woman feet toenails

March 30, 2020 2 min to read

What are the signs of toenail fungus and how to get rid of it

Category : Health

Toenail fungus is a plausible occurrence to many active people – discover what are the symptoms and how to deal with the issue at hand.

Do you have toenail fungus? If so, you are not alone. Around 10 percent of Americans have this condition.

This condition may be embarrassing, but there are ways you can treat it. Let’s take a look at the symptoms and how you can treat this condition before it gets out of control.

About Toenail Fungus

This is a common condition that typically starts as a yellow or white spot underneath your toenail or fingernail. This fungus can cause your nail to thicken, discolor, and even crumble near the edge. It can affect more than one nail at a time.

You may not need treatment depending on if it is bothering you. Nail fungus can also come back even after treatment.

The same fungus can infect the area between your skin on your feet and your toes. It is then called athlete’s foot.

Symptoms

If you have nail fungus, you may notice these symptoms on one or more nails:

  • Discoloration like white to yellow-brown
  • Thickened nails
  • Crumbly, ragged, or brittle
  • Foul smell
  • Distorted shape
  • Dark brown spots under your nails

This fungus is more common in toenails than in fingernails. These infections typically start off without pain but can get painful without proper treatment.

Risk Factors

There are certain factors that can increase your risk including:

  • History of athlete’s foot
  • Your age
  • Walking barefoot in common, damp areas
  • Having circulation problems, a weak immune system, or diabetes
  • Heavy sweating
  • Having skin conditions like psoriasis
  • Getting a nail injury

People with diabetes have reduced blood circulation and nerve function in their feet, so it increases their chances of getting toenail infections. Toenail infections can also spread beyond your feet if you have a weakened immune system or other health issues.

Treatment

If you try self-care or over-the-counter and they don’t work, you should talk to your doctor. It can take months to see improvement. Repeat infections are common, so if it comes back, you should talk to your doctor.

Your doctor may prescribe some antifungal drugs that you can apply to the nail or take orally. Oral antifungal drugs clear up the infection quicker than topical medications. You will take this type of drug for 6-12 weeks.

It could take four months to completely eliminate the infection. These types of medications do have side effects ranging from liver damage to skin rash, so your doctor will…
 
Continue reading the article and learn more about toenail fungus on Daisy Linden’s blog.
 
 

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