In the early stages, toenail fungus will likely not cause discomfort or embarrassing yellow, thick nails or pain that can make walking difficult. And, if you seek treatment early, you can prevent it from getting worse and painful. Toenail fungus, also called onychomycosis or nail fungus, is an infection underneath the nail bed caused by fungi.
The fungi usually get into the nail through a small cut or crack in the nail. Older people are more susceptible to nail fungus because your nails get dryer as you get older, making them more brittle and likely to crack and let fungi in.
Toenail fungus symptoms are not pretty. At first, you may notice small white spots and possibly a foul smell. As the condition worsens, your nail gets thicker, which makes it harder to trim or cut, and turns yellow or brown.
Nail fungus can spread from nail to nail and, eventually, make your nails split and crumble. In addition to older people, people with certain conditions like diabetes or psoriasis are at higher risk for developing fungus. The pill is not for everyone, since oral antifungals can interact with other medications and can affect the liver.
Although topical medications are desirable because of the low risk of side effects and interaction with other medications, they have much longer treatment regimens. Generally, topical medications have a lower clearance rate compared to oral pills.
She says the topical medications work best if you only have partial nail involvement. Lasers are approved by the FDA to temporarily increase the amount of clear nail. However, the cure rates are lower than oral medications and topical solutions. Photodynamic therapy has been used for fungal nail infections with moderate success. This involves applying a photosensitizing agent then exposing it to a light source. Ng says this procedure may not be covered by your insurance. More studies are needed to determine the true outcome of photodynamic therapy in treating onychomycosis.
Using a topical antifungal cream regularly after the fungal nail has been treated can prevent recurrence of the fungal infection. If your foot fungus infection is only on the skin of your feet, then Dr. It means the connection between your nail and your toe is being destroyed by infection. If it becomes soft and chalky and starts to crumble away, the infection is starting to become severe. Think your toenail fungus has escalated to an infection? It could be due to a condition known as sesamoiditis.
If the pain is affecting your mobility, you need treatment fast. Take a few moments to learn if orthotics can help your sesamoid pain. Are you experiencing pain in your ankle, and wonder if you may have a stress fracture?
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