Nail Fungus |
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Fungal infection of the nails, also
known as onychomycosis, is a common
problem affecting over 35 million
Americans. It is more than a cosmetic
problem because it can be painful
and interferes with daily activities
such as walking, playing sports,
writing, typing, and other activities
that require handling small objects
or repetitive finger use. Issues
such as embarrassment, professional
disability, and social withdrawal
have a negative effect on the quality
of life of people who are suffering
from this disease.
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Causes and Risk Factors
Nail
fungus is caused by a group of fungi
known as dermatophytes. These microscopic
organisms eat away the Keratin,
which is the major protein in the
nails. This causes the nails to
produce excess Keratin to replace
the protein that has been eroded
by the fungus. Eventually, the nails
become thicker, brittle, and deformed.
Yeasts and molds are other types
of fungi that may also cause nail
fungus.
Fungus
typically thrives in warm, dark,
and moist conditions. Therefore,
nails that remain moist for long
periods of time are most likely
to develop fungi infections. Excessive
sweating, constant contact with
water, wearing moist socks and
shoes, frequent use of community
swimming pools and showers, and
working in wet conditions are
potential causes of developing
fungal nail infections. Since
toenails are more exposed to humid
conditions, they are more likely
to develop fungal infection than
the fingernails.
This
infection is usually observed
in adults over the age of 60 years
old, but in rare cases children
also develop fungal nail infections.
More men than women suffer from
fungal infections of the fingernails
and, conversely, more women than
men suffer from fungal infections
of the toenails. Additional risk
factors for contracting and spreading
nail fungus are nail injury, poor
blood circulation, using unsterilized
nail grooming products, and low
resistance power.
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Most
children would prefer to consume French
fries instead of celery sticks and the
children-centric marketing of processed
food and the abundance of unhealthy
products in our supermarkets have done
nothing to avert this trend.
It may appear that overeating and obesity
are only problems faced by people who
are living in developed countries, but
that is not entirely true. Ironically,
poverty is also one of the causes of
obesity. Junk food or food with zero
or little nutritional value is cheaper
and more easily available than healthy
food. Individuals who live below the
poverty line, who must provide food
for many others, or who cannot afford
to spend money on healthy food ultimately
consume a lot of these "filler"
foods that contain empty calories.
Obesity
may also be hereditary. Some scientists
believe that individuals can be born
with "overweight" genes. As
previously said, poor living habits
such as overeating and lack of exercise
only intensifies this problem. Weight
gain during pregnancy is normal, but
some women retain a lot of excess weight
even post-delivery. Anyone who does
not adequately care for his or her body
and who abuses it by overeating, eating
unhealthy foods, and lacking physical
activity is at risk of being obese.
Overweight and obesity lead to serious
health consequences such as cardiovascular
disease (mainly heart disease and stroke),
diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders
such as osteoarthritis, and even cancers
(endometrial, breast, and colon).
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