What Your Aging Hands Say About Your Health
As we journey through life, our hands bear witness to our experiences. They’ve cradled babies, cooked countless meals, typed up work reports, and held the hands of loved ones. It’s no wonder they show signs of ageing.
Hormonal changes coupled with frequent hand-washing and sun exposure can also lead to a loss of skin elasticity, fine lines, wrinkles, and prominent veins. Some of these problems can be solved at home with products that you can buy at the local supermarket (like Vaseline), but have you ever stopped to consider what your hands are saying about your overall health?
Empower Your Health: It’s in Your Hands
To prevent signs of ageing, The American Academy Of Dermatology Association recommends not only following a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids but also moisturizing our hands regularly during the day, wearing cotton-lined gloves when gardening or when cleaning with harsh soap or chemicals, and protect them with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
However, the appearance and sensation of our ageing hands can also uncover various underlying health issues, from poor circulation to liver disease.
Is there something your hands are trying to say? Let’s take a look at some common hand signals and what they might mean.
Always chilly hands? It could be a few things. Poor circulation, low blood pressure, or an underactive thyroid can all make your hands feel like ice. Sometimes, it might even be Raynaud’s disease, which affects blood flow to your fingers and toes. If your fingers turn white or blue and feel numb or painful, it’s important to see a doctor, especially if you’re also feeling tired, gaining weight, or having heart trouble.
Nervous or not, sweaty palms are pretty common. Stress, an overactive thyroid, too much alcohol, or a condition called hyperhidrosis (which runs in families) can all be the culprit. Strong antiperspirants, special treatments, or even Botox can help with sweaty palms.
If your hands feel like the Sahara Desert, it could be an underactive thyroid, low estrogen levels (especially after menopause), or just not drinking enough water. To help, try using a good moisturizer, drinking plenty of water, and eating foods with healthy fats.
A little hand tremor? Don’t worry, it happens! It could be from stress, too much caffeine, or an overactive thyroid. Sometimes, it might be a condition called essential tremor or even Parkinson’s disease. There are treatments for all of these, so talk to your doctor if it bothers you.
Feeling pins and needles in your hands? It might be from typing too much (ouch!) or a problem with your nerves. Physical therapy, massage, or acupuncture can help.
Those little white spots on your hands are probably harmless. They could be eczema, sun spots, or a fungal infection. Antifungal cream can help with the fungal infection, but it might come back, especially if you live in a humid place.
Researchers call grip strength an “indispensable biomarker for older adults.” In other words, the strength you hold in your hands, wrists and forearms says a lot about how healthy you are.
“Grip strength naturally begins to decline around age 50, and maybe even earlier,” says geriatric medicine specialist Ardeshir Hashmi, MD. “People who maintain their grip strength age more slowly. They stay healthier longer and are stronger throughout their bodies.”
A weakening grip can be frustrating, but there are steps you can take to improve it, like squeezing a stress ball or using a grip strengthened (these devices come in different resistances and can provide targeted strength training). However, hand weakness can reveal some conditions, including a ganglion cyst, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cubital tunnel syndrome. In these cases, a doctor can diagnose the issue and recommend treatments based on the underlying condition causing the weakness.
Also, keep an eye on skin changes. Dryness, wrinkles, age spots, and thickened skin are common signs of ageing. However, extreme dryness or sudden changes might indicate underlying health issues. Brittle nails, discolouration, or unusual ridges could signal problems with your overall health or specific nutrient deficiencies, too.
So, the next time you look at your hands, remember they’re more than just tools; they’re windows into your overall health. From your fingertips to your wrists, your hands tell a story about your well-being. Pay attention to the details.
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