, high cholesterol causes plaque formation in your blood vessels.
“The plaque then affects blood circulation, resulting in pale nails.”
According to the NHS, high cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance in your blood.
It can be caused by eating fatty foods, lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol.
You can reduce your cholesterol by getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet.
In some cases, it can also be controlled through medication.
High cholesterol can be a problem because it blocks blood vessels and makes a person more likely to suffer from heart or vascular problems, such as a stroke.
It does not usually cause symptoms, but you can find out if you have high cholesterol via a simple blood test.
After receiving the results, a patient's risk of cardiovascular disease is calculated along with age, blood pressure and other health conditions.
Your hands can also provide clues about other health issues, including lung and heart conditions.
'Clubbed fingers' refers to the way the ends of your fingers appear.
In clubbed fingers, the tips can bulge and appear discoloured. Meanwhile, the nail often curves downwards like an upside-down spoon.
The change can indicate serious problems with the lungs or heart, and while it's not currently known exactly why it happens, medical professionals believe it occurs due to chronically low oxygen levels.