Fungal disease is most often diagnosed in dermatology. Walking barefoot on the beach, lack of interchangeable shoes when visiting saunas and baths, trying on shoes, boots, etc. of other people contribute to the wide spread of the disease on the toes. According to statistics, the most frequent damage to the nails begins with the thumb. This is due to the peculiarity of the anatomical structure of the nail and to a significant subungual space. If you seek medical help in a timely manner, the disease will not bring much discomfort and will turn out to be nothing more than a temporary cosmetic defect.
Symptoms of the disease
Getting under the nail plate, the fungal infection quickly finds a nutrient medium for itself and begins active reproduction. During this time, a person may not experience any symptoms or a slight itch, redness appears in the nail area. In addition, the growth of colonies of pathogens leads to more pronounced signs, they are the reason for seeking advice from a medical institution. If you treat the nail fungus on the big toe at the initial stage, you can avoid many unpleasant complications. The main symptoms include:
- change the color of the nail;
- the appearance of spots under it;
- lack of natural shine;
- greater fragility;
- deformity of the nail.
The longer the disease is not treated, the more negative the effect of the fungus: the body of the nail becomes dense, its shape changes markedly. Such a toe causes pain when trying to wear tight shoes or in case of accidental mechanical injury. In the future, the nail completely loses its healthy appearance, collapses, exfoliates and can detach from the nail bed.
Causes of fungus on the big toe
The causative agent of the disease are three groups of pathogenic fungi: yeast, mold and dermatomycetes. Their prevalence in the environment is extremely high, so there can be many ways of infection. However, not all people are infected with dangerous contacts, as immunity acts to protect health. Treatment for bunion fungus is often needed for people with reduced resistance to infections of this type. In addition, the disease can be caused by:
- frequent thumb injuries;
- failure to comply with hygiene rules;
- the presence of fungal skin lesions;
- diabetes;
- overweight;
- vascular diseases;
- varicose veins of the lower limbs.
Weak immunity occupies a special place among the predisposing factors. Past viral infections, frequent colds, sore throats, poisoning deprive the body of its defenses against a fungal infection and increase the risk of infection. In addition, the lack of nutrients and the frequent formation of cracks and other injuries in the big toe area reduce local immunity and can lead to disease.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you have started worrying about any unpleasant symptoms associated with toenails, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Itching, redness, discoloration may indicate an impending disease. Qualified assistance in this matter will be provided by a doctor.
He specializes in various skin diseases and will help to competently treat nail fungus on the big toe. First, a complete diagnosis is performed, including taking anamnesis, examining and passing some laboratory tests. For a more complete assessment of the patient's condition, the dermatologist can set several additional ones
requests:
- How long have you noticed changes in your nails?
- What was the first thing to worry about?
- Has the nail plate changed color?
- How long did it take to change the form?
- What kind of business are you doing?
- Do you often visit saunas, baths?
- Have you ever had a fungal infection of the body?
After passing further examinations, the patient will have to visit a dermatologist again. Based on the results obtained and the clinical picture, the doctor prescribes therapy for the disease.
Treatment
The effectiveness and duration of therapy for the disease directly depend on the timely search for medical assistance and the right scheme. At the initial stage of the disease, ointments and gels for external use containing an antifungal component are effective means. In this case, it is important to correctly identify the pathogen and deal with it. Other treatments are also possible:
- complex therapy;
- physiotherapeutic effect;
- laser therapy;
- nail removal;
- elimination of comorbidities.
In more complex cases of pathology, an integrated approach is shown, including antifungal drugs for local and internal use, general tonic. An addition to drug treatment is a low-sugar diet. It is he who creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of parasitic fungi. For a faster recovery process, we recommend:
- take vitamin complexes;
- live an active lifestyle;
- carry out daily sanitation procedures;
- strictly follow the treatment regimen;
- reject bad habits.
An important place in the final stage of therapeutic measures is the prevention of relapses and strengthening immunity. Patients are advised not to walk barefoot on the beach, try on other people's shoes, and allow frequent sweating of the feet.
Possible complications
A cosmetic defect is far from what a fungus is capable of. In advanced conditions, the nail becomes excessively large, extremely painful, grows into the adjacent skin, it is possible for a secondary infection and a purulent lesion to join. Toenail fungus treatment in this case will be a long and laborious process. In addition to the local negative impact, pathogens have a devastating effect on the whole organism, the following are possible:
- allergies;
- dermatitis;
- blood poisoning;
- intoxication;
- somatic diseases.
When mushroom strains reach large numbers, their waste products become poison, poisoning a person and depriving his immune system of defenses. In this state, the likelihood of various viral or bacterial lesions is very high. There is a marked deterioration in overall health and performance.