Nail Fungus and Its Natural Treatment and Cure

Medical term: onychomycosis.

Nail fungus is very, very common, and once one has got it, it is there for life unless one treats it with efficient and powerful remedies.

The infected nail is more often found on the feet, but may also be found on the fingers.

There aren't many symptoms, and people often ignore the nail disease, because the infection doesn't bother them other than cosmetically.

Nail fungus very often results from an athlethes foot that spreads to the nearby nails. Like other fungal infections, it thrives in moist atmospheres. These fungal infections usually develop on nails which are continually exposed to warm, moist environments, such as sweaty shoes or shower floors. The condition is contagious and may spread to other nails.

The infection is easy to spot, as it deforms the nail, and makes it whitish, thick, crumbling on the edges, and sometimes even slightly painful.

There are several other nail diseases that may look similar, like nail psoriasis, but fungal nail infections are far more frequent.

Diagnosis is made by examination and by cultivating the fungus from a nail specimen, which the doctor sends to a laboratory.

Treatment is usually very long, as it takes the time it takes for a nail to grow its own length from the treatment starts. It may easily take 6-8 months or more. The most popular allopathic treatment today is Lamisil (terbinafine) tablets, but cheaper alternatives do exist. The cheaper alternatives more often have potential side effects, especially on he liver. The treatment duration may be reduced substancially by removing the nail surgically, and applying anti fungal creams to the nail bed as the nail grows back out. One will usually not need tablets in these cases, but one will have to endure some pain from the toe and nail bed for some days to a couple of weeks.

A completely painless and harmless and efficient treatment is available in the form of a special mix of essential oils.