Fungal nail infections usually don't go away on their own, and prescription antifungal pills taken by mouth are usually the best treatment. In severe cases, a healthcare professional may remove the entire nail. It can take several months to a year for the infection to clear up. However, nail fungus doesn't go away on its own. And if you don't treat it, there's a chance it'll get worse.
It may spread to other nails or across the body. It may cause pain when walking. Unfortunately, toenail fungus doesn't go away without treatment. If the infection is not treated, the fungus will continue to spread until the nail is permanently destroyed. Fungal infections are highly contagious, so they can spread to other nails as well.
Therefore, if you suspect you may have toenail fungus, it's essential that you see our California, Maryland podiatrists to diagnose and treat the problem. Fungal nail infections don't usually have serious consequences in otherwise healthy people, but they rarely go away on their own. If left untreated, the fungus may remain only on one part of the nail or spread. However, it is not known how common it is.
If the infection doesn't cause you any pain and you don't have any underlying medical conditions, you may not need treatment. The immune system will try to fight off the infection, but it's often ineffective because it's busy fighting other things, he adds. This treatment can help prevent the need to remove your nails, which is often recommended for severe cases of toenail fungus. Nail fungus is thought to often develop as a result of athlete's foot, so preventing athlete's foot could also prevent nail fungus. While largely anecdotal, there are some home remedies that have helped some patients control toenail fungus.
While they come back, your doctor will likely prescribe a cream or other treatment to place you on the nail bed to keep them away fungi.
