What is toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus, also called onychomycosis, is a fungal infection that affects your toenails. Fungi and bacteria live throughout your body, but if fungus begins to overgrow, you can develop an infection.
It’s hard to detect toenail fungus at first. It grows very slowly, so you might not notice anything different. Left untreated, though, toenail fungus can spread, causing your toenails to crack, chip, and crumble away.
What are the symptoms of toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus affects everyone differently. Sometimes it affects only part of a nail, while other times it spreads to several nails.
Regardless of the severity of your condition, toenail fungus presents similar symptoms, including:
- Distorted nails that lift away from the bed
- Brittle nails
- Thickened nails
- Discolored nails
As your toenail fungus gets worse, you might also notice a foul odor emanating from your foot.
Who is at risk of getting toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus affects people of all ages, races, and sexes, but certain things can increase your risk, including:
- Having diabetes
- Being over 65
- Wearing artificial nails
- Suffering a nail injury
- Having a skin injury around your nail
Toenail fungus also tends to run in families. If your parents or siblings regularly experience toenail fungus, you’re more likely to as well.
How is toenail fungus diagnosed?
To diagnose toenail fungus, your Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists provider examines your foot and toenails, reviews your medical history, and asks about your symptoms. Usually, these measures are enough to make a diagnosis. Your doctor might also take some toenail clippings and send them to a lab for analysis.
How is toenail fungus treated?
Treatment for toenail fungus depends on the severity of your condition. If you catch toenail fungus early, an over-the-counter topical ointment could provide adequate relief. If your symptoms persist, your podiatrist might recommend taking an oral prescription antifungal medication like:
- Terbinafine (Lamisil®)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan®)
- Griseofulvin (Gris-PEG®)
If your toenail fungus persists, your podiatrist might recommend combining oral antifungal medications with antifungal nail lacquer or another topical solution.
Don’t let toenail fungus prevent you from confidently wearing sandals. To request your toenail fungus appointment at Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists today, call the office or click the online booking tool.
