Nail Fungus Symptoms
Infection of the nails may occur without even notice it, with fungi invading silently the tip of your fingernail or toenail, causing a white or yellow spot under it. Fungal infections usually spread deeper into nails causing different problems and discomforts.
Among the different nail disorders, nail fungus infections are the more recurring in more than a half of all nail problems. Over time, if the infection is not treated, nail fungus makes your fingers become painful, red and/or draining pus.
Because nail infection occurs more often on nails continually exposed to warm and moist environments, keeping your feet dry is a good prevention measure, as well as avoiding going barefoot on shower floors and other moist public places.
Most notorious symptoms of the infection include basically the changes on one or more or your nails, whether fingernails or toenails, discoloration, brittleness, thickening, crumbling of the nail, distorted nail shape, loss of luster and shine, detaching of the nail and debris trapped under the nail.
In addition, Persistent fungal nail infections may cause your nails to grow slowly, even after a successful treatment, because newer clear nails may take up to a year to replace the nails damaged by nail fungus. Infected nails may also separate from the nail bed, a condition known as onycholysis.
Loosening may become particularly painful if the infection drains pus and even infected blood, with the risk of propagating nail fungus to other healthy nails. Although nail fungus is sometimes difficult to treat, the actual medications available are effective to clear up this infection permanently.
Nail fungus is not the same as athlete’s foot, which primarily affects the skin of the feet, but at times, the two may coexist and can be caused by the same type of fungus. Nail Fungus Symptoms vary from person to person, sometimes causing pain; some others experience no pain at all.
Other symptoms that can be observed in a few individuals with nail fungus may include a slightly foul odor, ragged, flat or dull nails, and color may also vary from the typical yellow, to greenish, brown or black, color caused by debris which builds up under the nail.
It is advisable to seek medical advice as soon as you notice nail fungus beginning. Ignoring the problem only makes the infection persist indefinitely, since it will not disappear or improve by itself if is not treated. Nail fungus is preventable, and you can contribute to the reduction of recurring infections, by simple practicing good hand and foot hygiene habits.