Liver disease can be deadly, and it often doesn’t show any symptoms in the early stages.
Several unusual warning signs of a potentially fatal condition could appear on the hands. People have been advised to remain vigilant for these symptoms as they may signal chronic liver disease.
The liver serves as a vital organ carrying out over 500 essential functions, including converting food into energy and eliminating toxins from our bloodstream. Consequently, any issues affecting the liver can prove deadly.
What makes liver disease particularly concerning – whether triggered by excessive alcohol consumption or fat accumulation in the organ – is that it generally fails to show symptoms during its initial phases. This means you may remain unaware of having the condition until it has progressed considerably.
The Cleveland Clinic says: “You might begin to notice more symptoms when your liver function begins to decline. This happens in the later stages of liver disease.
“One of the first side effects of declining liver function is that bile flow stalls in your biliary tract. Your liver no longer produces or delivers bile effectively to your small intestine. Instead, bile begins to leak into your bloodstream.”
This can result in:
- Jaundice (yellow tint to the whites of your eyes and skin)
- Dark-coloured urine
- Light-coloured stool
- Digestive difficulties, especially with fats
- Weight loss and muscle loss
- Musty-smelling breath
- Mild brain impairment (hepatic encephalopathy)
- Pruritus (itchy skin, but with no visible rash)
However, as liver disease progresses, it can impact your circulation, hormone levels and may even result in malnutrition. “This can show up in various ways,” the clinic says. “You may see signs and symptoms in your skin and nails.”
Three distinctive examples of this to look for on the hands include:
- Nail clubbing
- Red palms
- Terry’s nails
Nail clubbing
This condition can make the nails appear broader, sponge-like or enlarged, “like an upside-down spoon”. The clinic says: “Nail clubbing can affect a few of your nails or all of them. Often, it starts in your thumb and forefinger (pointer finger) before spreading to other nails.”
This can be triggered by cirrhosis – serious scarring of the liver. It is believed this occurs because cirrhosis can lead to heightened blood flow in the fingers, which expands the veins.
Red palms
The British Liver Trust identifies “blotchy red palms” as an early indication of cirrhosis. According to Medical News Today, the palms may also feel warm but will not be swollen, painful, or itchy.
Approximately 23 per cent of people with cirrhosis will develop red palms, which are known medically as palmar erythema. The NHS adds: “Blotchy red palms of the hands – the redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin.”
Terry’s nails
Terry’s nails is a condition where the majority of your fingernail or toenail appears white, akin to frosted glass, with only a thin brown or pink strip at the tip. The Cleveland Clinic explains: “People with Terry’s nails don’t have a half-moon shape (lunula) near their cuticles. Instead, nearly the whole nail looks washed out.”
The condition was named after researcher Richard Terry, who found that approximately eight out of 10 patients with cirrhosis had these white nails.
Other symptoms of liver disease that can manifest on the skin include:
- Spider angiomas – spider-like red marks on the skin
- Tiny red dots on your skin (petechiae)
- Small yellow bumps of fat deposits on your skin or eyelids
- Easy bleeding and bruising
The NHS also lists other signs of liver disease as:
- Constant feelings of tiredness and weakness
- Loss of appetite – which may lead to weight loss
- Loss of sex drive (libido)
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Itchy skin
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Swelling in the abdomen, legs, ankles or feet
- Shaky hands
- Slurred speech
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Vomiting blood
- Very dark or black faeces
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention.