Are there natural cures for toenail fungus?
Aug 09, 2010 in
Health FAQs
My doctor said I have toenail fungus,and he said that products sold on the market could interact with a medication I take and affect my liver.I would like an alternative.Thank you.
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12 comments
Jcat ♡ on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
It depends on how chronic a case you have. There are over the counter lacquers for toenail fungus but as per the box instructions, these are only really suitable where a couple of nails are affected. With anything more chronic…they might not work. Also you have to persist and use for several months before you might see any results….as the nails grow out. And you have to be careful not to contaminate any healthy nails with the applicator stick and nail file.
Really you need a systemic whole body approach. Looks like your doctor has ruled out the anti-fungal tablet treatment….that in itself, even without being on any other medication usually necessitates liver function monitoring.
You could try olive leaf extract capsules…but as with any treatment you would need to wait several months before you might notice any significant results….waiting for healthy nail to appear and become obvious. More importantly, since you are on medication already, you would need to check with your doctor regarding taking olive leaf extract to be sure you could take it alongside any prescribed medications you take because some herbs have drug interactions. Read this regarding some known drug interactions with olive leaf extract and the ‘herxheimer reaction’ which is a reaction one might display from the death of microbes [ http://olivus.com/cautions_olive_leaf.htm ** ]. Caprylic acid [from coconut oil] tablets is another supplement worth trying, and could be taken alongside olive leaf extract. But always talk to your doctor or pharmacist first before taking supplements of any kind if on any prescribed medications.
** Not promoting this brand…link posted to a short article for reference purposes only…not affiliated in any way with this company or any other connected with it.
For long-standing chronic toe nail fungus, a more drastic solution might be to have the toenails surgically removed under local anaesthetic. In the UK, you might be able to go on an NHS waiting list for that…but I think your doctor would only agree to that if it was very chronic. Plus if one was diabetic that might not be a viable solution…you would need to talk to your GP or a chiropodist. There is alternatively laser treatment for toenail fungus. That could prove to be a very expensive option and am not sure if that is available at all on the NHS in the UK. Outside of the UK you would have to enquire with your insurance company if you have private health insurance.
There might be some anecdotal evidence circulating the Internet for non-pharmaceutical topical treatments having some benefit, perhaps if the condition is not too far advanced. These treatments might include tea tree oil, myrrh oil, Vick’s vapour rub, or some other known anti-fungal oils/essential oils…garlic oil might be another for instance. You could certainly try one of those or a combination. But you would have to pre-treat your nail as you would if you were applying the lacquer…filing down any thick growth for instance. One major problem might be getting any treatment to stay in place. Also, to be really effective it needs to penetrate down to the nail root. You should be careful if you have diabetes….it might be better to seek professional help.
As a preventative in future after successful treatment, or to help with prevention of the infection spreading to healthy toenails: always dry your feet well after showering…air dry for a while…and wear open toe sandals as much as possible in dry sunny weather.
Toenail fungus could be a signal one’s immune system is functioning below par. Diabetics and some with other health conditions, immuno-compromised particularly, might be more prone to fungal infections. If you have any underlying health conditions or concerns…discuss a suitable plan of action with your GP or other healthcare provider.
Good luck…hope you find a solution and resolution.
Smiley Sue on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I don’t know if its any good for your skin, but I’ve read/heard that soaking your feet in bleach/water each day can kill it off.
stevepitt2 on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
This is a tricky one. Toenail fungus likes to grow in warm, moist, alkaline, dark spaces. You must try to counter that. Keep your feet out in the open when ever you can and apply a few drops of plain white vinegar on the toe with the fungus 3x a day. Try not to let your feet stay wet.
dave on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
The same anti-fungal in the pills is available as a paint-on solution, though it is expensive. You really need to have a lab test done on the fungus to establish exactly what strain it is before you know what to treat it with.
There’s lots of crazy ideas for treatments on the net, I’ve never heard of any of them working.
Chelsea on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
An all natural way to cure your toenail fungus is to go to your local health food store or find an aromatherapist in your area by tea tree oil and soak your feet in a tub of water with 3-5 drops of tea tree oil for about 30 min every day until you see the toenail fungus subside. It sounds too good to be true but both my father and uncle have toenail fungus and they don’t have it anymore thanks to this remedy.
Christian Bernard on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Treating toenail fungus is difficult because it is generally a recurring condition. There are a wide variety of over-the-counter anti-fungal creams available, but some can be overly harsh and rid the body of the ‘good’ bacteria needed for systemic balance thus increasing vulnerability to fungal infections in the future.
Your health practitioner or podiatrist may prescribe oral anti-fungal medication to stop the infection. While these medications may work in the short-term, they may also rid the body of intestinal flora and bacteria that are beneficial to the body, creating further problems.
Herbal and homeopathic remedies can be a gentle alternative to effectively treat nail fungal infections. Melaleuca laterifolia, also known as Tea Tree Oil has excellent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and healing properties. The essential oil of sweet-smelling Lavendula officinalis (Lavender) may also be used as it contains active ingredients to soothe the nail, while promoting healthy nail growth.
Other herbs such as Cymbopogon citrates (Lemon Grass) are especially helpful for fungal infections while Syzygium aromaticum (Clove Oil) is considered an excellent antifungal and antibiotic essential oil. These natural ingredients may be used directly on the affected area to target the fungal infection on the spot. There are also herbs which can be taken internally for their anti-fungal and immune boosting properties. These include Pau d’Arco and Calendula officinalis.
You may get more info here http://www.healthherbsandnutrition.com/remedies/n/naildisorders.htm
ASHLEY on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Like another poster here stated, keep your feet dry and in the light (opposite conditions that lend to growth of the fungus). So, wearing flip flops for a few days will help.
As far as "natural" help goes, tea tree oil might work. You can read up online about it.
Minx on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
natural antibiotics such as Grapefruit seed extract will help enormously to eradicate a toenail fungus …..Grapefruit seed extract is a multipurpose (broad spectrum) compound that is currently being used in humans and animals alike to safely fight many types of internal and external infections caused from parasites (single and multi-celled), viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Grapefruit seed extracts biggest benefit is due to it’s multipurpose (broad spectrum) effect. It is effective even if the causes of the infections are known, unknown or misdiagnosed. By eliminating a wide range of dangerous pathogens grapefruit seed extract actually enhances the immune system.
Unflavored olive leaf extract is also a natural antibiotic and antifungal and very effective.
Your local health food store can help you with either.
bless
x
Lanamoon on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
soak your tootsies in bleach water every day until the fungus is gone
Maria Bijoux on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Personally, I’ve tried a lot of different stuff over the years. I had dealt with the combo nail fungus and athletes foot for almost 20 years. One "free" thing that did help a lot was vinegar.
It didn’t help much with the nail fungus but it completely stopped the athlete’s foot that I was also suffering from.
For the fungus I tried a lot of different things, including over the counter treatments, vinegar, bleach, tea tree oil, vicks and lavender oil. Some of them did make a little difference but none of them completely killed the fungus.
I also tried lamisil which worked for a while then after a couple of months I had a relapse of the nail fungus. The scary thing with the lamisil is the possible health issues you can face as a result of using it, the doctor had me take a test to make sure my liver wasn’t prone to problems before he’d give me the lamisil… gulp!
In the end what finally fixed my loong term problem with nail fungus was Zeta Clear. I think what also helped is that I made it a part of my daily ritual to use it.
Another thing that I did that probably helped was throw out my old shoes. I have heard that the fungus can live in your shoes and return after treatment. So to avoid a relapse I made sure to get new shoes and throw out the old ones.
Best of Luck!
Here’s a link to an article that has a some pretty interesting info on toenail fungus and the different treatments you can use, if you wanna check it out: http://hubpages.com/hub/What-is-ToeNail-Fungus-And-How-Do-I-Cure-Nail-Fungus
salvation on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Tea Tree oil, or lemon grass, Oregano these are all oils that can help you. You need 100% pure oils.
Gurukrapa T on August 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm
vicks-vaporub-
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