Fungal disease is very often diagnosed in dermatology. Walking barefoot on the beach, the lack of changeable shoes while visiting saunas and baths, trying on other people's shoes, boots, etc. contribute to the wide spread of the disease on the toes. According to statistics, damage to the nail plates most often begins with the thumb. This is due to the peculiarity of the anatomical structure of the nail and 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 period, a person may not experience any symptoms, or a slight itching, redness in the nail area appears. Further, 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 fungus of the nail on the big toe at the initial stage, you can avoid many unpleasant complications. The main symptoms include:
- change in the color of the nail;
- the appearance of spots under it;
- lack of natural shine;
- increased fragility;
- nail deformity.
The longer the disease is not treated, the more negative the effect of the fungus: the body of the nail becomes thick, its shape changes greatly. Such a finger causes pain when trying to put on narrow shoes or in case of accidental mechanical injury. In the future, the nail completely loses its healthy appearance, collapses, exfoliates and can come off from the nail bed.
Causes of fungus on the big toe
The causative agent of the disease are three groups of pathogenic fungi: yeast-like, mold and dermatomycetes. Their prevalence in the environment is extremely high, so there can be many ways of infection. However, not all people become infected with dangerous contact, since immunity acts to protect health. Treatment of fungus on the big toe is often required for people with reduced resistance to infections of this kind. In addition, the disease can be provoked by:
- frequent injury to the thumb;
- non-compliance with hygiene standards;
- the presence of fungal skin lesions;
- diabetes;
- overweight;
- vascular diseases;
- varicose veins of the lower extremities.
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 provoke a disease.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you have begun to worry about any unpleasant symptoms associated with toenails, you should seek medical advice 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 carry out competent treatment of toenail fungus on the big toe. First, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out, including the collection of anamnesis, examination and the passage of some laboratory tests. For a more complete assessment of the patient's condition, the dermatologist can set several additional
questions:
- How long have you noticed changes in your nails?
- What was the first thing to worry about?
- Has the nail plate changed its color?
- How long did it take for the form to change?
- What kind of activity are you doing?
- Do you often visit saunas, baths?
- Have you ever had a fungal infection of the body?
After passing additional examinations, the patient will need to visit a dermatologist again. Based on the results obtained and the clinical picture, the doctor prescribes the therapy of the disease.
Treatment
The effectiveness and duration of therapy for the disease directly depends on early seeking medical help 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 adjunct 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;
- to live an active lifestyle;
- perform daily sanitizing procedures;
- strictly follow the treatment regimen;
- to refuse from bad habits.
An important place at the final stage of therapeutic measures is the prevention of relapses and the strengthening of immunity. Patients are not advised to walk barefoot on the beach, try on other people's shoes and allow frequent sweating of the feet.
Possible Complications
An aesthetic defect is far from all that a fungus is capable of. In advanced conditions, the nail becomes excessively large, extremely painful, grows into the adjacent skin, it is possible that a secondary infection and a purulent lesion may join. Treatment of toenail fungus 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 strains of fungi reach a large number, 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.