Any health problem requires treatment. It is a general tendency to leave the things for ‘some other time’. But there are some diseases which need immediate medical attention and treatment. If not, they aggravate. Nail fungus is one of such diseases.
As far it is an ailment of a stiff, bristle body part, it may seem to you that it can be treated later. But as a matter of fact, it needs as much attention as any other body ailment.
The medical name of toenail fungus is ‘Onychomycosis’. It is also known as ‘tinea unguium’. Nail fungus is amongst the common most diseases of nails. Fungus can occur in any foot nail, but toenail fungus is the most common. 6 to 8 percent adults catch Onychomycosis.
Symptoms are always the indicators. You can easily know that your toe nails are infected with fungus when they show you the symptoms. The symptoms include:
Thickness of Toenail, Change in Colour, Change in Appearance; Texture, and Irritation at the Fungus Site.
Thickness of Toenail: The nail bed can thicken up to the level of irritation. Wearing shoes and boots can cause problem due to the increased thickness.
Change in Colour: It is symptom which is sometimes mistaken as the result of excessive use of nail paints. As the nail paint form a covering and the nail cannot access air and light.
The colour changes to yellow, yellow brown, brown and in some cases, dead white.
Change in Texture: The texture of the nail changes from smooth to crumbly. All the parts of the nail; nail plate, nail groove, lunula, and eponychium, all are affected. Nail plate becomes rough and disfigured.
Irritation: Foul smelling debris may gather under the nail plate which can be irritable. Here it is important to note that irritation and itch can occur in any other body part too, even if it is not itself infected with fungus. An allergic reaction can also be caused e.g. Dermatophytids.
Severe conditions can also hit the person psychologically, effecting the overall body functions and daily routines.
Nail fungus, particularly, is caused by dermatophyte; a parasitic fungus that infects the skin of humans and animals. it is mostly persistent in temperate western countries; in a humid climate. Dermatophyte feeds itself on keratin. Due to this process, inflammation is caused. The most common Dermatophyte is Trichophyton rubrum. Other include: Trichophyton interdigitale, Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton violaceum, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton soudanense.
There are various ways of treatments. Some go directly for professional medical advice, while some rely upon home remedies. But in fungal infections, home remedies can be a timely treatment, not a permanent one.
