Splinter hemorrhages /: very worried!

[maryjane91]

I have splinter hemorrhages on 4 nails at the moment, 1-4 on each nail. Am freaking out. They are only visible if you look closely, but still. Have had them before - but usually only one or two on one finger at a time.

Have been very fatigued lately and had quite a few viral infections since October, so had full blood count about a month ago. All normal except slightly raised ANA and slight iron deficiency, but doctor was not concerned. I have had several blood tests during the last four years, all of which have been normal except ANA (has been slightly raised since at least 2017, when it was tested the first time).

I have shown my doctor the splinter hemorrhages once last year when I had two tiny ones, he just sad petechiae and not to worry. But I have had a lot more symptoms lately (also been severely stressed - just split up with my children's father and now Corona crisis) and now several more splinter hemorrhages. It's freaking me out. Anyone else had these?

I am female, 28 years old... So scared this is caused by vasculitis secondary to an autoimmune disease or cancer :(

[maryjane91]

Anyone?
I've also been experiencing increasing widespread body pain... Especially back and neck pain

[maryjane91]

Just had another splinter hemorrhage pop up on my little finger - getting more and more worried. The positive ANA doesn't help, even though doctor insisted it was benign. But then I didn't have all the splinter hemorrhages when I last spoke him.

I also spoke to a family member who is a retired doctor (gastroenterologist) and he assured me if the splinter hemorrhages were due to vasculitis and/or cancer, my other blood tests, not just ANA, would have been abnormal. But I'm still not convinced. Is that really always the case?

Is there really no one else that has experienced splinter hemorrhages? I am so, so scared right now!

[nomorepanic]

We do have loads of posts about this so use the search facility and just put in "Splinter hemorrhages" or look at similar threads at the bottom of this page.

[maryjane91]

Thank you for your response. I'll take a look!

[Careful1]

If it makes you feel better to know there isn’t a day that goes by that I do not have splinter hemorrhages on my nails. I’m not sure why this is. When it first started happening years ago I had every test there was and they found nothing.

[maryjane91]

Thank you Careful1! Good to know I'm not the only one dealing with this.
Do you also have them on multiple nails at a time?

[maryjane91]

For ****s sake. Everytime some of them grows out with the nail, new ones appear. Now on 3 nails, four splinter hemorrhages. Have even had 10 at a time. They are small, some more noticeable than others. I also have rosacea and my skin looks horrible - despite it being in remission without treatment for almost a year. Have so many strange neurological symptoms as well and just feel exhausted and terrified. I just don't understand what's happening to me. I am only 28, slim, I eat a healthy plantbased diet with plenty of greens and omega-3s, I run and I do yoga. I should be healthy.
I used to be healthy! Now I just feel broken and so, so scared. I just want to feel better.

[Careful1]

Yes, I often have more then one on a nail and on a few nails at the same time. If I get my nails done I get them on every nail. They just appeared one day and kept popping up. I have a lot of vascular skin conditions and so it’s not really much of a suprise anymore but when it first started happening it freaked me out.

[maryjane91]

Thank you.
Yesterday I also woke up with a random tear in the skin on my fingertip (thumb). That combined with my positive ANA and the splinter hemorrhages makes me think early stage scleroderma (systemic sclerosis). Don't know how that would explain all the neurological symptoms though...

[neuroticcat]

I had the same issue. Mine were quite worrisome. Still get them sometimes. Take vitamin C. It helped me a lot. It could be something that has to do with capillary fragility and Vitamin C helps with that

[maryjane91]

Thank you neuroticcat! Did you get multiple at the same time as well? I could handle a few at a time, but hate that they keep showing up on multiple nails at a time...

[neuroticcat]

Sorry for the late reply. Yes, I was getting a lot of them at the same time and some were painful for the first 2 3 days. At some point I was wearing only dark nail polish so I couldn’t see them.

[Janni85]

Thank you neuroticcat! Did you get multiple at the same time as well? I could handle a few at a time, but hate that they keep showing up on multiple nails at a time...

Do you still have the splinter hemorrhages or do you know the cause for it? I have this as well for 2 years now …