Recognizing toenail fungus, why it appears and how to deal with it, helps specialized medical literature, sites on the Internet. However, it is recommended to give preference to consultations with a mycologist. The laboratory tests performed accurately establish the type of fungal infection, which facilitates the selection of the correct treatment regimen.
What is onychomycosis
A subgroup of diseases caused by the penetration of fungal microorganisms into the tissue of the nail plate is onychomycosis. Infection is usually due to untreated skin lesions on the fingers / toes. The disease can occur at any age, but more often men between the ages of 20 and 55 face it.
According to the international classification of diseases, the code of onychomycosis is B35. 1. It is mainly dermatophytes that cause pathological changes in the nails, less often diagnostic studies are established by pathogens of the genus Candida or mold microorganisms.
Nail fungus is transmitted, which is why it occurs in 90% of cases - this is a direct contact with an already sick person, for example, with members of the same family or with close communication, using common household items. Promotes infection by weakening the body's immune barriers -causes of fungus on toenailsthey are rooted in diabetes, immunodeficiency, recent serious illnesses.
The clinical picture directly depends not only on the type of pathogen of mycosis, but also on the area of its penetration - the distal form of onychomycosis or the lesion of the proximal nail. The variant with the total spread of the infection is extremely rare.
Causes and symptoms of toenail fungus
Research conducted by experts allowed us to studytoenail fungus, where does it come fromand which people are at risk of infection. Pathogenic microorganisms live not only on the tissues of the feet and hands, but also on the rest of the human body, they are able to maintain their vital activity on surrounding objects. To do this, it is enough that they are in warm and humid conditions, and for feeding there are enough epidermal scales, which constantly crumble in humans.
The maincauses of toenail fungus:
- age criterion - any person can face a fungal infection, but men aged 18 to 50 are susceptible to it;
- work in hazardous industries - in dusty and gas-polluted environments with high temperature / humidity;
- constantly wear tight, poorly ventilated shoes;
- frequent minor tissue injuries - abrasions, abrasions, calluses on the feet;
- anatomical and physiological features - for example, narrow interdigital spaces;
- a tendency to excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis;
- the course of various somatic pathologies that weaken the protective barriers of the skin: diabetes, hyperthyroidism, psoriasis, obesity.
To suspecttoenail fungusallow for symptoms and characteristic signs of the disease. Most often, people go to a doctor complaining that their nail plate has become cloudy, with a yellowish tinge, an unpleasant smell emanates from the feet, and there is an increased brittleness of the edge of the nail.
Risk groups of fungi
In fact, nail fungus is a public infection. After all, everyone can become infected with a fungus, especially when visiting places where the concentration of pathogens is highest. Many people are at risk:
- employees of baths and saunas, swimming pools and gyms;
- local public cleaners;
- family members of a sick person;
- people weakened by recent diseases;
- pregnant women - pregnancy worsens the condition of the skin on the feet;
- people who neglect personal hygiene;
- forced to stay in a warm, poorly ventilated room during the entire work shift, especially with tight shoes made of artificial materials;
- women who visit pedicure salons with an unverified reputation;
- beach lovers: the sand is often infected with fungal microorganisms, because people walk on it barefoot or with dirty shoes.
If you know who has more andbecause it is toenail fungus, it is easier to protect yourself from infections. Therefore, each person is advised to assess their risk of infection and take appropriate preventive measures.
Diagnosis of the disease
It is much easier to get rid of the pathological focus of the disease, it is much easier to choose treatment when people seek medical help in advance. Since the clinical manifestations of onychomycosis are similar to the symptoms of other pathologies of the nail plate, the mycologist will certainly prescribe a number of diagnostic procedures:
- a thorough examination of the affected nail with a magnifying glass;
- collection of complaints and anamnesis - the reasons for its penetration into the tissues, which a person can indicate on his own;
- take scrapings from the surface of the plate and examine the cells under a microscope;
- take a piece of nail for planting on a special nutrient medium - existing fungal colonies begin to actively multiply, but the analysis takes a long time;
- histological examination - if there is a suspicion that the process is malignant.
After comparing all the information from the diagnostic procedures, the mycologist gives his qualified opinion - confirms the preliminary diagnosisnail fungusand then selects the optimal regimen of his therapy.
Nail fungus treatment
Important information onnail fungusfor a mycologist as it allows you to identify and eliminate the mechanism of human infection, as well as select the correct treatment regimen. After all, there are a lot of pathogens of an infectious disease, and some drugs will be effective, while others only stop the growth of infectious cells, but do not completely eliminate them.
BY SETTINGcauses of nail fungus, experts already at the first consultation give recommendations for their elimination, for example, the purchase of new shoes, careful personal hygiene, the treatment of all family members. Only after, after having estimatedbecause it is nail fungus, you can start drug therapy. It is customary to distinguish two main areas: a local effect on the lesion with the help of fungicidal ointments, paints and, according to individual needs, courses of systemic antifungal drugs.
Traditional treatment
In the classic version,because there is a fungus on the toenails- infection through contaminated shoes or walking barefoot on the pool tiles, it is better to start the treatment of the infection with external means. On the pharmacy shelf, antifungal drugs are presented in a wide range:
- subgroup of polyenes - they are distinguished by democratic cost and high efficiency, a variety of dosage forms;
- subgroup of azoles - they cope with most of the known fungal microorganisms with the timely initiation of therapy;
- subgroup of aliamides - is inherent in quickly suppressing mycoses of nails, hair or epithelium of the feet and body.
After finding outbecause the fungus appears on the nails, the mycologist will recommend the optimal drugs for external suppression of the activity of onychomycosis - a cream / ointment with fungicidal properties. Whereas in the case of a severe course of the disease, tablets / capsules or injections of drug solutions will be prescribed - to create a systemic effect on the infection.
It is unacceptable to independently change the dosage of drugs, the frequency of their administration or the duration of treatment. Such actions will aggravate the clinical picture of onychomycosis and lead to the formation of complications.
ethnoscience
A long time agonail fungus treatmentit was the prerogative of traditional healers. There are many effective recipes with medicinal plants, beekeeping products and improvised home remedies that eliminate discomfort and suppress the activity of fungal microorganisms.
The accumulated knowledge on the causes of the disease and on the symptoms has allowed us to create effective recipes for home treatment:
- Prepare a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate before going to bed, in which to rest your feet for 15-20 minutes. Then dry the skin thoroughly and apply a mixture of chopped propolis with alcohol to the area affected by the fungus. Put a gauze bandage on top, leave for a day. Repeat the procedure 3-5 times.
- Insist in a dark cabinet in 1 liter of vinegar essence, the contents of 1 package of pharmacy celandine. Filter after 3-4 weeks. Add to the foot baths along with the salt. The duration of the procedure is 5-7 minutes.
- Lotions with tar soap. After preliminary steaming of the tissues of the feet, thoroughly lather the interdigital spaces and nails with tar soap, pour over some table salt. Leave it on overnight.
To speed up the recovery from nail fungus, you can use simple recipes: clean the affected areas in the morning with iodine tincture or with the juice of golden mustache, Indian onion, celandine. They have bactericidal properties that suppress the activity of fungal cells.
Prevention of fungal diseases
Preventing primary infection, as well as recurrence of a fungal infection, is much easier than dealing with eliminating foot / hand infection. Primary / secondary prevention interventions are affordable and easy to implement. After allwhat does the fungus on toenails say- on the weakening of the human body's own defenses.
Therefore, in order to return strong and powerful immunity, it is necessary to take a number of measures:
- review the diet - the menu should contain more fresh vegetables with fruits, vitamins, light proteins, but minimize pickles and preservatives, fast food and fatty / smoked dishes;
- refuse alcohol / tobacco products;
- carefully observe personal hygiene: take a hygienic shower every day, change underwear, socks;
- buy shoes made of high quality materials, the size of your feet, never wear someone else's shoes / boots;
- do a pedicure yourself with individual tools or entrust your nails to a professional master;
- before visiting public places with humid air - swimming pool, sauna or bathroom, use protective equipment against fungus.
Widespread prevention of fungal infection is the observance of sanitary and epidemiological rules: wet cleaning of the premises with the use of disinfectant solutions, active ventilation and, if necessary, quartz.
Reviews on toenail fungus treatment
- "Comprehensive treatment of onychomycosis is not only the effect on drug infection, but also the correction of a person's lifestyle. It is possible to defeat the fungus with a combination of measures, for example, the simultaneous application of ointments, hardening of the human body and adherence to personal hygiene. In addition, it is recommended to treat all family members at the same time so that the disease does not recur. There are many antifungal agents in pharmacies, you can choose the treatment regimenoptimal for each case ".
- "I recently learned that if there is a fungus on the nails - my diagnosis is onychomycosis, the early inflammation process has started in the blood and tests can prove it. The doctor-mycologist explained to me in detail all the information about the infectionfungal and the best way to deal with it. Now that I have already taken a course of therapy, I feel much better. Now I will look better at the prevention of such diseases and I will also tell my friends and acquaintances so that they do not get infected with this nasty infection ".
- "Pharmaceuticals, of course, can cope with nail fungus, but at the same time they are harmful to health due to their chemical components. Therefore, I prefer to use traditional medicine recipes first. I removed the fungus from my feet. husband in a simple way: every evening they steamed their nails with a soda bath, then applied lotions with homemade vinegar. At first, the itching with burning was eliminated, then healthy nails regrown. In addition, they took decoctions with calendula and chamomile, echinacea to strengthen the immune system. Now my husband got rid of the toenail fungus completely. "