| |
| |
|
|
|
Toenail Fungus: Tips For Treatment
The medical term for toenail fungus is "onychomycosis," pronounced on * EE * ko * my * ko * sis. Despite the commonly used term "fungal toenails", onychomycosis describes both fungus and yeast infections in the nail. The prevalence in America is about 2-3%, but some have reported it as high as 13%. Even at a low estimate of 2%, this accounts for 6 million Americans with toenail fungus. Toenail fungus affects men twice as often as it affects women. The prevalence among elderly individuals and diabetics is 25%. In the 1800s, fungal toenails were very rare. The increased prevalence is linked to the increased exposure to fungus through the use of showering facilities in gyms, the use of hot tubs, saunas and public pool areas. There is an increase in occlusive footwear, an increase in sporting activities, an increase in diabetes and increase in age of the general population. The risk factors for developing toenail fungus are increasing age, male gender, nail trauma, sweaty feet, poor circulation, poor hygeine, foot fungus and a compromised immune system. Athlete's tend to have a higher rate of fungus infection than non-athletes. The moisture in the shoe combined with repeated nail trauma increases the chance of infection. Hikers, runners, backpackers, soccer, basketball and tennis players, athletes wearing loose fitting shoes that allow jamming of the nails against the shoe and any individual wearing shoes that toe tight are at risk for developing toenail fungus. There are a number of treatments for onychomycosis. The most aggressive and effective way to treat the fungus is with oral anti-fungal medications. The most common oral anti-fungal medications are Itraconazole (Sporonox ®) and Terbinafine (Lamisil ®). Both medications can be quite expensive as they need to be taken once daily for 3 months. The effectiveness of the medications ranges from 60 to 80%, with a recurrence rate of 15%. Lamisil® appears to be more effective and has fewer drug interactions than Sporonox®. With both medications there is a long list of benign side effects including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rash, headache, taste disturbances and dizziness. Serious adverse events are very rare, less than 0.5%, but do include hepatitis and acute hepatic necrosis. There are many other options besides oral anti-fungal medications. Unfortunately, they are not very effective. The most effective topical medication is Ciclopirox (Penlac ®) lacquer. Some studies have shown cure rates up to 60%, but in my experience the effectiveness is about 10-15%. Side effects occur in less than 2% of patients and include burning and redness around the nail. This medication is only available by prescription and is also quite expensive. A few other prescription medications that help decrease the thickness of the fungal nails are Carmol® 40 and Keralac® Nail Gel. I would not expect to see complete cures with these products, but they can decrease the thickness and discoloration of the nail in some cases. There are many home remedies and over the counter products that you can purchase. Some home remedies that can be used include bleach, tea tree oil, grapeseed extract, and Vics VapoRub®. With any home remedy or non-prescription topical, you must understand that the effectiveness of the treatment is fairly low, less than 10%. If you do try one of these therapies make sure to use it every day. Roughen up the nail surface with a file and apply the medication with a q-tip. Bleach can cause skin irritation and some individuals have had skin reactions to the Vics VapoRub®. In general these treatments are considered very safe. Combination therapy can help increase the effectiveness of the treatment. If you choose to take an oral medication, make sure you use a topical anti-fungal agent as well. Nail removal is also an option. Once the nail is removed, the topicals can reach the nail bed and they become more effective. The nail will grow back in over a period of 8-10 months. Permanent nail removal is reserved for those with chronic ingrown nails, ulceration under the nails or pain from the fungal nails. The best form of treatment is prevention and preventing the fungus from spreading to other toenails may be the best treatment option. I recommend choosing a topical that you feel comfortable with and use it once a week. No matter which treatment option you choose, you should take the following steps to avoid re-infection. 1. Make sure you rotate your shoes often and keep them in a cool dry place. 2. Change your insoles frequently, and make sure they dry out between use. 3. Place an anti-fungal powder or spray in the shoes to help fight off the fungus. 4. Bleach out the shower on a weekly basis and wash your shower mat regularly in hot water. 5. Make sure your athletic shoes fit well to prevent jamming at the toes. Jamming at the toes leads to microtrauma at the nails and increases the chance for fungal infection. 6. If you belong to a gym or health club, wear sandals in the locker room and don't walk around barefoot. 7. Don't keep your shoes in the gym locker where they cannot dry out. 8. If your feet sweat excessively, try using an antiperspirant spray on your feet before your workout. 9. Cut your toenails straight across. Don't cut too short and cause breaks in the skin. This will increase the chance for fungal infection. Don't let the toenails grow too long or they will jam against the shoe and cause bleeding under the nail, again increasing the chance for fungal infection. The bottom line is that treating onychomycosis is very difficult. If you have fungal toenails that cause pressure, pain or infection, consider talking to your doctor about prescription medications or nail removal. Make sure you take precautions to prevent re-infection and take multiple approaches to eradicate the problem. If your fungal toenails are only unsightly and don't cause any discomfort, try a weekly application of an over the counter topical along with methods to prevent re-infection. Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and the author of Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Foot Problems. To learn more about Dr. Dobrowolski and her book visit http://www.skipublishing.com/ To learn more about products for toenail fungus visit http://www.northcoastfootcare.com
MORE RESOURCES: Buy Website Internet Traffic. Website online advertising. Buy full page popunder advertising and increase website traffic to your sites. Bad Credit Loans - Loans for people with bad credit. Access online government grants and financial credit services instantly online. Digital Streaming Radio On Your Mobile Phone - La Vella Mobile Radio. La Vella Mobile Radio Gives You Access To Over One Hundred Of The Hottest Streaming Radio Stations From Around The World And Brings Them To The Palm Of Your Hand, Right On Your Mobile Phone. Get Streaming Radio On Your Cell Phone! Audio And Video Streaming For Multimedia Purposes. This Is A Complete Step By Step Guide To The Beginners Who Want To Install And Setup Audio And Video Streaming For Multimedia Purposes On The Internet.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Orthotics: Prefab or Custom-Made? If you take a simple stroll down the foot product isle at your local drug store you will find an array of foot products and inserts. You will find inserts for cushion, for comfort, for support and for control. At Last! Good News For Gout Sufferers! Gout, an arthritis affliction with its roots in antiquity, has not always been easy to treat. The traditional medicines employed for gout have been non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), colchicines, probenicid (Benemid), and allopurinol (Zyloprim). When Your John Doe Is Homeless The patient, known only as John Doe, was difficult to see under the hodgepodge of tubing, the quiet clicking of the ventilator the room's only sound.From all appearances he was homeless, but in the opinion of his nurse, who has had vast experience in dealing with patients just like him, everyone has a mother or a father, a son or a daughter, and homeless or not, it's a nurse's responsibility to do what he can to help find them. Find a Doctor How to find a doctor? There's no magical route to finding the right doctor. If you have a primary care physician just call him or her and make an appointment. Catch The Wave There has never been a better opportunity for chiropractic medicine?and it's going to get even better!Living in Southern California the ocean waves and the surfing environment inspire you. You cannot help but draw the analogy of "catching the wave" during the most exciting time I have experienced in chiropractic medicine over the past 15 years. Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEIs)for the Treatment of Moderate and Checklist of Treatments for Alzheimer's DiseasePart 1 of 8For approximately ten years, I have cared for a parent with slowly advancing Alzheimer's disease. Contrary to all of the horror stories portrayed in the national media, I have found that the burden of caring for an Alzheimer's sufferer is less onerous than I originally expected. Ambien Sleep Medication And Insomnia: What Is Insomnia And How Can Ambien Help? What's Insomnia?Identifying insomnia is a little like the old joke about art: you know it when you're having it. For people with insomnia, though, it's no laughing matter. The Equine Cushings Cure Equine Cushings disease is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the production and regulation of hormones. Symptoms include a long, shaggy coat that does not shed, excessive drinking and urination, laminitis, a tendency for recurring infections in the hoof (foot abscesses), and a loss of muscle mass, especially along the topline and rump. Phentermine Diet Pills: When Diet and Exercise Arent Enough To Help You Lose Weight Have you been struggling to lose weight, but diet and exercise aren't giving you the results you need to be healthy? Are you sick of people telling you that you could lose weight if only you had the will-power? It may be time to ask a physician about a phentermine prescription.What is Phentermine?Remember those 50s movies in which women lost weight by taking amphetamines? We know now that amphetamines can be very dangerous, so they don't make safe weight-loss drugs. Considerations in Distance Education for the Medical Assistant Instructor Medical Assistant distance education is emerging to meet the demands of a new generation of students in the twenty first century. St. The Basic First Aid for Child Care Programs We cannot help but accept the fact that children do get into trouble and sometimes emergencies when they are left in childcare programs. We just have to pray that most injuries sustained are minor such as cuts, scrapes, bruises, among others. The Trouble with Tranqs There's a whole group of drugs out there called benzodiazepines.They are tranquillisers, or sedatives. Contact Lenses and Eye Glasses, How is Your Vision? Notice friends getting contact lenses and pulling out eye glasses?"What do you recommend?"I find myself asking people what looks good to them, what do they recommend or can they summarize the directions on a medicine bottle more often now than ever before.It's called presbyopia. First Step To Addiction Recovery The first step to over comming any addiction is to detoxify the body of the addictive substance. Whether it's herion, crack, or meth detoxifcation of the liver is essential to addiction recovery. Whats a Good Arthritis Medicine for Me, Doctor? Pain is the body's warning signal that something is wrong. If the pain is due to overuse or arthritis there are many things to consider. "Winning the War Against Rheumatoid Arthritis" RA is a condition that forces half of patients to become disabled from the work force within five to ten years? and reduces life expectancy by as much as 18 years. RA affects about one per cent of the world's adult population, most commonly women between the ages of 30 and 50. The True Meaning of Alternative Medicine Alternative medicine is a type of therapeutic practice that is not considered to be a part of traditional or conventional medical treatment. People use alternative medicine instead of using traditional medical treatment. Medication Compliance Kit ... A Life Saver Pill Proof LLC introduces the first, easy to use medication compliance kit for consumers and medical professionals. Owner, Jane Langdon, has a sister in law with Parkinson's Disease. Bextra and Vioxx -- Alternative Medications Have Warnings, Too At the urging of the Food and Drug Administration, the drugs Vioxx and Bextra have both been voluntarily withdrawn from the market by their manufacturers. Studies show that these drugs, part of a family of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) known as COX-2 inhibitors, may be linked to increased chances of heart attack or stroke. 10 Tips for Responsible Medication Use All medications, which include prescriptions, over-the-counter preparations, vitamin and mineral supplements, and herbal preparations, are potentially dangerous. Following some simple rules will not only reduce your chance of having a problem, but should reduce your cost as well.
|
