Is that a Fungal Nail Infection You Have?
Are your toenails discolored? Do they have a green, yellow, black or white color? If your answer is yes, you could be having a fungal infection of the nail. Don’t worry. There are many different treatment options available, with laser treatment being the most effective way to get rid of fungal nail infection.
Fungal Infection of Nails
You can get nail fungus from different sources, including communal showers and wearing closed shoes that do not allow your feet to get aired. Advancing age, diabetes and immunosuppression are risk facts for this fungal infection.
The infection can affect all or part of your nail. It also can infect the nail plate, root of the nail and nail bed. Typically, the infection develops slowly and as it progresses, it causes your nail to thicken and get disfigured. While you can get the fungal infection on your fingernails, the infection tends to be more common in toenails.
Signs and Symptoms
There are several signs of fungal infection of the nail, though you may not notice them initially. When the fungus attacks your nails, you will not get any symptoms. However, as the infection progresses, your nails will thicken and discolor. Usually, nails affected by fungi tend to turn green, black, yellow or white in color.
In the beginning, the fungal infection will cause a cosmetic concern, as it mars the appearance of your nails. However, with time, you may get pain in the nail and also the nail can get detached from the nail plate. The pain usually is more prevalent in the feet when you wear shoes and they exert pressure on the nail. The pain can make it difficult for you to stand, walk or even exercise.
Nail fungus is treatable and laser treatment is considered one of the best and most effective ways to kill the fungus and reduce the rate of recurrence.
Causes
Fungal nail infection usually is caused by dermatophyte fungi. This is the same fungi that cause athlete’s foot – the fungal skin infection that occurs between the toes. In fact, if you have athlete’s foot, chances are high the infection will spread to your toenails even without you knowing.
You also can get nail fungus because of other types of fungi, including yeast (Candida) that causes vaginal thrush in women.
Dermatophyte fungi can take hold of your nails if:
- You wear shoes that cause your feet to constantly be hot and sweaty
- You live in a humid climate
- Your nail is damaged due to a trauma
- You suffer from diabetes, cancer or psoriasis
- You take medication or have a health condition that suppresses your immune system
If you do think you have a fungal nail infection, do not regard it as a cosmetic problem. It is more than that. This infection can adversely affect your quality of life and lead to social embarrassment or ostracisation at your place of work. Consult your doctor today and get rid of the infection. Did you know there are several highly effective ways to treat nail fungus?
Metatag:
Nail infection invariably means fungal infection. Consult your doctor today and get the infection treated with the help of laser treatment