Could Yellow Toenails Be An Indication Of Something More?
Noticing a yellow tinge to your toenails may cause you to worry, and you would be right to, as there are many medical problems that yellowing toenails could indicate. Toenails can actually be considered the storytellers of health, and at the first sign of any discoloration, medical attention should be sought from a doctor or podiatrist.
3Yellow Nail Syndrome
Yellow nail syndrome is also known in the medical world as primary lymphedema. It is an extremely rare syndrome that is characterized by the thickening of the nail and also a yellow/yellow-green discolouration. This syndrome is serious because it is commonly accompanied by systemic disease such as lymphedema and compromised respiration, as well as the presence of pleural effusions.
• Lymphedema – Also known as lymphatic obstruction, is a condition that causes localised fluid retention and tissue swelling because of the lymphatic system being compromised.
• Pleural Effusion – This is referred to as excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity. The pleural cavity is the fluid-filled space that surround the lungs. The problem with the cavity holding excess fluid is that it can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs. There are different kinds of pleural effusion depending on the type of fluid. Hydrothorax refers to the presence of serous fluid, hemothorax refers to an excess amount of blood, urinothorax refers to urine, pyothorax refers to pus and there is also pneumothorax which is not a liquid but refers to there being an excessive amount of air in the pleural space.
It has been suggested that this syndrome has a genetic link, however, there is also extensive evidence to suggest the yellow nail syndrome can be caused by titanium, e.g. from eating foods that contain high levels of titanium dioxide.
