Not everyone knows the appearance of the nail fungus and can initially identify this disease and begin treatment. Itching, redness of the skin, peeling and cracking are all signs of this condition. However, there are other diseases with similar symptoms, such as eczema or psoriasis. And even toenails can change their appearance not because of a fungal infection, but because of psychological stress or a range of diseases of Organs internal organs. Therefore, the final diagnosis can only be made by the doctor after receiving the test result. And the patient's task is to see a doctor in time if warning signs appear.
The main symptoms of mycoses
The characteristic symptoms of ringworm of the feet are peeling and, in most cases, they present a certain shape in the form of rings or plates. Sometimes it is so insignificant that this situation can last for many months, if not years, and at the same time not cause much discomfort. At the same time, some people try to combat these manifestations of ringworm on their own. They use folk remedies like iodine, vinegar and bright green and, for a while, the disease really disappears. More precisely, it seems so, but in fact this treatment leads to the fact that the fungus on the legs simply freezes and continues to multiply when a more favorable situation occurs.
In addition, if at an early stage this disease is not completely cured, but only the symptoms are removed, then very soon it will spread to the nail and smooth skin. Not to mention that other family members can contract the fungal disease.
The degree of lesion in mycosis of the feet depends on many factors. If there are prerequisites such as microtrauma, various pathologies of the endocrine system, diabetes mellitus, if a person is subjected to a specific treatment with glucocorticoids or cytostatics, then all of this contributes to the later development of the disease.
Someday, the period of relative stability ends and the patient does not see the most attractive image - it is not just flaking of the skin, but also blisters, cracks in the feet, suppuration. All of these are classic symptoms that are present in the later stages of the development of the pathology. At the same time, the initial stage of the fungus on the toenails is visible. Although the type of microorganism can be examined in more detail only under the microscope, its activity is much more noticeable - this is a change in the shape and color of the nails, then in their thickening and destruction.
Nail fungus and its manifestations
The flexibility of the toenails is manifested in different ways. It all depends on the stage of the disease and what type of fungus is the cause. Normally, the nail should be smooth, pink and even shiny. If the state of the nails is far from the ideal described, then something is happening to the body.
Nails grow at a certain rate. When a person is under stress, this rate decreases and the nail becomes thinner and weaker. Then, the body returns to normal and the nails return to their original state from the point of growth indicators, but this weak band on the nail plate still remains. And if a person's life is very nervous, then there can be several of these risks. Furthermore, onychomycosis (and this is the scientific name for nail fungus) is not the only disease that leads to a change in the color of the nail plate or in its shape. Pathologies such as immunological failures, hormonal imbalances and other disorders of the endocrine system lead to exactly the same results. That is why it is necessary to make a case by case analysis.
The appearance of the fungus depends a lot on which microorganisms caused onychomycosis. And it can be caused by several types. For example, if we are talking about dermatophytes, the fungus looks like a nail cloud. This is a manifestation of the initial stage of the fungus on the toenails. After that, yellow spots may appear along the edge of the plate and even in the middle. Then, longitudinal stripes appear and the nail begins to crumble.
Otherwise, problems with yeast appear. In these cases, the nail plate becomes noticeably thinner, acquires a grayish tint and, after some time, it is no longer in its normal position. This is largely due to the fact that the metabolism deteriorates in the injured cells. At the same time, stretch marks on the nail fold finally confirm the diagnosis - yeast fungus.
The mold must be mentioned separately. It usually affects only the nail plate, making it cloudy and discolored, and it can be light yellow, greenish, brown and even black.
The peculiarity of these fungi is that they cause only superficial damage and do not penetrate deep inside.
Of course, the diagnosis can only be made by the attending physician, who will consider all symptoms and perform tests. Self-treatment without going to the doctor has very unpleasant consequences.
Stages and types of onychomycosis
Considering the stages of onychomycosis, many confuse them with the varieties of this disease, of which there are three. This is normotrophic, hypertrophic and atrophic onychomycosis.
For example, in normotrophic onychomycosis, the color of the nail changes, stripes and spots may appear on it, but its thickness and brightness remain normal. Many people think that it is a nail fungus, whose initial stage is about to evolve into a more serious pathology, but in fact the fungus in these situations responds well to treatment.
In hypotrophic onychomycosis, the color of the nail changes, the shine is lost, the nail itself thickens and its deformation occurs, in some cases even destruction at the edges. The onycholytic species is often called atrophic. It is not the same nail fungus, whose initial stage is expressed in cracks and discoloration, here the treatment will be different, because the affected part of the plaque atrophies.
Foot and nail ringworm treatment
The first thing to do with this disease is to consult a doctor who will help you choose a medication that meets the following requirements:
- high antifungal activity, which allows combating several types of infectious agents;
- a sufficiently high concentration of the active substance in the preparation itself and in the superficial layers of the skin after its application;
- complex antifungal and antibacterial therapy;
- without contraindications and side effects, including allergic reactions;
- easy to use.
Given these demands, it is not surprising that the drug selection step is so important. As a rule, in the absence of complications, drugs based on substances such as cyclopyrox and naphthifine are used. They are produced in the form of ointments, less often in the form of tablets. In a more severe stage of ringworm, it is recommended to treat it with drugs based on terbinafine and fluconazole.
The tablets should be taken if ointments and creams for external use have no effect. The dosage of the tablets should be checked with the attending physician. As a rule, all of these remedies are quite strong, so the course of treatment is about 7 to 10 days, although there are medications that can be taken even for 3 to 4 weeks.
The attending physician prescribes this therapy, taking into account the other medications the patient will be taking. These medications can have the side effect of vomiting or dizziness. This is considered valid. Generic drugs are milder than the originals, but their effect is small.
Operational interventions
Previously, in advanced cases, surgical removal of the affected tissue was practiced. This was especially true for nails. Now they use a drill like the one used in dental offices. Even in the most advanced cases, cutting almost all nails will take about half an hour. And if the problem is only with an affected nail, it will only take about 5 minutes.
There is no need to take any additional precautions after the procedure. This procedure does not cause any painful sensation, you can lead a normal lifestyle, jogging in the morning. It is important to just ensure that the affected areas of the skin are not injured.
A nail treatment with such preparation is not enough, even so it should be repeated at least one more time, 3-4 weeks after the first treatment, when the nails grow a little. In general, you need to be aware of the fact that this process is long, can take a month and, if things have gone far enough, then several months. For example, there are cases where in the first 3-4 months a patient undergoes nail treatment with this tool every 2-3 weeks and then takes medication for several months.
Are folk remedies effective?
Any doctor will say that traditional medicine recipes for such a disease are not effective and even harmful. First of all, neither vinegar, herbs, nor honey, despite their antiseptics, hardly affect the fungus. Yes, you can hear from friends that some of these recipes helped to eliminate itching or cracking. Well, then these signs were simply not attributed to the fungus. The same psoriasis or eczema has similar symptoms and is perfectly treated with the above popular methods.
Second, these drugs help eliminate the signs of the fungus, that is, they mask for a while, and that is enough for everyone in the family to become infected.
However, the vinegar mentioned above will be effective for other purposes - it can be used to wash bedding and shoes to prevent reinfestation of the fungus. The only shoes that are not washed, but thrown away, are homemade slippers, because they cannot be disinfected. Vinegar can also be used to disinfect the bathtub.