4 Reasons You Should Never Leave Your Toenail Fungus Untreated

For most people, hearing the names of big ailments like diabetes or cancer scare the crap out of them. On the contrary, most of us ignore a simple infection like the toenail fungus. This is not surprising as it seems pretty unimportant compared to other chronic health challenges. Toenail conditions are hardly painful which also explain why it easily gets ignored by most people. Some even see it as a cosmetic problem. However, bear in mind that an untreated toenail fungus could degenerate into other serious health issues. Therefore, treating toenail fungus is necessary because the aftermath could be catastrophic. In this article, we would explore some complications that come with an untreated toenail fungus.

Gradual loss of the Nail

A toenail infected by fungus will make it hard and brittle. The brittleness makes it easy to crack, chip and break. By ignoring the infection one could risk the loss of toenails altogether. This nail loss could also be permanent. Likewise, the growth of fungus could separate the nail from the nail bed, resulting from the infection. This could cause the nail to fall off and you might have to remove it surgically to prevent further damage.

Foot Pain

An ignored toenail infected with fungus could become deformed and thick. At the onset, it might be painless but with time, pain could set in. The condition could degenerate with time and pose difficulty walking with foot wears. It is thus necessary to get the toenail treated to avoid inconvenience and pain.

Spreading of fungus

An untreated fungal infection could spread to other skin areas, particularly areas surrounding the toenail fungus. This could lead to athlete’s foot – a serious foot infection. A red, cracked and itchy skin are symptoms of athlete’s foot. Wearing shoes and socks all day with an untreated toenail fungus could influence its spread to the skin. Not treating the toenail fungus could even result in worse conditions.

Spreading of infection

This particularly applies more to people with chronic medical illnesses like diabetes. The weakness of the hormone system can result in a lot of other health problems. Should the toenail fungus infection spread to the skin, it will cause skin crack. This crack could allow bacteria into the skin, causing cellulite, a condition resulting in a swollen and tender skin. Antibiotics should be used to treat the condition. A further degeneration could cause the infection to enter the bloodstream and result in further health complications. However, you can save yourself all this by treating the onset of toenail fungus infection on time.

Treating Toenail Fungus

Without a doubt, an untreated toenail fungus could have a serious adverse effect. Thus, being equipped with ideas to treat the condition is important. It is advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible. However, a number of home remedies could be helpful as well. Tea tree oil, baking soda or the apple cider vinegar etc could be used to effectively treat the infection.

Consulting a doctor, however, will bring peace of mind. A new or recent infection could simply be monitored as advised by the doctor.

A doctor’s opinion will prevent the condition from getting out of hand.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1882105/

http://feetremedies.com/toenail-fungus/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nail-fungus/basics/complications/con-20019319

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/11/ask-well-leaving-nail-fungus-untreated/?_r=0

4 Reasons You Should Never Leave Your Toenail Fungus Untreated