Symptoms of Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus, the symptoms of which are discussed below, most often appear as a result of ignoring personal hygiene rules. Nail fungus symptoms appear suddenly in most patients because the infection occurs almost unnoticed. Since the treatment for this condition can last a long time, it is best for people who notice signs of toenail disease to seek immediate medical attention.

Factors that contribute to the development of the disease

Damage can be caused by yeast, mold or skin fungi. In the first case, it is impossible to diagnose the disease immediately. Symptoms of the disease appear 5-6 months after infection. Nails peeled and surrounding skin was slightly irritated. Sometimes patients suffer from intense itching.

If the disease is caused by a skin fungus, there are three possible scenarios:

1. The skin of the feet, nails, and legs becomes infected. Not only can the fungus spread on the skin of the lower extremities, it can also capture the nails on the hands.
2. Another type of mycelium affects only the nails of the thumb or little toe. Sometimes the fungus transitions to the folds between the fingers. The skin is then affected by 1-2 folds or all at once.
3. Another disease, the fungus, is limited to "occupying" the nail plate of the little finger or thumb of the lower extremity, but does not spread further.
4. The last infection is mold. This mycelium is commonly found in people with severe immune diseases such as HIV.

Infection occurs in all cases for the following reasons:

1. The protective properties of the patient's body are below critical levels.
2. Mechanical damage to the nails.
3. The man's shoes are too tight. The blood circulation in the legs is disturbed, leading to the development of infection.
4. Some people have anatomical pathology of the foot, which contributes to the development of the fungus.
5. Most often, patients diagnosed with obesity have the disease. This disorder causes excessive sweating. This creates favorable conditions for the development of the mycelium.
6. Fungi grow in people with diabetes.

To prevent this disease, you should only use your clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene products. Timely decontamination and cleaning of carpets and shoes is recommended.

general signs of illness

The first signs of toenail fungus in most people start as small white dots or streaks on the toenail. Most people don't pay attention to this because nothing hurts them, so there is no discomfort. If you don't start treatment for mycosis on time, then you can start the disease. Mycelium will sprout on all nail plates, and the skin around the affected nail will start to fester. In severe cases, the disease can spread to deep tissue structures. This threatens the development of gangrene and amputation of the foot or even the entire leg.

In the second stage of mycosis, the natural luster of the nail plate disappears. Discoloration of nails. They are yellow with brown or white stripes. The upper and sides of the nail are often deformed. Such changes are clearly visible to the naked eye.

In the final stage of the disease, the nail plate becomes very fragile, and the inflammatory process starts from the stratum corneum. A person can lose fingernails completely. But fungi don't stop there. They continue to spread to all nail plates and then pass to the skin of the legs, i. e. they capture the feet.

Patients themselves can recognize the disease in the second and third stages, as the nails turn yellow or brown (and sometimes black). The nails rose from its bed, becoming more brittle and quickly breaking.

early symptoms of disease

If a person develops toenail fungus, there are few symptoms of the disease at first. However, 2-3 months after the skin fungus has penetrated and settled on the nails, you will notice signs of the disease:

1. A slight reddening will first appear on the surface of the skin near the affected plate.
2. The person then feels a burning sensation in the area.
3. Severe itching occurs and inflammation begins.
4. Subsequently, there will be areas of increased humidity in these areas.
5. Nails thicken and become keratinized.

Once a person notices these signs of nail fungus, they should be checked and treatment can then be started.

Depending on the type of fungal infection in the subsequent stages of the development of mycosis, the plates of the affected nails are painted in different colors. During the first stages of disease development, the affected area may turn white or green. The spots on it will lie on the surface or look like dots. At the same time, the plate thickness did not change in most patients, and the nails maintained their natural luster in many cases. In all cases, the itching was so intense that it was impossible to get rid of immediately. The burning and itching can be relieved by the use of miconazole, clotrimazole and other drugs if the patient catches the signs of mycosis in time. But you should not treat it yourself, preferably under the supervision of a doctor. If anything goes wrong or if the doctor's advice is not followed, the mycelium can spread to healthy areas immediately, which can complicate treatment.

subsequent development of the disease

Fungus on toenails, if left untreated, can cause the nails to lose their natural color and turn yellow on the affected surface. Nails are delaminated. They may start to crumble. At the same time, the patient develops intolerable itching on the skin around the affected area. The substance of the nail plate begins to crack. Burning intensified. Some patients may develop dysbacteriosis, they feel unwell and complain of general weakness. Perhaps the development of lethargy.

First, the mycelium completely changed the color of the surface of the plate, and then they started to thin. The diseased nail is then rejected, and the infection can penetrate the skin structure. The itching gets worse.

In the final stages of the disease, the surface of the diseased nail plate becomes like scales. Depending on the type of fungus that attacked the person, the nails begin to thicken and layer. They collapsed quickly. Symptoms of the disease include:

1. The edges of the board become very fragile. Sometimes this can cause pain in the patient.
2. The shape of the plate is severely distorted and a scaly surface may develop.
3. The color of the affected area changes from yellow to black.
4. Begin inserting part of the plate into the skin.
5. A white or yellow coating appears under the nail. This is due to them falling off the bed.
6. The itching was so intense it was almost unbearable. Burns to the skin around the affected area increased again.

If these symptoms occur, and treatment is started on time, it can still last a long time. You can contract a disease in 4-5 seconds, and it's hard to cure it. This usually takes 3 to 6 months. Due to complications that may lead to surgery, it is not recommended to abandon the course of treatment. So, you should listen carefully to your own voice. If initial symptoms are detected and treatment begins immediately, there is an opportunity to complete treatment faster while saving your nails.