Nail Fungus: an overview

All of us have had a nail fungal infection at one time or another. Let's face it, nail fungal infections are very common, and when they strike, the physical signs are hard to miss. The most obvious symptoms of are brittle nail texture and a yellow discoloration. If your nails are hit with fungal infections they will break easily and appear brittle and crumbling; the nails may also begin to grow irregularly.

As previously noted, nail fungal infections are widespread, and becoming more so in the USA, where it affects almost 30 million Americans. Many people do not realize that is a live infection that lives in the area where the skin and nail meet, often referred to as the nail bed. Like most fungal infections, nail fungal infections develop gradually. Fortunately, nail fungal infections do not spread to other parts of the body or internal organs. But there are many conditions that can result in nail discolouration, so it's difficult to make a positive diagnosis of nail fungal infection just by examining the nail alone. In many cases, the doctor may need to clip off a piece of the nail and send it to a pathology lab to officially confirm the presence of a nail fungal infection.

Although nail fungal infections can technically be transferred from one person to another, the condition is generally not considered very contagious, and factors other than exposure often come into play. Usually, nail fungal infections tend to occur in individuals with lowered immune systems. This is because healthy immune systems are as a rule very efficient at combating fungal infections. However, if a person's immune system is compromised, nail fungal infections cannot be cured as easily. That's why it is important to treat early to avoid complications in diabetics and immunosuppressed people.

Once a fungal infection becomes established, it can be difficult to get rid of it for good. So prevention is better than cure! Keeping your nails clean and healthy is the best way to prevent micro organisms from being trapped underneath the skin. It may help to keep your feet dry. Wear clean cotton, nonporous socks



in closed shoes, especially around water. Avoid walking barefoot over wet surfaces, particularly in public places such as sidewalks, public swimming pools, and bathrooms. This can help prevent fungal nail infections, as well as other fungal infections like athlete's foot. If you must use a public shower, wear waterproof sandals. In addition, keeping the nails dry after hand-washing, showers and swimming will also help to prevent nail fungus. Always avoid letting your feet stay wet for long periods of time.

Once you've got it, what can you do to treat a fungal infection? Over the counter nail fungal infections can be helpful in less advanced cases. These medications may not be very effective in more severe, advanced cases. Primary care physicians, podiatrist, dermatologists, and healthcare professionals all know how to treat infections. For more advanced cases, prescription oral medications are prescribed. Terbinafine, fluconazole, and itraconazole are the common oral medications that are consumed to treat nail fungus. These are strong oral medications that must be taken for many months on a consistent basis, but unfortunately, these medications can sometimes have serious side effects, possibly causing damage to the liver, bone marrow, skin, and other organs. Clearly, these could have serious consequences, so your doctor must order blood tests to be conducted on a periodic basis. These blood tests are intended to monitor any side effects that may occur during the length of the treatment. You'll get a list of symptoms to watch for that may indicate something wrong; these include skin rashes, bleeding, and enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite, pale stool coupled with dark urine. One point to remember in the treatment of is that the process is slow, but it can be treated.

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