Many of us know the expression: "I think I have fungus on the nails, but do not know to what doctor to address". Really, what kind of disease is it and who can improve? Let all fine.
So, if you've felt the itching between the toes, accompanied by redness and peeling of the skin, and the nails of the strange things happens: they turn yellow, becomes thicker and begins to flake off, crumble, and sometimes a very unpleasant smell, the above clause may apply to you. Frankly, it is unpleasant, because these symptoms indicate the beginning of a very unpleasant disease called onychomycosis and is caused by parasitic in the human skin pathogenic fungi. According to medical statistics, the most common infections, it is immediately followed by respiratory diseases.
We will try to briefly tell you what professionals should and can restore health and restore peace of mind.
Go to the doctor! But what?
If you have noticed yourself, is the listed symptoms, do not despair and do not panic, in addition, do not try to self-treat. The sooner you decide to seek help from a qualified expert, increases your chances of a complete cure of the disease.
So, what doctor to go to for nail fungus? We advise you to first contact your family doctor, if you have one, or your local therapist, which is attached. They will examine you and listen to your concerns, then write a referral to the appropriate specialist. In the implicit cases, the expert is a dermatologist, who will conduct a comprehensive laboratory and instrumental diagnostic tests.
If the diagnosis of fungal infection is not confirmed, or your community is not a narrow expert on fungal diseases, about which we say below that a dermatologist treatment treatment.
He also has all the necessary information in this field, only his immediate specialization is much broader: it is the pathology of the skin epithelium, is associated with a variety of inflammatory, parasitic, viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. When the foot fungus problems are more localized and directly related to the horn plates.
Here we must make a small clarification: the color and structural changes in the nails can also be caused by diseases of the internal organs or systems – as a result of differential diagnosis is also possible. In this situation, the treatment will join other experts.
In that case, if the symptoms of onychomycosis been confirmed with the appropriate personnel in a medical facility, the disease is a doctor specializing in fungal diseases. Such a specialist is called a mycologist.
A few words about the principles of treatment of
Regardless of who performs the treatment, the dermatologist or mycologist, they work in the following system is developed:
- first, the individual treatment plan;
- follow the course of treatment to achieve the final positive result;
- specified preventive measures.
Mushrooms, like other micro-organisms strive to adapt to the effects of even the most effective medications, therefore, the greatest effect gives a comprehensive treatment of the disease includes a combination of tablet + special lacquers or lotions. In some cases, appointed injections and vitamin supplements. Your doctor may also recommend the folk methods of treatment, but only as a supplement to the basic treatment and his supervision.
In the early stages of the disease can be treated with antifungal anti-inflammatory lucky, for a couple of months to completely restore the nails.
In more severe cases, a mycologist can determine a way to remove the affected nail. Are drugs that have a natural base and essential oils not only contribute to the loss of the patient's nail, but rather the rapid emergence of new.
And in the most severe cases tablets without systemic exposure will not succeed. When choosing a doctor takes into account not only their effectiveness in this particular case, but individual tolerance of the patient and possible side effects.
Unfortunately, the process of treatment, especially in advanced cases, can sometimes take several months. It is therefore very important, patience and strict adherence to doctor's recommendations.
When the symptoms finally recede, the doctor will prescribe a double re-examination, including lab tests. The first takes place directly at the end of treatment, following a month later. If you suspect a relapse, your doctor may prescribe re-treatment.
Finally, measures for the prevention
You need to remember: non-compliance recommended by the attending specialist of preventive measures, the threat of the return of the disease.
And don't forget to take precautions, such as:
- do not neglect the daily hygiene procedures to stop, remember to wash feet in the evening;
- protection from injury supports the nail and the skin of the foot;
- regularly wash and dry the shoes. The website wrote of the means and methods of treatment of footwear from the mold;
- in the common areas (saunas, swimming pools, beaches, gyms, etc.) have spare shoes, and never use someone else's;
- from time to time to clean the apartment from a fungus of the products recommended by your doctor;
- finally, once again: the first suspicious symptoms resembling a fungal disease, immediately contact your dermatologist or mycologist.
The key to a quick and final return is timely treatment to the doctor!