fungal infection of nail part 4

What happens if the nail infection is untreated?

Initially one may not feel any pain, but with time, pain is common. Fungus infection almost always damages the nail. If the infection is not treated, it continues to progress. Individuals who have a weak immune system or those who have diabetes usually develop serious infections.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of fungal infections requires testing for fungus. The doctor will take some scrapping from the nail. The debris is examined underneath the microscope and fungi can be identified.

Once the fungus is identified, treatment is started. The treatment of fungal nail infection should not be underestimated. It requires long-term use of drugs, commitment, and perseverance. There are hundreds of over the counter products sold for nail fungus. All of them are completely rubbish and not worth a dime.

There is no over the counter herb, mineral, nutrient, or lotion which works for nail fungal infection- so stop wasting your money.

The best treatment for fungal infection of nails is oral medications. In the last decade several oral anti fungal medication have been developed. These medications can be obtained from any pharmacy.

The three medications widely used to treat nail fungal infection are:

- Itraconazole (Sporanox)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan)
- Terbinafine (Lamisil)

These three medications come in various formulations and the pill is usually taken for 3-6 months. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the fungus will be killed. Less than 40% of individuals see a satisfactory result with these pills. Yet these results are infinitely better than any herb or junk that you can buy online. Once the fungi are killed, a new nail grows slowly but recurrent infections are possible. Anti fungal pills also have side effects and one must be followed up by a physician.