Re: nail fingus vs ReA/Psoriasis nails

[Guest guest]

I've never had any problem with nail fungus, but my husband and a couple of

my children and grandchildren are plagued with this problem. (the ones that

have the fungus...don't have a spondy so I'm going to tell them about the

Vicks....that one sounds interesting). I have read that there is a difference

between

the nail problems that are seen in ReA /Psoriasis and a real fungus nail

problem. Since it would be hard for us to tell the difference, it may be a good

idea to find out what type of nail problem it is before treating it with

something that might cause further problems.....like one of the posts

mentioned....it

became worse after treating it. In most of the literature on nail problems

with ReA...it states that it can " look " like a fungus infection, not that it

" is " a fungus. One form can be the same as KB that some have had on their feet.

If it is caused by ReA, it can cause a redness around the cuticle, yellow

deposits may develop under the fingernails and toenails, or little red dots can

be

seen under the nails. The nail can thicken and become yellowish. Pitting,

splitting, ridges and crumbling may be seen and the nail can become loose from

the

nail bed. Psoriasis has similar nail characteristics as Reiter's Syndrome. A

fungus can happen to anyone...regardless of autoimmune disease and is the

cause of 50% of all nail diseases. Since all of us have a spondy disease,

chances

are it may not be fungus (although it certainly could be), but it also could

be the nail disease seen with Reiter's or Psoriasis. The nail problems that

comes with ReA and psoriasis are common only to these diseases and a doctor

should be able to tell.

I'm sorry, I couldn't find the images that I've seen so many times before on

a dermatology site I liked for ReA and Psoriasis nails, but here are some

pictures I did find:

http://dermatology.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aad.

org%2Fpamphlets%2Fnailhealth.html

http://www.aafp.org/afp/980101ap/photoquiz.html

(note: picture of onycholysis is caused by psoriasis)

http://health./health/encyclopedia/003247/tn.html

[Guest guest]

I think it is necessary to make an analysis on the nail to see what is lurking

in there.

A few years back I got a piece of my nail analyzed and I turned out to be a

fungus infection. I ignore what would be the diagnosis when it is Reiter's

related. After all these years from diagnosis, I just started a treatment that

consists of a compound supension made with econazole, trib...(sorry the word

scapes my mind), and ibuprofen. I hope this gets read of my " ugly nail " .

-Gerardo