swims in the city

Nail Fungus - unnecessary discomfort

Hi

as a care worker am a little frustrated at the lack of attention and treatment given to elderly patients/ care users who have varying degrees of nail fungus and unaware they can can get treatment

Often ashamed, embarrassed accepting fungal nail infection as a sign of old age patients are not treated by doctors because they tend not to take shoes or socks off during examinations and so the problem goes untreated

Itchy feet and thick discoloured nails can be treated, but obiously this is easier treated if caught quickly

This is just an infection in the same way that athlete's foot is an infection creams and sprays are available - please examine your old person's feet now and then and check they are not silent sufferers

When at least 60% of care home residents have this problem it would also be nice if doctors would monitor this problem and make changes instead of leaving sufferers at the mercy of chiropodists who visit every 6 months or so and are apparently still not offering treatments except to cut long thick excruciating nails - no wonder chiropodists are booked up!!!!

I have copied chunks from a couple of sites including the web reference

Onychomycosis (ON-i-ko-my-KO-sis).
The medical name for a nail fungus infection.

APPEARANCE OF FUNGUS NAILS

· At an early stage, the nail may have white or yellow patches of discoloration. There may also be yellow horizontal streaks in the nail.

• At a later stage, the nail will grow thick, deformed, discoloured and have a foul odour (musty smell). It may also split and start to crumble.

SYMPTOMS OF FUNGUS NAILS

· The nail may become brittle and split in to several pieces.

· The actual condition is not painful. However, if the nail becomes thick and deformed it may grow into the skin at an angle and become an in growing toe nail.

· In severe cases, inflammation may arise from an in growing toe nail which may result in a secondary infection.

· It will affect a patient’s day to day activity as pressure from nails against the shoes causes discomfort.

· If the condition is left untreated for along period of time, the nail will become very brittle and the patient may experience episodes of total removal of the nail followed by re-growth.

CAUSES OF FUNGUS NAILS

· There are many types of fungus present in our environment. Most are harmless; however, a group of fungi called dermatophytes can affect the feet. Dermatophytes thrive on warm, moist conditions.

· Sweaty shoes and moist socks can be a contributing factor.

· Most people may have the fungus present on their feet. However, a nail fungus infection may be caused due to the fungus invading the skin. This can be due to injury to the nail, inflammation from a in growing toe nail or inappropriate nail cutting.

· Individuals with a lower immunity due to Diabetes, H.I.V and patients with poor circulation.

http://www.drfoot.co.uk/fungus%20nails.htm

Q: What is nail fungus? http://www.lamisil.com/info/simplystated/nail_fungus_faq.jsp

A: Nail fungus is made up of tiny organisms that can infect fingernails and toenails. These organisms are called dermatophytes. Nail fungus is very common. More than 35 million people in the United States have it under their nails. A nail fungus infection is also called onychomycosis

The nail fungus moves in under the nail. The nail provides a safe place for the fungus and protects it while it grows. That's why it's so hard to reach and stop nail fungus.

Most often, nail fungus appears in the toenails. This is because socks and shoes keep the toenails dark, warm, and moist. This is a perfect place for the fungus to grow.

The organisms that make up nail fungus can sometimes spread from one person to another because these organisms can live where the air is often moist and people's feet are bare. This can happen in places like shower stalls, bathrooms, or locker rooms, or it can be passed along when you share a nail file or clippers with someone who has a nail fungus infection. Nail fungus may also spread from one of your nails to other nails.

Q: What causes nail fungus infection?

A: Most often, the tiny fungus gets under the nail and takes hold. Anything that damages a nail can make it easier for the fungus to move in, such as:

· Tight shoes that pinch the toes

• An injury (like banging a fingernail with a hammer)

Q: Who is more likely to get nail fungus?

A: Many people are at risk for getting nail fungus:

· People who share locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, and swimming pools.

· Anyone whose feet sweat a lot at work or at play People who are hard on their feet, such as athletes, runners, and dancers

· People with medical problems, such as poor circulation (blood flow), diabetes, or immune system disease (such as AIDS or HIV infection)

· People over 65 years of age

· People who get manicures or pedicures in salons that don't keep nail clippers, emery boards, and other tools clean

• People who have had athlete's foot in the past (a fungal skin infection that makes the skin between the toes get itchy and sore and causes it to crack or peel)

Q: What are the treatment choices for nail fungus infections?

A: Your healthcare provider can prescribe medicine for your fungal infection that you take by mouth. Treatment lasts 12 weeks. This medicine travels through your bloodstream to reach thePublish fungus where it lives deep under the nail in your nail bed. A prescription polish also available must be applied to the infected nail daily for up to 48 weeks. Talk with your healthcare provider.

Wanna cure it??

found this letter and some sites

by the way this iodine thing has stirred up some other interesting stuff :

An economical cure

Russell Davidson

Victoria, BC

I am a retired physician whose left big toenail became heavily colonized by an unidentified fungus with resultant thickening, opacity and deformation. A respected dermatologist confirmed my diagnosis, but we decided not to initiate any treatment. The cost of oral treatments ranges from about $250 to $500, and there are many serious side effects.^1–3

Shortly after the consultation, I decided to undertake a trial of topical iodine. I obtained a bottle of 2.5% iodine tincture at a cost of $3.27, and applied one drop of the solution daily, with occasional lapses, to the tip of the affected toenail. The iodine travelled rapidly into the depths of the affected subungual tissues.

After 2 weeks, a sliver of normal-looking nail appeared at the proximal end of the affected nail. Encouraged, I continued the treatment. The nail grew at the normal slow rate, and the diseased area gradually moved distally. The nail is now apparently normal.

The total cost of the treatment was $3.27, and half of the original bottle of iodine solution remains for further treatment, if required. In view of the efficacy of the treatment in this isolated case, it would seem reasonable to institute a trial with a larger number of patients to obtain scientifically acceptable results. However, blinded trials would be difficult, given the telltale colour and odour of iodine. No side effects were observed in the case described.

REFERENCES

1. Ketoconazole, oral antifungal. In: Compendium of pharmaceuticals and specialties. Ottawa: Canadian Pharmacists Assocation; 2005. p. 1071-3.
2. Rodgers P, Bassler M. Treating onychomycosis. Am Fam Physician 2001;63:663-72, 677-8.[Medline]
3. Elewski BE. Onychomycosis. Treatment, quality of life, and economic issues. Am J Clin Dermatol 2000;1(1):19-26.[CrossRef][Medline]

The miracle of iodine and more about DMSO what ever that is then the stuff about aids ????? aids in africa

Labels: chiropodists, discoloured nails, elederly residents, Fungus, Itchy feet, itchy toes, Nail, Nail Fungus, Onychomycosis, residential homes, thick toe nails

posted by quoifish @ 2:23 AM 0 comments

79 FLOWERS

(*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*) (*)

posted by quoifish @ 4:45 PM 0 comments

prevention
and
cure

the bladder


vision therapy

posted by quoifish @ 1:11 AM 0 comments