Learning About Toenail Fungus Symptoms And What Causes Them
It is not really critical to have nail fungus, but its consequences on one’s overall existence can be quite grave. After all, this kind of infection can cause the feet to smell in an unpleasant way. No one wants that, especially when out and about, socializing and being with other people. Before we can proceed with the toenail fungus treatment though, one should first check out the different toenail fungus symptoms.
Toenail Fungus Symptoms Photo by Zach Klein via Flickr
Determining whether one is suffering from a fungal infection in the toenails is actually easy. Even a quick check of the toenail’s condition is enough to notice that something is wrong. The following are some of the things that characterize a toenail fungal infection.
1. Malformation – Since the infection occurs directly beneath the nails, most of the toenail fungus symptoms can be found on the nails themselves. One of which is the obvious malformation of the nails. Although there is no specific regular nail form, nails are not irregular in shape. They might not always follow the perfect figure most nails have, but it is easy to point out the ones that are way different from healthy-looking nails.
2. Discoloration – This is another characteristic that is easy to take note of. Nails are generally clear in color. Any weird or unusual nail color can mean something different with the nails’ condition. More so, the different hues an infected toenail takes can say a lot about the severity of its condition. It can be greenish, yellowish, brown and even as dark as black.
3. Brittleness – The toenails also tend to be brittle and hard. The edges easily crumble, and the center area does not shine the same way they naturally do. In most severe cases of the condition, the toenail slowly lifts itself from the nail bed.
4. Unpleasant Odor – Because of the infection, there is also the possibility of a bad smell emanating from the area beneath the toenail. Debris can easily accumulate under the nail, and the existence and accumulation brings about a foul smell that can be quite embarrassing for anyone near it.
5. Pain – A stinging pain may accompany the condition. This is due to the abovementioned possibility of the infected nail to separate itself from the nail bed. The separation can be really painful every time one moves the feet while walking or running since the toes also exert an effort every time the feet moves.
Although nail fungus can also affect the fingernails, it commonly affects the feet since the feet is almost always kept away from fresh air every time compared to the hands. It is therefore a must to keep the feet clean and dry before wearing any shoes and similar kinds of footwear.
Knowing about toenail fungus symptoms is the first step in the process of getting cured out of onychomycosis, or toenail fungus in more popular terms. It is also a must to learn about the causes of this condition in order to be active in the prevention nail fungal infection.
