Toenail fungus which is medically known as onychomycosis occurs when fungal infections take place underneath the nail’s surface. This causes changes in color and texture of the nails and at times even causes pain and a foul odor on the infected nail. A nail that has been infected with nail fungus oftentimes turns yellow, green, or brown. It may also become brittle, crumbly, and ragged on the edges. In some cases, the nail separates from the nail bed and sometimes it may completely fall off.
7Diagnosis and Treatments
Since the symptoms of nail fungus are the same as other medical conditions, it’s crucial to have a clinical diagnosis of a nail fungus infection. The doctor will ask for a nail clipping of the infected nail or a scraping of the debris underneath the nail. This will be sent to a lab for fungal culture. Once diagnosed, the doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal which will be taken for several months. In some cases, a topical nail fungus treatment may be prescribed instead of or a combination of the two. When the infection gets severe, a nail removal surgery may be recommended.
