Podiatrist nearby in Eastbourne: What is a fungal nail infection?
If you’re looking for a podiatrist nearby in Eastbourne, you may be interested in learning about common foot conditions they can help with, such as a fungal nail infection.
In this blog post, we will explore what a fungal nail infection is, its causes, symptoms, and the treatment options available, as well as how to find a podiatrist nearby.
What are Fungal Nail Infections?
A fungal nail infection, also known as onychomycosis, happens when a fungus invades the nail bed, often after the nail has been damaged in some way.
There are different fungi which may cause the infection, so the symptoms may vary, but a fungal nail infection usually causes discoloration, malodour (bad smell) and changes in nail structure.
Symptoms of Fungal Nail Infections
- Discolouration: The affected nail may turn yellow, brown, or white.
- Thickening.
- Deformation of nail as the nail plate may distort or become misshapen.
- Texture change: The nail may become crumbly or brittle.
- Odour: Some fungal infections can cause an unpleasant smell.
Podiatrist Nearby: Common risk factors… and what to do about them!
A podiatrist nearby will help you identify risk factors to fungal nail infections and how to avoid getting them if possible.
This can also prove important in preventing the infection spreading, not only to your other toenails, but also to other people’s feet.
Some of these risk factors include:
Damage to the nail bed, making it vulnerable to the fungi entering.
- Avoid tight fitting shoes and wear protective footwear when appropriate.
- Repetitive or high impact activities can cause long term damage.
- Don’t leave nails occluded under nail polish all the time. This can damage the nail and you can’t see if the fungus is spreading.
Exposure to possible sources of fungal infectione. being barefoot where someone with a nail infection has also been barefoot.
- This includes public changing rooms, swimming pools, or even those at home who have a fungal nail infection. If the latter is the case, don’t share personal nail care items and try to use different bathmats.
The environment we keep our feet ine. preventing them becoming over warm and moist, so preventing fungi from thriving.
- Hence the need for good foot hygiene: regularly washing and drying feet, changing into clean socks frequently, and allowing the feet to “be aired” and not be trapped in one pair of shoes every waking hour.
Our general systemic health.
- Looking after your general health as much as possible strengthens the body’s capacity to fight infection, although certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to fungal infections.
Don’t ignore the problem!
Because fungal nail infections rarely cause immediate pain, many don’t seek treatment in the earlier stages. However, the longer you leave it before seeking help, the more deeply rooted the infection will become, and so the harder it will be to shift.
Hiding the infection under nail polish means the infection can spread undetected.
Even if you don’t care about the aesthetics, allowing nails to become too thick can lead to painful complications, as the thickened nail presses against surrounding toes or pushes down onto the tissue under the nail bed.
While our podiatrists/chiropodists in Eastbourne pride themselves on being as gentle as possible, nails that are long, hard and thick can be difficult to treat without some discomfort.
However, it is worth noting that many people believe they have infected nails when they only have damaged nails, and so waste a lot of time and money on anti-fungal treatments.
So, if you are concerned about fungal nails, it is worth consulting one of our chiropodist/podiatrist nearby sooner rather than later.
Treating Fungal Nail Infections
Our podiatrist or chiropodist in Eastbourne will evaluate the severity of the infection and recommend appropriate treatment options. These may include:
Physical debridement of the infected nail.
- This can be very effective in the early stages of the infection; it removes what has already been infected and so prevents it spreading further.
- Even in the later stages, when the infection might prove resilient against medicated treatment, reducing the thickness of the infected nail will allow the topical treatments to penetrate more successfully.
- It should also minimize potential complications and improve the comfort and aesthetic of the toenail.
Discussing and possibly applying medicated options.
- Topical medications (to be applied to nail plate regularly by you): the podiatrist will check if you have already used any such applications and may discuss various topical options available, to decide what is the most suitable option for you.
- Oral medications might be appropriate but are a less popular treatment route due to possible implications to general health.
Total removal of affected nail.
- In extreme cases, the infected nail may need to be surgically removed to allow for the growth of a healthy nail.
- You may hear of many alternative treatments for treating fungal nails, but some have less evidence or variable success, and so not all clinics will have every possible option available.
Our podiatrists nearby in Eastbourne will use every treatment option that they have at their own disposal to treat fungal nail infections.
Conclusion
If you’re experiencing symptoms of a fungal nail infection, it’s important to seek professional help from a chiropodist or podiatrist. Click here to CONTACT US.
Not least to confirm whether you do indeed have an infected nail, as well as finding out the most appropriate treatment options for you.
Remember, early detection and intervention greatly improves the chances of success in treating fungal nail infections.
Other blog posts you may find useful:
What to Expect When You See a Chiropodist
What to expect When You See a Chiropractor
What’s The Difference Between Podiatry and Chiropody?
I hope you enjoyed reading,
Rosannah Burden, podiatrist/chiropodist at Lushington Chiropractic
BSc (Hons), mRCOP, HCPC registered
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