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 older than 65 years. 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 occurs in public places - swimming pools, saunas and baths. Scales with pathogen spores fall on the floor, benches, paths and mats. A moist and warm environment allows fungi to survive and multiply, especially on unpainted wooden objects. Wearing tight shoes increases the chance of infection.
If one of the family members is sick, there is a high risk of spreading the disease through a towel, mat or bathroom grate. Fingernails become infected mainly when combing the affected areas of the skin. The risk of the disease increases with repeated nail injuries, reduced blood circulation in the extremities and with severe comorbidities (diabetes, AIDS, systemic blood diseases).
Symptoms and types of onychomycosis
There are three forms of the disease - atrophic (onycholytic), normotrophic and hypertrophic onychomycosis. 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 grayish-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. Stripes and spots appear on the nail plate, changing its color.
Treatment of nail fungus
Onychomycosis begins to be treated immediately after diagnosis, because the infection develops quickly. Therapy with local antifungal drugs is effective only in the initial stages. With the development of the disease, the use of systemic drugs is necessary.
In order for the systemic treatment of nail fungus to be safe and effective, several rules must be followed:
- Therapy can be started only after confirmation of the diagnosis and consultation with a doctor, because antifungal agents have a number of serious side effects. Independent selection of the dose is unacceptable.
- During treatment with systemic antimycotics, the use of other drugs, except vital ones, should be limited.
- The affected areas of the nail should be removed after softening them with keratolytic patches.
- In order to prevent digestive disorders during the treatment period, foods that can cause flatulence - black bread, dairy products, cabbage, legumes - are excluded from the diet.
- You need to choose comfortable shoes that will not squeeze your foot.
Treatment of nail onychomycosis at home
Traditional medicine offers several prescriptions for drugs that will speed up recovery, but they should be used only in combination with the main treatment.
- Treat the affected nails twice a day with a 5% iodine solution. When applying, you should notice a slight burning sensation. With severe pain, treatment should be stopped.
- To facilitate the separation of infected nails and improve 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 your washed and steamed feet. 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 poultices, apply the paste to the infected nails for 10-15 minutes.
Prevention and prognosis of nail onychomycosis
To prevent the disease, you should observe personal hygiene, do not use other people's clothes, shoes and towels. In bathrooms, swimming pools and saunas, walk only in slippers, avoiding contact with places of potential accumulation of pathogens (wooden pallets and mats). You need to wear comfortable shoes, avoid damaging your nails and fight excessive sweating of your feet.
The prognosis is favorable, depending on the severity of the disease, complete 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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