Nail problems are common, and they are not usually serious. If a person has multiple sclerosis (MS), nail problems can cause pain or discomfort. While nail issues are not directly related to the disease, determining the cause may help prevent a person with MS from experiencing further discomfort.
Fungal infections in toenails, known as onychomycosis, are relatively common among the general population — and they're even more common among people diagnosed with MS. These infections may cause nail discoloration, lead to cracking and breaking, or cause other nail changes or deformities to develop.
Other more advanced symptoms include hand weakness, wrist drop (difficulty raising hand), curling fingers, poor sensation. You may notice that you drop items or have difficulty gauging how to pick up an item.
Nail psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes discoloration, pitting and changes in the structure of your nails. It can make you feel self-conscious, though you can buff your nails and apply nail polish to improve their appearance. Nail psoriasis isn't contagious, and treatments can help your symptoms improve.
Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, a rosy tinge there, or some rippling or bumps may be a sign of disease in the body. Problems in the liver, lungs, and heart can show up in your nails.
In most, it means an increased likelihood of rheumatic disease. This means that the presence of these nail changes in a patient with inflammatory arthritis, and/or recurrent tendinopathy/enthesopathy, and/or spinal pain & stiffness is significant.
Feeling fatigued is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of MS. It's often described as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that means it can be a struggle to carry out even the simplest activities.
Migraines are one of the most common mimicker diseases that can be misdiagnosed for MS. Migraine causes intense throbbing headaches, light sensitivity, and nausea. Many migraine sufferers have also experienced blurred vision similar to the kind caused by optic neuritis in MS patients.
Numbness of the face, extremities or body is often the first symptom of MS. Pain is common in MS, with around 55% of people with MS citing chronic pain. Walking, balance and coordination problems can be helped by physical therapy and medications.
Hair loss is not a symptom of MS, but can be a side effect of various MS treatments, particularly immunosuppressive agents, and other medications such as antidepressants. An MS diagnosis also could be a contributing factor to stress-related hair loss.
This chronic pain condition is caused by a loss of myelin surrounding the trigeminal nerve. Both inflammation and facial swelling have been associated with cases of trigeminal neuralgia. Further, the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia is high in people with MS.
Nail plate discoloration can result from several nutritional deficiencies. Research has shown vitamin B12 deficiency to cause brown-gray nail discoloration. White nails can be the result of anemia and pink or red nails may suggest malnutrition with several nutrient and vitamin deficiencies.
Vitamin-B12 deficiency can present with glossitis, pigmentary changes of nails, hairs, and skin or more serious features like megaloblastic anemia and neuropsychiatric symptoms. [2] Neuropsychiatric features, though rare, can become irreversible in severe and prolonged deficiency.
Terry's nails is a type of nail discoloration. The nailbeds look “washed out,” except for a thin reddish-brown strip near the tip. Often, Terry's nails is a symptom of a chronic condition, such as liver failure or diabetes. Sometimes, it is a sign of aging.
Nail changes
These are most common in people who have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Some people develop a nail infection, which can cause splitting or crumbling nails and discoloration (A), or swollen skin and discoloration around the nails (B). Sometimes, visible blood vessels appear around the nails.
Subungual hyperkeratosis and brownish discoloration of the nail were the most common findings in patients with IBD.
A variety of inflammatory skin conditions affect the nail, the commonest of which are psoriasis, lichen planus and alopecia areata.
The term benign MS is sometimes used to describe a version of relapsing remitting MS with very mild or no attacks separated by long periods with no symptoms.