One of the fundamental factors for the successful treatment of mycosis is contacting the right doctor. Patients often confuse the specialization of doctors and do not know which doctor to go to with nail fungus. As a result, precious time is lost, money and excess nerves are lost.
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 required.
About the disease
Mycosis is an infection caused by pathogenic bacteria. Adults are mostly susceptible to it, but even children are not immune from the infection. The disease first affects the areas between the fingers, gradually moving to the nail plates. The fungus destroys keratin, the main component of the nail. The result is the fragility of the plaque, the stoppage of its growth, the formation of cracks and specific spots on the surface of the nail.
Causes of infection
There are several causes of fungal infection. The main ones should be highlighted:
- Weak immunity.
If the body is weakened by the disease or does not receive the necessary amount of vitamins, a person risks being affected by 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.
- Neglect of hygiene rules.
Mostly, mushrooms are collected in public places. Carelessness and negligence regarding one's 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 take replacement socks or tights with you when using sports or play shoes at rental centers or entertainment centers. It is also recommended to carry disinfectant gel with you, so that if there is no water tap nearby, you can treat your palms from dirt and germs.
- Inappropriate communication with animals.
Fungal spores are carried not only by humans, but also by animals. All lovers of petting stray cats and dogs should refrain from this habit. No matter how cute animals are, they pose a health risk. If contact occurs, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap, treat them with a disinfectant solution, and wash your clothes.
- Improper storage of shoes and socks.
Fungi reproduce more easily in a warm, moist environment. Considering this fact, 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 wash. 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 next day a person is 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 ignoring the rules of hygiene 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 recognizes more than ten types of mycosis. And there are several tens of thousands of causative agents of this disease. Of course, each type differs from the other in its characteristic symptoms. But we can identify the main signs of the disease. They are found in every patient in one variation or another.
Main symptoms:
- thick or thin nail plate;
- loss of shine of nails, gain of dullness;
- the nail begins to crack and peel off;
- changing the color of the nail plate (white, yellow, brown, green, black);
- the appearance of spots, lines, spots on the nail;
- 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 feet. The pain can become so severe that the person needs to take painkillers.
The fungus often spreads beyond the nail. It affects the nail ridges, the interdigital space and the foot. In rare and particularly severe cases, the disease spreads throughout the body. Sometimes pathogenic bacteria also affect the internal organs.
Detection of nail fungus
The difficulty of identifying the disease is its main problem. It is because of the lost time that the infection develops and takes root in the patient's body. The infection in the later stages is very difficult to completely eradicate. Those infected require six months of treatment for the therapy to bring positive results. Sometimes the mycelium gets so deep that it takes a lifetime to cure. It is possible to achieve only temporary improvements, and then 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 their own mycelium. Patients do not pay attention to 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 crumbly and brittle nails as a temporary condition that should go away on its own.
The detection 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 medical institution will carry out the necessary tests and tell you if the person is really infected by the infection. It is impossible to independently determine its presence, just as it is impossible to detect the type. Accordingly, specific treatment and recommendations for recovery depend on the type of mycosis.
Contact a dermatologist
Since fungus is a skin disease, it is logical to seek help from a dermatologist. He will examine the suspected nail for infection, interview the patient about his condition and refer him for tests. After receiving the results of the medical tests, the dermatologist will give a decision.
If the disease is in an early stage, then this specialist will be able to solve the problem. If mycosis is in an advanced form or is characterized by complex symptoms, the doctor will send the patient to an appointment with a mycologist.
It should be remembered that a dermatologist is a doctor with a wider scope. He treats all skin diseases, but has no specific knowledge. They are provided 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 stages. This specialist performs initial examinations, determines which tests will be appropriate and develops a treatment algorithm. If the patient has the opportunity, it is better for him to immediately go to a mycologist. In this way he will save his time and get a more competent and clearer answer to the question about the type of his disease and how to treat it.
An appointment with a mycologist usually costs a fee. Doctors see patients in special centers, where the general practitioner or dermatologist prescribes 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 the doctor during the treatment. A new doctor will need time to study the medical history and this is a waste of time.
After the patient has recovered, the mycologist prescribes advice for maintaining health. Preventive measures must be strictly observed. In this case, the mushrooms will not return.
Algorithm of diagnosis and treatment
The treatment of mycosis consists of sequentially connected phases. It is important to undergo each of them in time under the supervision of an experienced doctor.
Algorithm of antifungal therapy:
- Contact a dermatologist or go directly to a mycologist.
- Initial examination and obtaining a referral for tests.
- Taking tests and getting their results.
- Repeated meeting with the doctor and determination of subsequent treatment.
- Purchase of medications for therapy.
Then the patient should visit the doctor regularly to monitor the progress of the disease. If the effect is positive, the therapy continues and ends with recovery. If there is a negative reaction to the medication or there is no improvement, additional studies are conducted and new therapy is prescribed.
Tests to clarify the diagnosis
For an 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 get material, that is, a potentially infected nail. The doctor takes an itch or cuts off part of the plaque. The material is then placed in a solution, after which a specialist examines it under a microscope. This is how he sees the presence or absence of harmful bacteria that caused the infection.
- ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
The doctor draws blood from a vein from a patient. 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 within a week.
- PCR study.
As in the first study, PCR requires a 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 the first time. This is what is called an unlabeled reaction. To get a definitive diagnosis, doctors will send the patient for additional tests or ask him to come back in one to two weeks. Then the doctors will consult and tell you which doctor the patient should see next if they have developed nail fungus. Most likely it will be a mycologist.
Help from other specialists
The help of dermatologist and mycologist is often not enough. Sometimes the patient does not have the opportunity to immediately get an appointment with a specialized specialist. Then it is recommended to consult a therapist.
The therapist will perform an initial examination and, based on the results of the examination, will write test instructions. He will also tell you who to turn to next - a dermatologist or mycologist. An appointment with a therapist is important for patients who live 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 will have to make an appointment with a surgeon. Sometimes professional intervention is required. Sometimes there is no way to save the affected nail. It must be surgically removed. The doctor will cut the plaque from the nail bed and advise the patient on further actions.
If a patient cannot immediately make an appointment with a specialist, he should see a therapist. This doctor has all the knowledge necessary to perform an initial examination and make recommendations for the next steps in terms of antifungal therapy.
Treatment at the initial stage
Early-stage athlete's foot can be treated with antifungal gels, patches, and ointments. 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 medications. Only a doctor, after conducting an examination, can give effective advice and write the necessary prescription.
As an addition to ointments and varnishes, you can use traditional therapy recipes. 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 in demand. For example, compresses with mint, onion, garlic. In addition, it is recommended to apply olive oil or tea tree oil to the affected fingers or toes.
Alternative therapy should only be used as an addition to the main treatment, but in no case should it replace it.
Developmental treatment and neglect
In advanced forms of the disease, ointments and baths are indispensable. It requires the use of so-called antimycotics. 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 mycologist's prescription.
Prevention of 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.
- Monitor the cleanliness of the socks and change pairs regularly.
- Clean your shoes before and after going outside.
- In case of wet weather or excessive personal sweating of the feet, dry the shoes well.
- Avoid physical contact with strangers.
- After handling animals, especially homeless ones, wash your hands with soap.
- Always carry hand sanitizer in public places.
- It is preferred to bring personal belongings (if any) to the rental grounds.
- Get regular manicures and pedicures and avoid the formation of corns, 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. By strictly adhering 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. It will take several months, maybe even years.