Onychomycosis is an infectious nail disease caused by pathogenic fungi. According to statistics, it occurs in every tenth person on Earth. About a third of all nail pathologies are fungal infections. More than 30% of cases occur in patients over 65 years of age. Toenail fungus is 3-5 times more common than on hands.
Causes of nail onychomycosis
The disease begins with an infection of the nail plates, which often happens in public places - swimming pools, saunas and baths. Scales with spores of the pathogen fall on the floor, benches, walkways and carpets. A moist and warm environment allows the fungus to survive and multiply, especially on unpainted wooden objects. Wearing tight shoes increases the risk of infection.
If one of the family members is sick, then there is a high risk of transmitting the disease through a towel, carpet or grate in the bathroom. Fingernails are mainly infected when brushing the affected areas of the skin. The risk of the disease increases with repeated nail injuries, reduced blood circulation in the extremities and severe concomitant diseases (diabetes, AIDS, systemic blood diseases).
Symptoms and types of onychomycosis
There are three forms of the disease - atrophic (onycholytic), normotrophic and hypertrophic onychomycosis. The characteristic symptoms are:
- the appearance of white or yellowish spots in the thickness of the nail plate;
- inflammatory process in the periungual roller;
- atrophy of the nail with separation from the bed;
- dystrophic processes in the nail plate.
In atrophic onychomycosis, the nail plate becomes gray-brown, atrophies and separates from the bed. Loose layers form on the exposed area. The hypertrophic form is characterized by subcutaneous hyperkeratosis, which causes pain when walking, changes in shape and destruction of the nails. The nail plates become dull and thickened. In normotrophic onychomycosis, the nail does not thicken and retains its shine. Streaks and spots that change color appear on the nail plate.
Treatment of nail fungus
Onychomycosis begins to be treated immediately after diagnosis, since the infection develops quickly. Therapy with topical antifungal drugs is effective only in the initial stages. With the development of the disease, the use of systemic means is necessary.
In order for the systemic treatment of toenail fungus to be safe and effective, several rules must be followed:
- Therapy can begin only after confirming the diagnosis and consulting a doctor, since antifungal agents have a number of serious side effects. Independent selection of dosage is unacceptable.
- During treatment with systemic antimycotics, the use of other drugs should be limited, except for vital ones.
- Affected areas of the nail should be removed after softening with keratolytic patches.
- To prevent digestive disorders during the treatment period, foods that can cause bloating - black bread, dairy products, cabbage, legumes - are excluded from the diet.
- You should choose comfortable shoes that will not press the feet.
Treatment of nail onychomycosis at home
Traditional medicine offers several prescriptions for drugs that will help speed up recovery, but they should only be used in combination with the main treatment.
- Treat the affected nails 2 times a day with 5% iodine solution. A slight burning sensation should be observed during application. In case of severe pain, the treatment should be stopped.
- For easier removal of infected nails and to enhance regeneration, a 20% tincture of propolis is used, which is applied to the lesions 2-3 times a day.
- Take a small piece of kombucha and attach it to the nails of a washed and steamed foot. Leave overnight, remove in the morning, rinse with water and remove the softened areas of the nail. Treat the affected areas with an antiseptic. The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
- Grate a head of garlic and make compresses, applying the pulp to the infected nails for 10-15 minutes.
Prevention and prognosis of nail onychomycosis
To prevent the disease, you must observe personal hygiene, do not use foreign clothes, shoes and towels. In bathrooms, pools and saunas, walk only in slippers, avoiding contact with places of potential accumulation of the pathogen (wooden pallets and carpets). You should wear comfortable shoes, avoid nail damage and fight excessive sweating of the feet.
The prognosis is favorable, depending on the severity of the disease, full recovery takes from a few weeks to a year. The effect of the therapy is enhanced when the damaged nails are removed. Re-infection is possible if the rules of personal hygiene are not followed.
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