One of the main factors in the successful treatment of mycosis is to contact the right doctor. Patients often confuse the specialization of doctors and do not know which doctor to turn to with nail fungus. As a result, valuable time, excess money and nerves are wasted.
A fungal infection requires immediate treatment. The earlier the disease is detected and diagnosed, the more effective the therapy will be. Also, the choice of doctor depends on the stage of the disease. In advanced forms of the disease, the help of several doctors, including a surgeon, will be needed.
About the disease
Mycosis is an infection caused by pathogenic bacteria. Adults are most susceptible to it, but children are also not immune from infection. The disease first affects the areas between the fingers, gradually moving to the nail plates. Fungi destroy keratin, the main component of the nail. The result is fragility of the plate, stoppage of its growth, formation of cracks and specific spots on the surface of the nail.
Causes of infection
There are several causes of yeast infection. The main ones should be highlighted:
- Weak immunity.
If the body is weakened by an illness or does not receive the necessary amount of vitamins, a person risks contracting mycosis. The body's protective barriers will not be able to prevent the spread of the disease.
- Exhausted nervous system.
Frequent stress, nervous breakdowns and the habit of taking everything to heart contribute to the deterioration of the immune system and increase the risk of infection.
- Ignoring hygiene rules.
Most often, the fungus is caught in public places. Carelessness and negligence in terms of cleanliness are the main reasons for the spread of mycosis. You should always wash your hands before eating in cafes, bars, restaurants and after using the toilet. You should always carry spare socks or tights with you when using sports shoes or shoes in rental centers or leisure centres. It is also advisable to carry hand sanitizer with you so that if there is no water tap nearby, you can treat your hands from dirt and germs.
- Improper communication with animals.
Fungal spores are transmitted not only by humans, but also by animals. All lovers of petting stray cats and dogs should get rid of this habit. As cute as animals are, they are a health hazard. If contact occurs, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap, treat them with a disinfectant and wash your clothes.
- Improper storage of shoes and tights.
Fungi multiply most easily in a warm and moist environment. With this in mind, after walking in the rain or on wet ground, you should dry your shoes by placing them near a radiator or heater, and put wet socks or tights in the laundry. If you leave your shoes to dry on their own, there is no guarantee that they will dry completely. Meanwhile, the spores can be activated very quickly, and the very next day a person becomes infected with mycosis.
In almost all cases of fungal infection, the person himself is to blame. It is worth increasing your attention to details, not neglecting hygiene rules and using only your own clothes and shoes. You should also monitor your health. Take vitamins and micronutrient capsules regularly. For a healthy and clean person, the disease will pass.
Symptoms of the disease
Medicine knows more than ten types of mycosis. And there are several tens of thousands of causative agents of this disease. Naturally, each type differs from the other in its characteristic symptoms. But we can identify the main signs of the disease. They occur in every patient in one variation or another.
Main symptoms:
- thickened or thinned nail plate;
- loss of luster of the nail, acquisition of dullness;
- the nail begins to crack and peel;
- change in the color of the nail plate (white, yellow, brown, green, black);
- the appearance of spots, stripes, dots on the nail;
- the appearance of blisters, ulcers;
- discharge of mucus from under the nail.
Other characteristic symptoms are itching and burning in the area of the affected fingers or toes. The pain can become so severe that the person needs to take painkillers.
Fungus often spreads outside the nail. It affects the nail edges, the interdigital space and the foot. In rare and particularly severe cases, the disease spreads throughout the body. Sometimes pathogenic bacteria even affect internal organs.
Detection of nail fungus
The difficulty in identifying the disease is the main problem. It is because of the lost time that the infection develops and takes root in the patient's body. Infection in the later stages is very difficult to completely eradicate. Those infected need six months of treatment for the therapy to produce positive results. Sometimes the mycelium embeds itself so deeply that it takes a lifetime to heal. It is possible to achieve only temporary improvements, after which the fungus returns again.
It is extremely difficult to detect mycosis at an early stage. The symptoms are not as pronounced as in the later stages, when the bacteria create a mycelium - their mycelium. Patients do not pay attention to the slight itching, mistaking it for fatigue after walking. Some people do not react at all to changes in the color of the plate. People mistake crumbling and brittle nails for a temporary condition that should go away on its own.
The discovery of at least one symptom is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. However, not everyone knows which doctor treats nail fungus. Usually people go to a therapist, but that's not entirely true. You should make an appointment with a dermatologist or mycologist.
The treatment facility will do the necessary tests and tell you if the person really has the infection. It is impossible to independently determine its presence, just as it is impossible to detect the species. Namely, the specific treatment and recommendations for recovery depend on the type of mycosis.
Contact a dermatologist
Since fungus is a skin disease, it makes sense to seek help from a dermatologist. He will examine the nail suspected of infection, question the patient about its condition and refer him for tests. After receiving the results of the medical tests, the dermatologist will make a verdict.
If the disease is in an early stage, then this specialist will be able to solve the problem. If the mycosis is in an advanced form or is characterized by complex symptoms, the doctor will send the patient to a meeting with a mycologist.
It should be remembered that a dermatologist is a doctor with a wider scope. He treats all kinds of skin diseases, but he has no specific knowledge. They are offered by a mycologist who specializes only in the treatment of fungi.
Meeting with a mycologist
A mycologist treats all forms of fungal infection - from early to advanced stage. This specialist conducts initial examinations, determines which tests will be appropriate and develops a treatment algorithm. If the patient has the opportunity, it is better to immediately go to a mycologist. Thus, he will save time and receive a more competent and clear answer to the question of the type of his illness and how to treat it.
An appointment with a mycologist usually costs a fee. Doctors receive patients in special centers where a general practitioner or dermatologist issues a referral. Few clinics have a personal mycologist.
The mycologist will guide the patient from the first appointment to recovery. It is not recommended to change doctors during treatment. A new doctor will need time to study the medical history, and this is a waste of time.
After the patient recovers, the mycologist prescribes advice for maintaining health. Preventive measures must be strictly observed. In this case, the fungus will not return.
Algorithm for diagnosis and treatment
The treatment of mycosis consists of sequentially connected stages. It is important that each of them undergo a timely examination under the supervision of an experienced doctor.
Algorithm of antifungal therapy:
- Contact a dermatologist or go straight to a mycologist.
- Initial examination and obtaining a referral for investigations.
- Taking tests and getting their results.
- Meeting again with the doctor and determining follow-up treatment.
- Purchase of drugs for therapy.
After that, the patient should regularly visit a doctor to monitor the development of the disease. With a positive effect, the therapy continues and ends with recovery. If there is a negative reaction to drugs or there is no improvement, additional tests are carried out and a new therapy is prescribed.
Tests to clarify the diagnosis
For effective treatment, it is necessary to accurately diagnose the cause and type of the disease. The nature of therapy will depend on the type of pathogen.
Basic diagnostic tests:
- Microbiological methods.
First, the doctor must determine whether the patient is truly infected. To do this, he needs to take material, that is, a potentially infected nail. The doctor takes a scraping or cuts off part of the plaque. The material is then placed in a solution, after which a specialist examines it under a microscope. Thus, he sees the presence or absence of harmful bacteria that caused the infection.
- ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
A doctor draws blood from a patient's vein. The result of the analysis comes quickly. The answer indicates the reaction to mycosis: positive, negative or unspecified. In the latter case, it is necessary to do additional tests or repeat the blood donation after a week.
- PCR study.
As with the first test, PCR requires scraping. As a result, the doctor can accurately say whether a person is a carrier of the infection or not. Of the minuses, it is worth noting the fact that PCR cannot identify the type of fungus. The doctor only announces its presence or absence.
Fungi in the initial stage are difficult to diagnose for the first time. This is the so-called unlabeled reaction. To get a definitive diagnosis, doctors will send the patient for further tests or ask him to come back in one to two weeks. The doctors will then consult and tell you which doctor the patient should see if there is an established nail fungus. He will most likely be a mycologist.
Help from other specialists
Often the help of a dermatologist and mycologist is not enough. Sometimes the patient does not have the opportunity to immediately make an appointment with a specialist. After that, it is recommended to consult a therapist.
The therapist will conduct an initial examination and, based on the results of the examination, will write test instructions. He will also tell you who to go to - a dermatologist or a mycologist. An appointment with a therapist is suitable for patients living in small towns or residential areas of megacities. Not every clinic has its own dermatologist or mycologist. In this case, the therapist becomes a specialist who can direct the infected person to the necessary treatment.
If the nail fungus has already developed quite seriously and has reached an advanced stage, the patient should make an appointment with a surgeon. Sometimes professional intervention is necessary. Sometimes there is no way to save the affected nail. It must be surgically removed. The doctor will cut the plate from the nail bed and advise the patient on further actions.
If the patient cannot immediately make an appointment with a specialist, he should go to a therapist. This doctor has all the necessary knowledge to conduct an initial examination and make recommendations for the next steps regarding antifungal therapy.
Treatment in the initial stage
Early stage athlete's foot can be treated with antifungal gels, patches, and polishes. The latter contain fungicides - substances that prevent the spread of infection. They stop the growth of bacteria and neutralize the mycelium.
It is not recommended to independently choose medicines. Only a doctor, after conducting an examination, can give effective advice and write the necessary prescription.
In addition to ointments and varnishes, you can use recipes for traditional therapy. The following are particularly popular:
- vinegar;
- iodine;
- potassium permanganate;
- table or sea salt.
They are used to make lotions and baths. Iodine and potassium permanganate should not be used too often as they cause dry skin. To avoid skin damage, you should take breaks.
Recipes based on herbs and vegetables are also sought after. For example, mint, onion, garlic compresses. It is also recommended to apply olive oil or tea tree oil to the affected fingers or toes.
Alternative therapy should only be used as a supplement to the main treatment, but in no case should it replace it.
Treatment of the stage of development and neglect
In advanced forms of the disease, ointments and baths are indispensable. It requires the use of so-called antifungals. They are prescribed by a doctor. The choice of tablets is based on the type of fungus, the patient's state of health, his age and other characteristics. Antimycotics are characterized by a large list of contraindications and side effects. It is forbidden to buy them without a prescription from a mycologist.
Preventing the risk of infection
To maintain good health, it is necessary to take preventive measures. They will prevent the risk of nail fungus infection.
Top tips:
- Use only personal hygiene items: towels, sports mats, wet wipes.
- Keep your socks clean and change pairs regularly.
- Clean your shoes before and after going outside.
- In case of humid weather or personal excessive sweating of the feet, dry your shoes well.
- Avoid tactile contact with strangers.
- After handling animals, especially strays, wash your hands with soap.
- Always carry disinfectant gel with you in public places.
- It is preferable to bring personal belongings (if any) to the rental bases.
- Get regular manicures and pedicures and avoid calluses, calluses and cracks on your feet.
- Wear only comfortable shoes that do not pinch or rub your feet.
If a fungal infection has already occurred, you should follow all the recommendations of your doctor. With strict adherence to the therapy, the patient will be able to recover and forget about the unpleasant disease. But you have to be patient - the infection is difficult to eradicate. This will take several months, maybe years.