Types and causes of onychomycosis
What is onychomycosis?
Onychomycosis is a fungal disease of the nail. This disease affects 10-15% of the population, and among people over 60, it occurs in almost 30%. Onychomycosis is a long-lived focus of fungal infection that spreads well and sensitizes the body, for this reason, the main goal of treating fungal infections is the complete elimination of the pathogen. Types of onychomycosisThere are three types of onychomycosis: 1) normotrophic - the color of the nails changes, stripes and spots appear, but the shine and thickness of the nail remain normal; 2) hypertrophic - the color of the nail changes, shine disappears, the nail thickens and deforms. It happens that the nail collapses at the edges; 3) onycholytic (atrophic) - part of the affected nail atrophies and is rejected from the nail bed. Causes of onychomycosisHousehold items can be the cause of onychomycosis: bathroom rugs, washcloths, manicure accessories, shoes, when visiting the pool, bath, sauna, shower, gym. A person of any age can get onychomycosis. Over the past ten years, the incidence has increased among children and adolescents. The occurrence of onychomycosis can be facilitated by various injuries, fractures of the bones of the feet, hands, circulatory disorders in the extremities (Raynaud's disease, varicose veins, and others). In people suffering from severe somatic and endocrine diseases and immune disorders, the risk of getting sick is higher and the course of the disease is more severe. In patients with diabetes mellitus, the frequency of mycoses of the feet with nail damage is almost three times higher than in other people. With onychomycosis, not only the nail changes, but also an allergic restructuring of the body occurs. In addition, mushrooms are capable of releasing toxins. |
Diagnostics
Not always visually in appearance of the nail, it can be argued that it is affected by a fungal infection. For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to send a small section of the cut nail for microscopic examination.
For the most successful treatment, it is necessary to clarify the type of pathogen. For this, the pathological material must be sown on a special nutrient medium.
Prevention of onychomycosis
Prevention of onychomycosis is based on personal and social events and health education. Dispensary observation of patients is equally important. Clinical examination of patients with mycoses of the feet is carried out by dermatologists. This activity includes early detection of the disease and treatment of patients in the family, at work, in children's institutions. The systematicness of treatment and further monitoring of patients who have completed treatment are monitored. In the foci of infection, anti-epidemic and disinfection measures are carried out, as well as sanitary and educational work.
It is very important to observe the rules of personal hygiene for caring for the skin of the feet: one should not allow microtraumas, get rid of excessive sweating of the legs and diaper rash (sprinkling with boric acid and talc, pure urotropin, treatment with 40% urotropine solution), it is necessary to eliminate dry skin, calluses. When visiting baths, saunas, showers, swimming pools, wear closed rubber slippers on your feet. After washing your feet, wipe them dry, and change socks and stockings every day. Since mushrooms live in pebbles and sand for a long time, it is also necessary to wear slippers on the beach, not to wear someone else's shoes. It is important to treat dystrophic changes in the nails in a timely manner, since the nails are less protected from the penetration of the infectious agent. With proper and careful adherence to all the rules of such an unpleasant disease as onychomycosis, you can avoid.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
