nail biting

Nail biting, clinically termed as onychophagia, is a behavioral problem of biting fingernails or toe nails. It is most commonly found in children between the age group of 10-18 years. Many women are also habituated to biting.

The major causes of nail biting are nervousness, boredom, stress, hunger and discomfort. There are evidences that biting nails relieves tensions and bring peace of mind. Some research also indicates that biting can be associated with serotonin deficiency. It may also be a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder.

The severity of nail biting can range from mild to severe. Mild biting may not be harmful to a certain extent but excessive biting may result in severe problems. There are bacteria under the nail surface that are carried through the saliva and get deposited in the body, resulting in various diseases and infections. Biting the skin above the cuticle may expose the cuticle to microbial and fungal infections. Bitten fingertips can also become the cause of pain, bleeding and nail damage.

There are various ways nail biting can be treated. Firstly, it is important to know the reason why a person bites his nails. Resolving the underlying problem can easily eliminate the habit of biting. Stress is the major cause and therefore, resolving the cause of stress along with some stress management techniques can lessen or eliminate the habit.

There are a couple of other tips that are helpful in eliminating the problem. Firstly, trim nails and apply a bitter taste nail polish on the nails. Try to keep hands occupied with something or keep mouth busy with a chew gum or mint. Some physical barriers like gloves, rubber bandages and stickers can also help to combat this problem of biting.

Alternatively, there are medications that have shown rewarding results in eliminating this problem. Anti depressants like fluoxetine, clomipramine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram and venlafaxine have proved to be effective in treating nail biting. Anti-depressants can also be used with some anti-psychotics like olazapine, risperidone, quetiapine, aripiprazole and ziprasidone to enhance the effectiveness. If the cause of biting is serotonin deficiency, the person can be treated with B vitamin inositol.

Apart from all the above treatments, there is a behavioral therapy and various aversion therapies that help to stop biting nails.