Get Help for a Fungal Toenail Infection

Do you have a toenail infection? A fungal toenail infection can produce thick, crumbly, yellow toenails. Read below for more information – including causes, symptoms and treatment/ prevention options – on a fungal toenail infection.

Causes of a Fungal Toenail Infection

Your feet go through a lot each day, and even mild activities can result in a slight rupture in the plate of your toenail, allowing a fungus to get under the nail bed to cause a fungal toenail infection. Moisture found in shoes and socks provides a breeding ground for the nail fungus, and once the fungal toenail infection takes hold, it’s kept in place by the nail plate, making it very difficult to cure.

You can also catch a fungal toenail infection through person-to-person contact in such places as shared health club or pool showers, and even via shared emery boards like those used in professional nail salons.

Symptoms of a Fungal Toenail Infection

People who have a fungal toenail infection can develop discolored, thick and/ or flaky nails. If you have a fungal toenail infection, you may also notice a collection of debris under the nail that emits a foul odor. Other symptoms of a fungal toenail infection include nail splitting and the development of pit marks on the nail.

How to Prevent a Fungal Toenail Infection

The best defense against a fungal toenail infection starts with shoes that properly fit your feet. There should be a space, about the width of a thumb, from the end of the shoe to the tip of the longest toe. This helps prevent the toe from being damaged upon impact so you’re not at risk for a fungal toenail infection.

How to Treat a Fungal Toenail Infection

Once you have a fungal toenail infection, you can try treating it with liquid and cream treatments applied topically. Lamisil cream is now available over-the-counter for treating a fungal toenail infection. You can also get oral medications for treating a fungal toenail infection from your doctor.

Also, be sure to practice good foot hygiene, including wearing clean socks, rotating shoes and thoroughly drying feet between the toes, to make sure your fungal toenail infection does not spread to your other toenails.

If your fungal toenail infection persists after using topical treatments, however, see a podiatrist.

Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions like a fungal toenail infection provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on musculoskeletal health.