Your fingernails protect your fingertips and make it easier for you to pick up tiny things, like loose threads. They also come in handy when you have an itch that needs scratching.
But when you bite your nails, your nails aren’t there to do those things. And by biting them, you are breaking the skin and maybe bringing germs into these openings in your skin.
Man Dies Of Nail Biting
A perpetual nail-biter died from his nervous habit after multiple warnings from his doctor
John Gardener, 40, had a nail biting problem so severe he contracted a septic infection that spread from his fingers and eventually caused a heart attack.
Gardener’s doctors say he would bite his fingers until they bled. His fingers were so damaged from the habit before his death that they became numb, New York Daily News reported.
Gardener’s general physician, Dr. Daniel Vernon, said the his fingers were in “constant poor condition.”
“John’s nails were always in poor condition, and they were often bleeding when he came to the doctors,” Vernon told the
Mirror.
Gardener’s problem was likely fueled by his anxiety and depression, which he had in the years leading up to his death. He was diabetic, which made him more prone to infections.
Gardener’s habit became a medical emergency when one of his fingers became infected. Doctors first treated him with intravenous antibiotics but decided the tip of his finger had to be removed.
After his surgery, Gardener showed signs of improvement. But days after his 40th birthday, he had a sudden heart attack. Doctors believe it was caused by the infection in his finger.
Orthopedic surgeon Chye Ng said he was shocked by Gardener’s death.
“The passing of John Gardener was really upsetting and shocking for all of the team,” he said.
John’s mother, Jean Gardener, was in disbelief when she first heard that news that her son had died.
It can be hard to break this habit, but learning about the potential dangers of nail biting might finally stop the urge once and for all.
Check out the video here for other dangerous side effects of biting your nails:
