Overcoming Onychomycosis™ By Scott Davis If you want a natural and proven solution for onychomycosis, you should not look beyond Overcoming Onychomycosis. It is easy to follow and safe as well. You will not have to take drugs and chemicals. Yes, you will have to choose healthy foods to treat your nail fungus. You can notice the difference within a few days. Gradually, your nails will look and feel different. Also, you will not experience the same condition again!
How does onychomycosis impact overall foot health?
Onychomycosis (fungal nail infection) can have a serious impact on overall foot health, especially if left untreated or if the patient has conditions such as diabetes. This is how it impacts the feet:
1. Pain and Discomfort
The nail thickens, becomes brittle, and discolored from the infection, which is painful and uncomfortable, especially when wearing shoes. Footwear pressure can worsen the pain or result in walking challenges.
In severe cases, the nails loosen from the nail bed, causing pain and potentially damaging the adjacent tissues.
2. Reduced Mobility
Painful or deformed toenails may lead to walking difficulties, especially in the case of infection in several nails or with serious infection of the toenails.
This reduced mobility can adversely impact overall foot health, and may cause poor posture or gait irregularities, which may further strain other parts of the body (knees, hips, or lower back).
3. Increased Risk of Skin Infections
Onychomycosis can cause cracking or splitting of the nail away from the nail bed, providing an opening for bacteria. This allows bacteria to infect the foot with secondary bacterial infections, which can extend and become more severe, leading to cellulitis or other infections of the skin.
The chronic inflammation around the infected nails can also cause irritation and damage to the surrounding skin, predisposing it to infection.
4. Deformities and Structural Damage
In advanced phases, when fungal infections have not been addressed, deformities of the nails (for example, curling, splitting, or thickening of nails) can develop. Deformities in toes can weaken the toe structure and alter the way the feet interact with shoes.
Deformities can lead to uneven weight distribution during walking and result in corns, calluses, or pressure sores.
5. Impact on Nail Growth
Fungal infection disrupts healthy development of the nail so that it develops slowly or grows abnormally. Apart from looking unsightly, this also affects the protective role of the toenail. A healthy toenail protects the toe against mechanical and environmental assaults such as soil and bacteria.
6. Cosmetic and Psychological Effect
Onychomycosis possesses an extremely high cosmetic effect—pigmented, thickened, and brittle nails are cosmetically objectionable.
Patients with overt nail infections may be self-conscious or reluctant to show their feet in public, which can impact their overall mental well-being and willingness to seek medical care.
7. Compromised Circulation Issues
Diabetic or vascular patients with compromised circulation can further complicate the process of fighting off infections or healing damage caused by onychomycosis.
The combined effects of poor circulation and fungal infection can aggravate foot health problems, leading to an increased likelihood of a chronic infection or ulcer.
8. Complication of Diabetic Foot Care
Onychomycosis may complicate diabetic foot care in people with diabetes. Poor circulation and neuropathy (nerve damage) may interfere with early detection of the infection or treating it.
Foot gangrene or ulcers may result if an untreated fungal infection, especially a secondary bacterial infection, ensues.
Preventive Measures and Treatment:
Good hygiene (e.g., keeping feet well-moisturized, dry, clean) plays a key role in the prevention of fungal infection.
Proper shoes that do not compress the toes can prevent pain.
Early treatment with oral and topical antifungal medications of onychomycosis can prevent worsening and progression of the infection.
Regular foot examination, particularly for high-risk patients (e.g., diabetics, elderly, or immunocompromised), identifies issues at an early stage.
Would you like more information on treating onychomycosis or on how to prevent it and maintain healthy feet?
Diagnosis of onychomycosis typically involves a combination of clinical examination and laboratory tests to confirm the fungal infection and prescribe the optimal treatment. The following is an overview of tests commonly used to diagnose onychomycosis:
1. Clinical Examination
Visual Inspection: The physician will first examine the infected nail(s) to look for typical features of onychomycosis, such as:
Thickened or brittle nails
Discoloration (yellow, white, or brown)
Crumbling or peeling nails
Separation of the nail from the nail bed
Patient History: The clinician will inquirer concerning the length of time of signs and symptoms, prior treatments, and any concurrent conditions that may predispose to the infection (e.g., diabetes, peripheral vascular disease).
2. KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) Preparation
Procedure: There is a minute scrape taken from the infected nail and placed on a microscope slide. The sample is treated with potassium hydroxide (KOH), which dissolves the keratin, making the fungal components easier to visualize under a microscope.
Purpose: This test helps identify the presence of fungal components (e.g., hyphae or spores) in the nail tissue, which are indicative of onychomycosis.
Limitations: While usually inexpensive and rapid, this test might not always provide a positive response, since it can miss non-dermatophyte fungi.
3. Fungal Culture
Procedure: A sample of nail debris or scrapings is taken and cultured in the laboratory to see if there is any growth of fungus. The culture can identify the specific fungus responsible for the infection (e.g., dermatophytes, yeasts, molds).
Purpose: PCR is more specific than KOH preparation and helps in planning for treatment by identifying the fungus specifically. It is especially useful in identifying non-dermatophyte infections, which could be harder to detect via other means.
Limitations: The culture process takes several weeks to yield results, hence is slower.
4. PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Test
Procedure: A molecular test that detects the fungus’s DNA responsible for the infection. A sample of nail scrapings or nail clippings is collected and tested for fungal genetic material.
Purpose: PCR is extremely sensitive and can identify the specific fungus infecting the nail. It is more accurate than fungal culture and faster, with results available in a few days.
Limitations: Not generally available in most clinical settings due to cost or equipment requirements.
5. Direct Microscopic Examination
Procedure: In some cases, the doctor will examine the nail scrapings directly under the microscope without KOH application. The sample may be stained with gram stain or PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff) stain to make fungal structures appear.
Purpose: The test is quick and can be administered at once, especially in cases where KOH preparation is not sufficient.
6. Nail Biopsy
Procedure: In rare cases, a small amount of nail tissue can be removed (biopsied) and examined in a lab by histopathology.
Purpose: Except in cases of doubtful diagnosis or resistant infection, this test is not necessary. It is confirmatory of fungal infection by showing the nail tissue under a special light.
Limitations: More invasive and normally held in reserve for complex cases.
7. Wood’s Lamp Examination (Less Common)
Procedure: The nail is illuminated with a specific UV light (Wood’s Lamp). Some fungi (e.g., Microsporum species) glow when exposed to this light.
Purpose: This test can be useful in the diagnosis of fungal infections, but it is most commonly utilized to diagnose skin fungal infections instead of onychomycosis. It is less commonly utilized to diagnose nail infections.
To diagnose onychomycosis, healthcare professionals typically start with a visual examination and patient history, then proceed to more specific tests like KOH preparation, fungal culture, PCR, or direct microscopic examination. These tests verify the diagnosis, identify the fungus type, and guide proper treatment.
Do you want to learn more about how to prepare for these tests or what to expect from the diagnostic process?
Overcoming Onychomycosis™ By Scott Davis If you want a natural and proven solution for onychomycosis, you should not look beyond Overcoming Onychomycosis. It is easy to follow and safe as well. You will not have to take drugs and chemicals. Yes, you will have to choose healthy foods to treat your nail fungus. You can notice the difference within a few days. Gradually, your nails will look and feel different. Also, you will not experience the same condition again!