Nail Infections- Common Symptoms
Nail infection is one of the most common infections in the United States of America. Nail infection affects people of older age especially those who are above 60 years. Children rarely get affected by this infection. Actually, the main cause of any kind of nail infection include excess use of water and unhygienic nails. In addition to this, people who are diabetic or have gone through chemotherapy are more prone to nail infections. A nail infection can be of various types. Symptoms for all nail infections also varie according to the type of infection and its severity. The main types of nail infections are :
* Distal Subungual Onychomycosis * White Superficial Onychomycosis * Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis * Candida Nail Infection Distal Subungual Onychomycosis is a fungal infection that is more likely to affect the toenails. In this infection, the fungus invades the space between the tip of the nail and the toe. It spreads along the inner as well as the outer sides of the nail. This fungus then causes the infected area to detach itself from the skin. It also causes the color of the nail to change to yellow or green. In case it gets severe, the nail plate becomes thicker than the normal one and it also becomes more hard and rough. But the one thing to note is that this infection does not cause much pain to the patient. White Superficial Onychomycosis affects only the outer surface of the nail and hence, it is considered the easiest infection to treat. The infected area of the nail appears covered with a layer of white material. However, in the early stages of the infection, you can easily remove the white material off the nail plate. But in the later stages, the entire nail turns white and the nail plate becomes deformed and dry. As in the earlier infection, the person does not feel much pain. Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis is the least common of the nail infections. Its symptoms involve the discoloration of the infected part of the nail. But if you leave the infected area unattended, then the fungus works deeper into the nail and gradually, the fungus extends to the inner layers of the skin and the nail bed gets affected. Candida nail infection makes the nail plate turn pale yellow and makes the nail opaque. The skin around the infected nail becomes swollen and inflamed and the situation is highly painful. In case the infection reaches its last stages the nail plate gets separated from the nail bed. If your nails show any of these symptoms, it is wise to consult a doctor rather than trying to ignore the infection. Because if detected and treated in early stages, all nail infections are curable to a large extent. |