Clubbed Fingers

Clubbed fingers is a condition where your fingers bulge and your nails curve downward, like an upside-down spoon. It may look like your nails are floating or aren’t really attached to your finger. Your fingers may become warm and/or discolored.

People with finger clubbing also usually have it in their toes. It’s also called digital clubbing. (“Digits” is another name for your fingers and toes.)

Clubbed fingers can be a symptom of heart, lung or digestive diseases.

Signs of clubbed fingers

Some things you might notice if you have clubbed fingers include:

• Your fingertips are wide, round and bulging compared to your fingers.
• The skin near your nails is darker in color or warm to the touch.
• Your nails look like they aren’t attached to your fingers.
• Your nails are wide and curve downward.
• Your nails are very light or white compared to the skin around them.

Clubbed fingers might not have all of these features.

Finger clubbing causes

Clubbing can be a symptom of conditions that affect your heart, lungs or digestive system. These conditions can cause low levels of oxygen in your blood (hypoxemia) over time, which can lead to clubbing. Experts aren’t sure why this causes clubbing, but it likely has to do with blood vessels widening in your fingers and other factors.

Sometimes, you might have clubbed fingers without an underlying cause.

Specific causes of clubbed fingers include:

• Ascariasis: A parasitic infection in your gut
• Aortic aneurysm: A bulging in the wall of your body’s largest artery.
• Bronchiectasis: Damage and widening in your airways
• Congenital heart disease: A structural issue with your heart that’s present at birth
• Cancer: This includes lung, liver, esophageal and gastrointestinal cancers, mesothelioma and lymphoma.
• Celiac disease: An autoimmune disease that can damage your small intestine
• Cirrhosis: Scar tissue in your liver, which can happen if you have alcohol use disorder
• Cystic fibrosis: An inherited disease that causes sticky mucus to build up in your organs
• Empyema: A buildup of pus between the linings of your lungs
• Endocarditis: Inflammation in the lining of your heart valves
• Lung abscesses: A collection of pus in your lung that’s surrounded by swollen lung tissue
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Scarred and thickened lung tissue
• Inflammatory bowel disease: An inflammatory disease that damages your intestines
• Sarcoidosis: A condition that causes lumps to form in your lungs or other organs
• Thyroid disease: Conditions that stop your thyroid gland from working correctly

Overuse of certain drugs can also lead to finger clubbing. This includes laxatives, interferon alfa-2A and prostaglandin infusions.

How doctors diagnose clubbed fingers

Your provider will look at your fingers for signs of clubbing. They might look for:

• Lovibond and hyponychial angles: Your provider might measure various parts of your nails. These measurements can indicate finger clubbing.
• Schamroth sign: Your provider has you press two fingers together at the first joint so that the nails are facing each other. Fingers without clubbing form a small, diamond-shaped space near the base of the nails.

If your provider diagnoses you with digital clubbing, you’ll have further tests to look for a cause. These could include chest X-rays, other imaging, blood tests or lung function tests.

How are clubbed fingers treated?

There’s no specific treatment for clubbed fingers. Treating the condition that’s causing it can help improve clubbing. If your provider doesn’t find a cause, clubbed fingers aren’t usually treated.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

See your healthcare provider if you notice new finger or toe clubbing. It could be a sign of a condition that needs treatment. Let your provider know if you have any other symptoms, like shortness of breath, frequent cough or digestive issues.