Tinea Unguium / Onychomycosis (Fungal Nail Infection)
What is Tinea Unguium / Onychomycosis (Fungal Nail Infection)
Tinea unguium, also called onychomycosis, is a fungal infection of the nails — more commonly affecting the toenails than fingernails.
It is caused mainly by dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, though yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds may also be involved.
In homeopathic philosophy, onychomycosis represents a deep-seated sycotic or psoric miasmatic disturbance.
It signifies that the vital force is unable to expel morbid matter naturally, leading to slow structural changes in nails rather than acute inflammation.
Causes
- Persistent moisture around feet (from tight shoes, sweating, wet environments)
- Injury or trauma to the nail
- Diabetes mellitus or poor circulation
- Low immunity or chronic illnesses
- Neglected athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis) spreading to nails
- Excessive use of nail polish, artificial nails, or sharing nail clippers
Symptoms
- Thickened, brittle, or crumbly nails
- Discoloration – white, yellow, brown, or black patches under the nail plate
- Deformed or distorted nails, often with rough surface
- Separation of nail from nail bed (onycholysis)
- Foul smell in advanced cases
- Pain or discomfort in wearing shoes (mostly toenails)
Homeopathic Understanding
Homeopathy views this condition as a chronic internal disorder manifesting externally.
Simply removing or cutting infected nails does not cure the underlying tendency.
Treatment aims to correct the internal imbalance that allows fungal growth to persist.
The selection of the remedy depends on the totality of symptoms, the person’s constitution, and the miasmatic background.
Homeopathic Remedies
- Antimonium crudum:
- Nails thick, brittle, and cracked
- Horny growth under nails; sensitive to touch
- Associated with gastric disturbances and irritability
2. Graphites:
- Deformed, thickened, and crumbling nails
- Fissures around nails, oozing sticky fluid
- Skin dry, rough, and unhealthy; tendency to eczema
3. Silicea:
- Slow-growing, weak, fragile nails
- Nail bed suppurates easily; tendency to ingrown nails
- Person chilly, with offensive foot sweat
4. Thuja occidentalis:
- Deformed nails with ridges, thickened at the base
- Linked with sycotic (fungal/warty) miasm
- Suited to people prone to fungal growths and excessive moisture
5. Nitric acid:
- Yellow, brittle, and crumbling nails
- Splinter-like pain around the nail edges
- Nail corners ulcerate easily
6. Sulphur:
- Dirty yellow nails, itching and burning around nail folds
- History of suppressed skin eruptions
- Patient feels heat in feet, wants them uncovered
General Management
- Keep nails trimmed and dry
- Avoid sharing nail tools or footwear
- Disinfect nail instruments regularly
- Use breathable socks and open footwear
- Avoid nail polish or fake nails during infection
- Maintain blood sugar control in diabetics
- Support internal vitality with balanced diet, good hygiene, and constitutional homeopathic treatment
