Toenail Fungus and Ingrown Nails

 Toenail Fungus and Ingrown Nails

What is Toenail Fungus?

Millions of people suffer from toenail fungus. Toenail fungus is an uncomfortable condition that is not cured easily. Fungus has the tendency to thrive down in your nail bed, thus making it difficult to reach while using any kind of remedies. Fungus effected toe nails brings along colour changes and hardening of nails. Sometimes it even shoes the symptoms of bumpy or crusty look. Toenail began to curve inward along with nail thickening and paining. Diabetic patients or people with low immune systems are more prone towards Toenail Fungus.

 

What causes Toenail Fungus?

This fungal infection is caused by a parasite named dermatophyte. Toenail fungus occurs when a fungus named dermatophytes manage to enter in your nail through cut and trauma. Untreated wounds are more susceptible to attract this parasite, thereby attacking other nails and various body parts. Given below are the main causes of Toenail Fungus.

• Wearing tight or ill fitted shoes and socks
• Staying for long hours in humid or moist surrounding
• Fungi can breed easily on sweat socks; wearing socks for prolonged time can cause Toenail Fungus.
• Walking without shoes on a damp or moist surface such as; swimming pools, gyms and locker rooms
• Untreated wounds or exposed cuts serve as a perfect base for Toenail Fungus.
• Sweating profusely
• Smoking
• In some cases risk factors for the growth of toenail fungus include; diabetes, immunosupressed, compromised immune system and diabetes.

What are Toenail Fungus symptoms?

The symptoms and signs of Toenail Fungus include:

• Nail thickening
• Nail bristle
• Breakage along with crumbling of nail
• Nail colour discoloration such as yellow, brown, green and black.
• Accumulation of debris beneath the nails
• Dull nails
• Separation of nail from nail bed

How are Toenail Fungus treated?

There are numerous treatments available for the treatment of Toenail Fungus. Most home remedies do not give accurate result. Toenail Fungus is contiguous therefore special care has to be taken while treating this fungal disease. In case of severe fungal infection, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice. Certain medicines prescribed by your doctor might have side effects. Even the medical experts don’t have complete answers on what causes side effects from these drugs. Side effects include- vomiting, nausea, headache, rash, abdominal pain, dizziness and taste disturbance. Prescribed medicines might coast you high and require a long term treatment. Other tropical treatments have been proved to be highly effective and safer. These treatments are very much affordable and are made up of natural ingredients. Oral anti-fungal medications are most effective to treat the fungus. Terbinafine and Itraconazole are examples of oral antifungal medications.

What is Ingrown nails?

Ingrown toenail is defined as a curved shaped nail that grows from the edges of the skin. Mainly the big toe is affected by this disease; mild nail curvature might not result in much pain but the curvature can cause swelling, considerable pain, redness and infection. According to medical terminology, ingrown nail is defined as onychocryptosis. Onycho means nail, crypt means hidden and osis means condition. Therefore, on framing the terms it indicates hidden nail condition. The skin becomes swollen and inflamed along with hiding the nail edges.

 

What causes ingrown nails?

Some shows genetic predisposition of ingrown toe nails in their early age. Common causes of toenail ingrown include trauma, ill fitted shoe and improper nail cutting. Tight fitted shoes can create small pressure causing the toenail edge to curve inside. On wearing rigid or narrow shoes can cause ingrown toenails. People wearing hiking boots and running shoes are more prone towards ingrown nails.

 

What are ingrown nail symptom?

The early symptoms of this disease include tenderness along the nail edge, redness or swellings. In some cases, people complain for having pain and nail dullness. Many individuals report on having acute pain at their toe while walking or wearing shoes. Severe ingrown nail symptom features, bleeding, pus oozing, skin tenderness, pus formation, red streaks and inflammation.

 

What are ingrown nail treatment?

 Proper treatment should be induced to avoid worsening of the situation. Signs of infection are cured by prescribed antibiotics. In many cases, a doctor uses specialized nail cutter to remove the extra wedges of your nail. Another procedure to treat ingrown nail is done with a nail avulsion. Nail avulsion is a method in which there is compete or partial removal of the toenail. It is most common technique to treat ingrown nail. For individuals with frequent ingrown nail, matrixectomy technique is been followed. This procedure is followed by removing or destroying the nail roots.

Whichever disease you name, it is important to get rid from above mentioned symptoms. You must never wait for the condition to get worse. It is therefore advisable to visit your nearest doctor for proper medication.