Nail Fungus Health Risks

People who suffer from fungal nail infections (onychomycosis) often wonder whether there are nail fungus health risks that they should worry about - thankfully, there are not many. Nail fungus infections cause unsightly deformation and discoloration of the affected nail, and that alone can do considerable damage to self image and self esteem, but in terms of general health, there is usually no cause for panic. Though difficult to treat and generally slow to respond to treatment even when they do clear up, fungal infections of fingernails and toenails generally do not spread inward to attack internal organs or tissues, or advance outward to cover the body surface. The body's natural defenses against invading organisms - our immunity - is generally able to prevent spread.

There are some onychomycosis health risks that's it's wise to keep in mind, however, if you think you have a fungal nail infection. Most of these infections are caused by dermatophytes - fungi that have evolved to grow on nails, skin and hair. In nature, most types of fungi grow on decaying organic material; they don't do well in nails and can't invade healthy skin and hair - the dermatophytes, in contrast, can break down keratin, a protein found in nails, skin, and hair, to get nutrients. Once a dermatophyte is established in a finger or toe nail, the most urgent concern is that it may indeed spread to the surrounding skin or to other nails. These infections, athletes foot, ring worm, or spreading onychomycosis, carry no more nail fungus health risks than the original infection did, but they can be distressing, embarrassing, and uncomfortable.

Another of the recognized onychomycosis health risks arises from the discomfort of toe nail fungus infection. In an advanced case of nail fungus infection, where the fungus has deformed the nail itself, it may be difficult to find comfortable footwear - the nail rubs against the inside of a shoe and the digit is often inflamed and sensitive. A loss of mobility quickly results, especially in climates where warm or protective footwear is essential. When mobility is impaired, quality of life is affected, and lack of physical activity can lead to poor circulation in the legs and feet. Varicose veins and stasis ulcers, both a genuine threat to health, particularly in diabetics, are made worse by a lack of physical activity. Thus, while there are no direct serious threats to health from onychomycosis, indirect nail fungus health risks can be serious in some individuals and fungal nail infections should be treated before they reach a stage where mobility is impaired.

Finally, though direct onychomycosis health risks are minimal and limited, some types of nail fungus infection can be a sign of preexisting health problems that should be investigated. One such manifestation of nail fungus infection is called proximal subungual onychomycosis. In this condition, the fungus begins to grow in the nail at the point distant from the tip, around the edge of the skin above the cuticle. From there it grows downward to the root where nail is built and then begins to move forward toward the tip underneath the nail. In most people the immune system prevents fungus from spreading like this in this location; therefore proximal subungual onychomycosis can indicate a problem with immunity.

If you think you have a nail fungus infection, avoid nail fungus health risks and the ugliness of advanced onychomycosis by having the problem diagnosed by a medical professional. Treatment is usually more effective when it is started early.

Distal Subungual Onychomycosis

What is distal subungual onychomycosis? It sounds like a long complicated medical term, but this simply means a nail fungus infection that starts under the nail at the tip of the finger or toe. Distal means "distant from" (distant from the root of the nail); subungual means "under the nail," and onychomycosis is the scientific term for a fungal infection of the nail. Many of us think in terms of just one type of nail fungus infection but, in fact there are a number of different manifestations of this troublesome infection and doctors use specific terms to differentiate between them.

Other types of subungual nail fungus infections include lateral subungual (spreading along the side of the nail), and proximal subungual (starting near the cuticle and root of the nail). All of these forms of the infection tend to involve dermatophytes - fungi that are specially adapted to grow in nails, skin, and hair - but distal subungual onychomycosis is by far the one most commonly seen. Lateral infections usually accompany the distal form while proximal infections are quite rare and tend to occur in cases of nail injury or in patients whose immune system is not functioning properly.

After lateral and distal subungual onychomycosis, the next most common type of fungal nail infection is white superficial onychomycosis. As the name implies, in this condition the fungus invades the nail from the top surface, producing a white patch that spreads to cover the entire surface over time. The infection usually involves the toenails. Like subungual nail fungus, superficial infections are usually caused by dermatophytes, though the fungal species involved may be different. Only about ten percent of fungal nail infections are superficial. This type of infection probably responds better to topical antifungal treatments because the thickness of the nail does not lie between the treatment and the fungus.

All nail conditions suspicious of distal subungual onychomycosis, and indeed any form of fungal nail infection, should be properly diagnosed by a medical professional. Just as there are different types of fungal nail infections, there are also other conditions that can cause deformation and discoloration of nails. Some of these look surprising like superficial or subungual nail fungus - be sure that fungus is the cause of your nail problem before attempting to treat it. Once you are sure of the diagnosis, you can choose between prescription drugs for onychomycosis, an alternative nail fungus remedy, or one of the traditional home remedies.