A foot and ankle doctor named Dr. Dana Brems is warning everyone to check their fingernails and toenails for a strange pattern that could signal a very serious heart problem.
The resident podiatric physician and surgeon, Dr Dana explained that when you gently press down on your nail, look for a pink and white color that seems to pulse or beat under the nail bed. This unusual symptom is called Quincke’s sign. If you see it, you need to call a doctor right away, as it points to a major issue with your heart.
Why Is A Leaky Heart A Problem?
Quincke’s sign is a major red flag for a condition called aortic insufficiency, which is often described as having a “leaky heart.”
The Problem
The aortic valve in your heart is supposed to close tightly after pumping blood out to your body. When it’s leaky, some of that blood actually rushes back into the heart instead of moving forward properly.
The Danger
If this isn’t fixed quickly, this leaky valve can cause heart failure and, in the worst cases, can lead to sudden death. Dr. Brems stresses that even a tiny sign on your nail can mean a massive problem inside your body.
Does Quincke’s Pulse Actually Happen?
Yes, there are many cases of it, one such case study was published in the BMJ. A 74-year-old man who had been a heavy drinker for years. He started feeling increasingly ill, with two major complaints. First, he had trouble catching his breath whenever he tried to exercise or move around. Second, he was suddenly gaining a lot of weight.
During his examination, doctors noticed a few key things: his pulse felt abnormally strong, his neck veins were swollen, and when they gently pressed his fingernails, the color beneath the nail pulsed with his heartbeat-a telltale sign called Quincke’s pulse.
Further tests on the man’s heart confirmed he had a serious problem: high-output heart failure. This is unusual because his heart muscle was actually working fine, but the system was failing.
Fortunately, the treatment was simple and highly effective. The patient immediately stopped drinking alcohol and started taking thiamine supplements. With this simple vitamin replacement therapy, his strong, bounding pulse quickly returned to normal. Most importantly, all his heart failure symptoms went away completely, and he did not even need to take strong heart medications. The correct diagnosis and a simple vitamin solved his severe health crisis.
Other Symptoms of Heart Failure
A leaky heart can eventually cause a condition called congestive heart failure. Besides the nail sign, doctors warn you should watch out for other common symptoms of heart failure:
- You feel short of breath a lot.
- Your ankles and legs are swollen (this is called oedema).
- You feel dizzy or lightheaded, or you faint.
- You have a cough that won’t go away, especially one that bothers you at night.
- You notice a fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat.
When to See a Doctor?
If you notice that pulsating pink and white color when you press your nail, or if you have any of the common symptoms of heart failure that are lasting or getting worse, you should call your doctor or general practitioner (GP) immediately. If your heart symptoms are sudden or extremely severe-such as intense chest pain or sudden, severe breathlessness-you must call for an ambulance or go to the emergency room right away.