'Clubbing' explained as major change to finger could be sign of deadly disease

While the ‘clubbing’ condition might simply look unusual, it could be a sign of a deadly disease that needs to be addressed immediately.

The human body is unendingly complex, but there can be both subtle and obvious clues that something isn’t quite right.

Due to this, it can be easy to brush off some of the signs and just assume things will get better; in truth, sometimes a headache is just a headache.

However, ‘clubbing’ can be hard to ignore, and experts have argued against just ignoring it.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, clubbing or nail clubbing is a drastic change in the appearance and structure of your fingernails or toenails.

Your nails can take on an appearance that looks similar to an upside down spoon and they can also look wider or swollen.

As well as this, they can feel soft or sponge-like, be warm to the touch and look red.

The condition can also impact only a few of your nails or all of them, but more commonly starts on the thumb and forefinger before spreading.

What nail clubbing can look like (Dr Murlidhar Rajagopalan)

What clubbing looks like (Getty Stock Image)

While it may just give your nails a strange look or feeling, it could be a sign of lung cancer as well as other serious conditions.

According to the clinic: “Nail clubbing is most often associated with diseases of the heart and lungs, like lung cancer, lung infections, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis or cardiovascular disease.”

In addition to clubbing, dark lines forming under the nail can also indicate a problem.

According to a Mail Online report, a podiatrist at London’s Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, Dr Chin Kai Huang, stated: "One of the most common changes we see in clinics that requires further investigation is clubbing, where the inside of the nail begins to dome."

“This can be a sign of liver disease, lung conditions and gastrointestinal problems.”

He added that lines or striations forming under the nail, in admittedly rare cases, also indicate a type of melanoma.

Clubbing can change the structure and appearance of your nails (Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine)

Doctors have also encouraged people to speak to their healthcare professionals if they notice something is off and start developing concerning signs, like clubbing.

A 2012 study by Dr Malay Sarkar, an India-based lung cancer specialist, discovered lung cancer is the primary cause of finger clubbing, linked to almost 90 per cent of cases.

However, it is important to note that nail clubbing affects around five to 15 per cent of people with lung cancer.