Toenail Fungus Causes: Symptoms and Treatment

Nail fungus is a disease caused by various groups of pathogens. To destroy it, you will need to undergo diagnostics in order to identify all the features of the disease. What are the causes of its occurrence? There are many reasons for the appearance of a fungal infection, the prerequisites for its appearance.

Genetic causes of the disease

Fungal spores can be found on various surfaces for years. A person often encounters pathogenic microorganisms, but infection does not always occur. In order for nail fungus to appear, disposing factors are required. The infection must have the conditions for development. Scientists have carried out a lot of research regarding the mechanism of the onset of the disease.

It turned out that one of the factors in the appearance of a fungal infection is a genetic predisposition. According to research, mycosis most often occurs in people whose relatives have a similar disease. The progression of the disease affects the genetic level.

Interesting cases of infection when living together. With close contact, it is easiest to get mycosis. However, it often develops in one household, but does not affect the other. And the disease usually appears in the person who has the genes most similar to the person who initially developed mycosis. According to all these data, the closeness of contact is of less importance for infection relative to the closeness of genetic ties.

Symptoms of mycosis

Nail fungus manifests itself in different ways at different stages. Typically, mycosis infection begins with the interdigital spaces. At this time, there is:

• The appearance of bubbles;
• Redness of the skin;
• Itching.

If treatment is not performed at this stage, then the disease begins to affect the nails. In this case, the following signs are detected:

1. Dullness of the nail plate, loss of transparency by it;
2. The appearance of white stripes, spots;
3. Uncomfortable sensations.

It is better to carry out treatment at this stage, as this will reduce the cost of therapy. To destroy microorganisms, external preparations will be enough: ointments, varnishes. If you do not take action, the nail fungus will progress. This is expressed through the following symptoms:

• Thinning or thickening of the nail;
• Exfoliation of the nail plate;
• Departure from the nail bed;
• The plate acquires an abnormal color: turns white, yellow or black;
• In the last stages, the nail literally crumbles, collapses, and an unpleasant odor may occur.

Mycosis performs its pathological activity not only on the toenails. Inflammatory processes take over the entire foot.

She begins to blush, peels off. The patient feels itching, which intensifies during periods of exacerbation. The presence of characteristic signs allows you to determine the disease at the initial examination.

Types of fungal infections

Nail fungus is divided into types depending on which group of microorganisms it is caused by. There are three main groups:

1. Dermatophytes.The most common case. This group is the cause of mycosis in 95% of cases;
2. Candida.These yeast-like microorganisms contribute to the thinning of the nail plate. She begins to turn yellow and lag behind her bed. The lesion begins with the nail fold. With the development of the disease, swelling occurs. In some cases, a discharge of pus may occur. The skin of the plate stops growing, and therefore it turns brown. The nail is crumbling. These groups of microorganisms usually develop in women. There are risk groups - housewives who constantly deal with household chemicals. It aggressively affects the skin, which opens the "doors" for infections;
3. Moldy species.These groups of microorganisms cannot penetrate deep into the nail plate. This does not allow to destroy it completely, but the disease is fraught with other effects. The nail changes its color a lot. It can take on a black, blue, green hue.

Treatment is carried out depending on the group of microorganisms, since different pathogenic microbes react differently to drugs. Sometimes, when diagnosed, three types of fungus are detected. In this case, complex therapy will be needed.

Fungus forms

There are various stages of the disease, which differ in the type of lesions:

1. Normotrophic.The color of the nail plate changes. It can turn yellow, lose transparency. White and yellow streaks or dots appear. The difference between the disease is that the nail does not undergo significant deformations. Sometimes it may even retain its former brilliance;
2. Atrophic.The nail becomes thinner, completely loses its shine. There are pronounced white and yellow stripes, dots representing special foci of infection;
3. Hypertrophic.The plate changes significantly. Thickening, signs of crumbling are observed. It becomes porous. A pronounced pain syndrome is also possible, aggravated during movement, wearing tight shoes. The disease can limit a person's activity.

The prescribed treatment regimen depends on the stage, as well as on the type of microorganisms. In the first stages, external agents have proven effective. In the later stages, the therapy regimen is usually a combination of external medications and internal drugs.

Where can you get a fungus?

Nail fungus is usually spread from person to person. Microorganism spores can remain on surfaces. When you touch them, the fungus will remain on the feet and begin to develop. You can catch mycosis in the following places:

• Public institutions: saunas, swimming pools, showers of sports clubs. This is the most likely way to get the fungus, since it multiplies most actively in warm and humid conditions. To protect against it, it is required, before going to the institution, to perform preventive treatment of the feet with drugs. You must have your own slippers with you;
• If mycosis occurs in a household, a likely pathway for the onset of the disease in other family members is taking a bath. Spores of the fungus remain on its walls, which cause mycosis. For protection, it is required to treat surfaces with disinfectants after each visit to the bathroom;
• Sometimes the reason is a manicure or pedicure performed with instruments that have not been disinfected after the last use. This refers to the procedures carried out in beauty salons;
• Disputes can be lurking in the shoes in the store, as they are often tried on by different people. For protection, you can measure shoes only on the toe;
• A less likely source of infection is public beaches, as nail fungus does not survive well in salted sand.

To prevent illness, one should not forget about the importance of personal slippers and use prophylactic means.

Possible complications with prolonged treatment

For mycosis, the rate of development and spread is characteristic. If you are late with treatment, the symptoms of the disease will become more and more pronounced. At first, a person is worried about the aesthetic factor, since thickenings, white dots appear on the toenails. But, if you do not fight the problem, more serious consequences will ensue - pain during movement, itching and burning. Let's consider the most likely consequences of prolonged treatment:

• Other infections are likely as the body becomes weakened;
• Exacerbation of diabetes mellitus. The occurrence, against the background of an infectious process, gangrene or infection of bone tissue. All this can lead to the need for limb amputation;
• If the nail fungus has not been treated for a long time, then the body may react to it with hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. Against their background, allergic dermatitis, skin diseases, bronchial asthma are aggravated;
• The extreme stage of mycosis is damage to the internal organs. The infection begins to spread throughout the body. This can be fatal.

Another important consequence of not starting therapy on time is significant financial costs. In the last stages, the disease is not only more difficult to treat, but also more expensive. We'll have to spend money on local procedures, pills. Really effective medicines are more expensive. In some cases, even surgery may be prescribed.

Preventive measures

Nail fungus can be prevented, which is what preventive measures are aimed at. They allow you to prevent the ingress of a pathogenic microorganism and its further spread. Prevention is quite simple, and it consists in observing the following tips:

• Elimination of tight shoes, incorrectly selected last. All this leads to the appearance of corns and other deformations through which the infection gets inside;
• Avoid wearing synthetic socks and tights as your feet will sweat. Sweat and a humid environment are the best conditions for the growth of fungus;
• You should observe personal hygiene, put on slippers when indoor public places, carry out preliminary treatment of feet with prophylactic agents;
• After each washing of the feet, the interdigital areas are thoroughly dried;
• Replacement of socks and stockings should be done every day;
• You can not wear someone else's shoes;
• The house must be kept clean, for which periodic disinfection is carried out.

Prevention is aimed at two goals - preventing infection from entering and stopping its development if spores may get inside. To achieve the second goal, you will need to take care of your immune system: play sports, eat right.

Treatment methods

Nail fungus usually takes a long time to heal. The duration of therapy, regardless of the cause of the disease, will be from 6 months to a year. The advantage is that most medications are able to quickly manage symptoms. But, despite the disappearance of symptoms, it is required to continue therapy until the complete destruction of microorganisms.

For treatment in the early stages, external drugs are used. These include:

1. Special varnishes;
2. Creams and gels;
3. Solutions and tinctures.

In the later stages, oral medications are added to external medicines:

• Pills;
• Antibiotics

Varnishes are especially popular. They have two effects at once: they destroy existing microorganisms and create a film that prevents the entry of new infections. The tool is able to penetrate deep into the nail. It is colorless and odorless, and therefore can be used by men. It is recommended to remove the nail plate before use to ensure deeper penetration.

Ointments and gels are gentle. They are easy to use. Quickly relieve symptoms. With the help of medicines, you can treat not only nails, but also the skin around them. The downside is that the product can quickly wear off the skin. To prevent this, compresses can be performed: a cotton pad is placed on top of the ointment layer, fixed with a bandage.

Tablets are prescribed in severe cases. This remedy has a strong effect, it is toxic and has contraindications. For this reason, therapy is performed under the supervision of a physician.

If the case is completely neglected, surgical intervention comes to the rescue. During the operation, the affected nail is removed. Its removal can be performed without surgery. For this, special means are used. The last option is painless.

Nail fungus is an extremely common problem. His insidiousness lies in the fact that, in the early stages, the signs of the disease are insignificant. The patient may constantly postpone treatment, as he does not feel discomfort. All this leads to the fact that the problem becomes neglected. To solve it, you will need a lot of funds and medicines. Mycosis spreads quickly, which leads to pain, plate detachment, unpleasant odors, and nail changes.