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Onychomycosis
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Description:
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Onychomycosis refers to a fungal infection of the toe or
finger nail. Onycho refers to the nail and mycosis refers to a fungal
condition. Onychomycosis is very common in the toe nail and is seen to a much
lesser degree in the finger nail. It is estimated that 50 million
Americans suffer from onychomycosis. The organisms that cause
onychomycosis are usually fungus (90% of cases) or yeast (7% of
cases).
If you have a fungal infection in the nail, is it
your fault? No, not at all. Onychomycosis has nothing to do with hygiene. There is only one way we do contribute to
this condition and that is in that we create an environment that is wonderfully
conducive to the growth of fungus. We jump out of the shower in the
morning, put on our socks and shoes for 18 hours and create a greenhouse that
promotes fungal growth.
It is safe to say that 50% of folks over the age of 50 have a
fungal toe nail infection to some degree. But this doesn't necessarily
mean that onychomycosis is due to 'old age'. But we can imply that over the
course of our lifetimes we would have more opportunities to acquire a fungal
infection of the nail. The reason that onychomycosis and age seem to travel
hand in hand is due to accumulated trauma to the nail that occurs over time. Trauma makes the nail much more susceptible to
fungal infections. It's also reasonable to assume that folks in
professions or social activities where they may abuse their feet would tend to have a higher rate of
onychomycosis. An example of activities that may abuse the feet and nails would
included a mechanic dropping tools on their feet, horses or cattle stepping on
the toes or runners who constantly injure their nails. An injury to the nail is a common precursor to a fungal
nail infection. Trauma may be something abrupt such as a can of beans
hitting the nail from the top shelf or something as benign as a pair of
ill-fitting shoes constantly rubbing on the nail.
The appearance of onychomycosis can vary but most cases begin
at the distal tip of the nail and slowly progress into the nail over a period of
months to years. The nail will thicken as the fungus continues to
grow. The filaments of fungus take up space in the nail causing it to
swell. The nail can be yellow, white or even green to black. The
nail also begins to be chalky and flakey.
Treatment of toe nail fungus and onychomycosis
The single most important thing that you can do to
protect the nail from fungal infections is to protect the nail from injuries.
A healthy nail acts as a protective barrier to fungal infections.
Once the nail is injured, the door of susceptibility swings open, allowing entry
of the fungus. Also, keep the feet dry. Keeping the feet dry
will inhibit the ability of the fungus to thrive. Frequent changes of socks, the use of powder, such as baby
powder and rotating shoes so that they are worn only every other day, can help
tremendously.
Medications for onychomycosis fall into two categories;
topical and oral. There are any number of effective topical medications
available over the counter. Topical medications are most helpful in
treating early, small infections and for maintaining clear nails. Topical
medications do have a limited ability to penetrate the nail to reach all of the
fungal elements. Topical medication inhibit the growth of the fungus
allowing for faster growth of the nail. Remember,
the fungus doesn't take a day off. Compliance is a big issue when using
topical antifungals. A number of effective over the counter (OTC) medications
are available including
ClearZal Bac,
Elon Dual Defense
Antifungal and Tineacide.
Fungus can reoccur if your shoes are not properly
treated, therefore an
antifungal shoe
spray. Keeping the feet clean and dry is another important part of
treating fungal infections of the skin and nail. The daily use of a
drying solution
will significantly decrease the ability of a fungal infection to thrive.
The FDA approved a new prescription strength topical
medication for treating onychomycosis in 1999 called Penlac. (Dermik
Laboratories, Collegeville, PA). Penlac is manufactured in Frankfurt,
Germany by Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH. Penlac doesn't carry the side
effects of the oral medications but the jury is still out on the efficacy of
this medication.
The older generations of oral antifungal medications, such as
Fulvicin or Griseofulvin, have been used successfully for years and are making a
comeback due to their economic value. The newer generation of oral
antifungals, including Sporanox and Lamisil have been received very well by the
medical community. Care should be taken when using Sporanox due to its'
potential liver toxicity. Both Sporanox and Lamisil are expensive
medications, costing several hundred dollars for the recommended three month
course of treatment.
When all else fails, the fungal toe nail can be permanently
removed. This procedure is not difficult to perform and most patients
return to their normal shoes in just a Band-Aid in 24hrs. The removal of
the nail is permanent.
Which choice is right for you? Consider the following
two examples;
Case 1. Sandy is a 24 year old hairdresser who has intimate,
hands-on contact with her clients on a daily basis. She has developed a
fungal infection in several of her finger nails. She is concerned that the
fungal infection will have a direct impact on her livelihood and does not want
to spread the infection to others.
Case 2. Joe is a 62 year old farmer and has a long history of
injuries to his hands and feet. His last visit to the doctor showed signs
of an increase in his liver enzyme studies indicating an overall decrease in his
liver function. Joe has developed onychomycosis in most of his toe nails.
I think the choices for Joe and Sandy are clear but in most
cases the criteria to make recommendations for treatment of onychomycosis are
not as obvious. In those cases, patients should consult their physician to
discuss the pros and cons of oral antifungal treatment.
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Related keywords: |
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Fungus Toe Nail
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Description:
|
|
Onychomycosis refers to a fungal infection of the toe or
finger nail. Onycho refers to the nail and mycosis refers to a fungal
condition. Onychomycosis is very common in the toe nail and seen to a much
lesser degree in the finger nail. It is estimated that 25 million
Americans suffer from onychomycosis. The organisms that cause
onychomycosis are usually fungus (90% of cases) or yeast (7% of
cases).
Onychomycosis has nothing to do with hygiene. Many
people feel that they have in some way contributed to a fungal nail
infection. There is only one way we do contribute to
this condition and that is in that we create an environment that is wonderfully
conducive to the growth of fungus. We jump out of the shower in the
morning, put on our socks and shoes for 18 hours and create a greenhouse that
promotes fungal growth.
It is safe to say that 50% of folks over the age of 50 have a
fungal toe nail infection to some degree. But this doesn't necessarily
mean that onychomycosis is due to 'old age'. We can imply that over the
course of our lifetimes we would have more opportunities to acquire a fungal
infection of the nail. Trauma makes the nail much more susceptible to
fungal infections. It's also reasonable to assume that folks in
professions that abuse their feet would tend to have a higher rate of
onychomycosis. An injury to the nail is a common precursor to a fungal
nail infection. Trauma may be something abrupt such as a can of beans
hitting the nail from the top shelf or something as benign as a pair of
ill-fitting shoes constantly rubbing on the nail. As an example, a
machinist or mechanic would tend to show earlier signs of onychomycosis than a
housewife.

The appearance of onychomycosis can vary but most cases begin
at the distal tip of the nail and slowly progress into the nail over a period of
months to years. The nail will thicken as the fungus continues to
grow. The filaments of fungus take up space in the nail causing it to
swell. The nail can be yellow, white or even green to black. The
nail also begins to be chalky and flakey.
Treatment of toe nail fungus and onychomycosis
Prevention of injuries to the nail is very important.
Once the nail is injured, the door of susceptibility swings open, allowing entry
of the fungus. There are some very simple preventative measures that can
be taken on a regular basis. Keep the feet dry. Keeping the feet dry
will inhibit the ability of the fungus to thrive. You can do this in
several ways. Frequent changes of socks, the use of powder, such as baby
powder and rotating shoes so that they are worn only every other day, can help
tremendously.
Medications for onychomycosis fall into two categories;
topical and oral. There are any number of effective topical medications
available over the counter. Topical medications are most helpful in
treating early, small infections and for maintaining clear nails. Topical
medications do have a limited ability to penetrate the nail to reach all of the
fungal elements. Topical medication inhibit the growth of the fungus
allowing for faster growth of the nail. Remember,
the fungus doesn't take a day off. Compliance is a big issue when using
topical antifungals.
The FDA approved a new prescription strength topical
medication for treating onychomycosis in 1999 called Penlac. (Dermik
Laboratories, Collegeville, PA). Penlac is manufactured in Frankfurt,
Germany by Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH. Penlac doesn't carry the side
effects of the oral medications but the jury is still out on the efficacy of
this medication.
The older generations of oral antifungal medications, such as
Fulvicin or Griseofulvin, have been used successfully for years and are making a
comeback due to their economic value. The newer generation of oral
antifungals, including Sporanox and Lamisil have been received very well by the
medical community. Care should be taken when using Sporanox due to its'
potential liver toxicity. Both Sporanox and Lamisil are expensive
medications costing several hundred dollars for the recommended three month
course of treatment.
When all else fails, the fungal toe nail can be permanently
removed. This procedure is not difficult to perform and most patients
return to their normal shoes in just a Band-Aid in 24hrs. The removal of
the nail is permanent.
Which choice is right for you? Consider the following
two examples;
Case 1. Sandy is a 24 year old hairdresser who has intimate
hands on contact with her clients on a daily basis. She has developed a
fungal infection in several of her finger nails. She is concerned that the
fungal infection will have a direct impact on her livelihood and does not want
to spread the infection to others.
Case 2. Joe is a 62 year old farmer and has a long history of
injuries to his hands and feet. His last visit to the doctor showed signs
of an increase in his liver enzyme studies indicating an overall decrease in his
liver function. Joe has developed onychomycosis in most of his toe nails.
I think the choices for Joe and Sandy are clear but in most
cases the criteria to make recommendations for treatment of onychomycosis are
not as obvious. In those cases, patients should consult their physician to
discuss the pros and cons of oral antifungal treatment.
|
Related keywords: |
| cause of toe nail fungus,cure fungus nail natural toe,cure fungus nail toe,cure for toe nail fungus,fungus home nail remedy,toe fungus medication nail toe,fungus medicine nail toe,fungus nail oil tea toe tree,fungus nail photo toe,fungus nail remedy toe,fungus nail toe treatment,Fungus Toe Nail,how to get rid of toe nail fungus,natural cure for toe nail fungus,toe nail fungus,toe nail fungus cure,toe nail fungus cures,toe nail fungus medication,toe nail fungus medicine,toe nail fungus pictures,toe nail fungus remedies,toe nail fungus treatment,onychomycosis |
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Toe Nail Fungus
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|
Description:
|
|
Onychomycosis refers to a fungal infection of the toe or
finger nail. Onycho refers to the nail and mycosis refers to a fungal
condition. Onychomycosis is very common in the toe nail and is seen to a much
lesser degree in the finger nail. It is estimated that 50 million
Americans suffer from onychomycosis. The organisms that cause
onychomycosis are usually fungus (90% of cases) or yeast (7% of
cases).
If you have a fungal infection in the nail, is it
your fault? No, not at all. Onychomycosis has nothing to do with hygiene. There is only one way we do contribute to
this condition and that is in that we create an environment that is wonderfully
conducive to the growth of fungus. We jump out of the shower in the
morning, put on our socks and shoes for 18 hours and create a greenhouse that
promotes fungal growth.
It is safe to say that 50% of folks over the age of 50 have a
fungal toe nail infection to some degree. But this doesn't necessarily
mean that onychomycosis is due to 'old age'. But we can imply that over the
course of our lifetimes we would have more opportunities to acquire a fungal
infection of the nail. The reason that onychomycosis and age seem to travel
hand in hand is due to accumulated trauma to the nail that occurs over time. Trauma makes the nail much more susceptible to
fungal infections. It's also reasonable to assume that folks in
professions or social activities where they may abuse their feet would tend to have a higher rate of
onychomycosis. An example of activities that may abuse the feet and nails would
included a mechanic dropping tools on their feet, horses or cattle stepping on
the toes or runners who constantly injure their nails. An injury to the nail is a common precursor to a fungal
nail infection. Trauma may be something abrupt such as a can of beans
hitting the nail from the top shelf or something as benign as a pair of
ill-fitting shoes constantly rubbing on the nail.
The appearance of onychomycosis can vary but most cases begin
at the distal tip of the nail and slowly progress into the nail over a period of
months to years. The nail will thicken as the fungus continues to
grow. The filaments of fungus take up space in the nail causing it to
swell. The nail can be yellow, white or even green to black. The
nail also begins to be chalky and flakey.
Treatment of toe nail fungus and onychomycosis
The single most important thing that you can do to
protect the nail from fungal infections is to protect the nail from injuries.
A healthy nail acts as a protective barrier to fungal infections.
Once the nail is injured, the door of susceptibility swings open, allowing entry
of the fungus. Also, keep the feet dry. Keeping the feet dry
will inhibit the ability of the fungus to thrive. Frequent changes of socks, the use of powder, such as baby
powder and rotating shoes so that they are worn only every other day, can help
tremendously.
Medications for onychomycosis fall into two categories;
topical and oral. There are any number of effective topical medications
available over the counter. Topical medications are most helpful in
treating early, small infections and for maintaining clear nails. Topical
medications do have a limited ability to penetrate the nail to reach all of the
fungal elements. Topical medication inhibit the growth of the fungus
allowing for faster growth of the nail. Remember,
the fungus doesn't take a day off. Compliance is a big issue when using
topical antifungals. A number of effective over the counter (OTC) medications
are available including
ClearZal Bac,
Elon Dual Defense
Antifungal and Tineacide.
Fungus can reoccur if your shoes are not properly
treated, therefore an
antifungal shoe
spray. Keeping the feet clean and dry is another important part of
treating fungal infections of the skin and nail. The daily use of a
drying solution
will significantly decrease the ability of a fungal infection to thrive.
The FDA approved a new prescription strength topical
medication for treating onychomycosis in 1999 called Penlac. (Dermik
Laboratories, Collegeville, PA). Penlac is manufactured in Frankfurt,
Germany by Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH. Penlac doesn't carry the side
effects of the oral medications but the jury is still out on the efficacy of
this medication.
The older generations of oral antifungal medications, such as
Fulvicin or Griseofulvin, have been used successfully for years and are making a
comeback due to their economic value. The newer generation of oral
antifungals, including Sporanox and Lamisil have been received very well by the
medical community. Care should be taken when using Sporanox due to its'
potential liver toxicity. Both Sporanox and Lamisil are expensive
medications costing several hundred dollars for the recommended three month
course of treatment.
When all else fails, the fungal toe nail can be permanently
removed. This procedure is not difficult to perform and most patients
return to their normal shoes in just a Band-Aid in 24hrs. The removal of
the nail is permanent.
Which choice is right for you? Consider the following
two examples;
Case 1. Sandy is a 24 year old hairdresser who has intimate
hands on contact with her clients on a daily basis. She has developed a
fungal infection in several of her finger nails. She is concerned that the
fungal infection will have a direct impact on her livelihood and does not want
to spread the infection to others.
Case 2. Joe is a 62 year old farmer and has a long history of
injuries to his hands and feet. His last visit to the doctor showed signs
of an increase in his liver enzyme studies indicating an overall decrease in his
liver function. Joe has developed onychomycosis in most of his toe nails.
I think the choices for Joe and Sandy are clear but in most
cases the criteria to make recommendations for treatment of onychomycosis are
not as obvious. In those cases, patients should consult their physician to
discuss the pros and cons of oral antifungal treatment.
|
Related keywords: |
| cause of toe nail fungus,cure fungus nail natural toe,cure fungus nail toe,cure for toe nail fungus,fungus home nail remedy,toe fungus medication nail toe,fungus medicine nail toe,fungus nail oil tea toe tree,fungus nail photo toe,fungus nail remedy toe,fungus nail toe treatment,Fungus Toe Nail,how to get rid of toe nail fungus,natural cure for toe nail fungus,toe nail fungus,toe nail fungus cure,toe nail fungus cures,toe nail fungus medication,toe nail fungus medicine,toe nail fungus pictures,toe nail fungus remedies,toe nail fungus treatment,onychomycosis |
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Toe Nail Trimming
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Description:
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As a podiatrist, each and every day I'm asked what's the best way to
trim my nails? Straight across? Curve the edges? Since
we're all individuals, there's really no universal answer to this
question.
Improper trimming of the nail can result in a number of foot problems, first
and foremost ingrown nails. Most ingrown
nails (paronychia) result from partial or incomplete trimming of the
nail. A common mistake is to trim the nail to the corner and tear the nail
away. Tearing the nail often leaves a small spike of nail along the outer
margin of the nail. Slowly the nail continues to grow and push the spike
forward. The spike begins to act like a foreign object, just like a
splinter. As the nail grows the splinter becomes increasingly imbedded in
the skin resulting in an infection. Surgical correction of an ingrown nail
is usually a matter of removing the little spike that's causing pain and a
foreign body reaction (infection).
Who gets ingrown nails and why? You have to wonder why the most common
ingrown nail patients are teenage boys and pregnant women. Teenage boys
aren't particularly concerned about hygiene. They're also prone to more
trauma to the nail from sports. Pregnant woman find that with each month
of their pregnancy their arms get shorter and their legs get longer resulting an
an inability to care for their feet. Additional contributing factors to
ingrown nails include a tight toe box on the shoe, trauma to the nail, diseases
of the nail and a host of other causes.
The key to successful nail trimming is to be sure you trim the nail regularly
and completely. Be sure to round the edges using a file, checking for the
little spikes. Smooth the edges of the nail to prevent the nail from
catching on hose or socks. The rate of growth of the nail is very slow so
that once every 4-6 weeks should be sufficient to keep the nails well trimmed
and healthy. When trimming the nails, take the opportunity to check
between the toes for fungal infections. Fungal infections of the skin will
slowly infect the nail resulting in toe nail fungus.
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Related keywords: |
| cut toe nail,cut toe nails,how to cut toe nail,ingrown nail,nail,nail trimming,onychomycosis,toe nail,toe nail cutting |
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