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Tag: sports injuries

Foot Soak for Toenail Fungus Options As Home Remedies – Do They Work?

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toenail fungus treatment

Toenail fungus is common and persistent, but foot soaks for toenail fungus may help relieve symptoms—especially when started early. Known medically as onychomycosis, toenail fungus often causes the nail to turn yellow, become thickened, or crumble. Less frequently, it may appear white or chalky.

This type of infection often comes along with athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), caused by the same fungus. It can spread from floors, showers, or shoes. While many people assume it’s highly contagious, the truth is that your immune system plays a significant role in whether you develop a fungal infection. People with diabetes or compromised immune systems tend to experience fungal nail issues more frequently. Interestingly, one partner in a household might have toenail fungus while the other never gets it.

How to Prevent Toenail Fungus

Preventing toenail fungus involves good foot hygiene and environmental awareness. Avoid walking barefoot in public showers or locker rooms. Keep your feet dry at all times, and make sure to dry thoroughly between the toes after bathing.

Choose breathable footwear, especially if your feet sweat often. Using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide inside your shoes can help keep them fresh and less inviting to fungus. Learn more about our diabetic foot care recommendations to reduce your risk of infection.

Start Early With Treatment

Start treating toenail fungus as soon as you notice symptoms. Early treatment improves your chances of success, especially with home remedies. However, toenails grow slowly—it can take 9 to 12 months for a full nail to regrow. Be patient, and monitor for results.

If you don’t see improvement after 3–4 months of at-home care, make an appointment with a podiatrist near you. If you have diabetes or see cracks, thickening, or pain in the nails, seek medical advice right away.

Why Nail Fungus Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Toenail fungus can distort the shape of your nail, making it more prone to becoming ingrown. If you notice yellowing, thickening, pain, or an odor around the nail, don’t wait—these are signs of worsening infection.

Professional care can prevent complications, especially for patients with circulation issues or weakened immune systems. Visit our foot and ankle conditions page for more details.

Home Remedies and Foot Soaks for Toenail Fungus

Soaking your feet daily can be a simple and soothing way to support fungal nail treatment. Here are some of the most recommended foot soaks for toenail fungus:

Listerine Foot Soak

Some people believe that Listerine has antifungal properties. To try it, mix 30–50 ml of Listerine in 2 cups of warm water and soak your feet for 30 minutes daily.

This soak may also improve dry, scaly skin. If you have sensitive skin, test a small area before doing a full soak.

Apple Cider Vinegar Soak

Create a soak using:

  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1/3 cup Epsom salt

Soak your entire foot for 30 minutes once a day. Some even take apple cider vinegar orally for potential internal antifungal benefits. The acetic acid in vinegar may help kill fungus.

Additional Topical Remedies

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal essential oil. Clean the nail with rubbing alcohol, then apply a few drops of tea tree oil directly. Other essential oils like peppermint or cinnamon oil may offer similar effects.

Olive Leaf Extract

Known for its antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, olive leaf extract can be taken orally or applied topically. You can find it online or in health food stores.

When Home Remedies Aren’t Enough

If your toenail fungus doesn’t improve, it’s time to seek professional treatment. Podiatrists offer options that have been clinically tested and often work more quickly than home remedies.

Medical Topical Treatments

These include over-the-counter and prescription creams or solutions. Our clinic offers a proprietary topical treatment that penetrates the nail more effectively than most.

Oral Antifungal Medications

Oral treatments like Lamisil can be effective, but they may affect the liver. We rarely recommend them unless absolutely necessary and always advise liver function testing beforehand.

Laser Nail Treatment

Laser toenail fungus treatment is our most popular option. It uses painless, pulsed energy to heat and destroy fungal cells inside the nail. For thick nails, we often grind them down first to improve results and appearance.

Foot soaks for toenail fungus are a helpful starting point, but medical treatment may be necessary for full recovery. Our staff and podiatrists were the first to bring this type of treatment for nail fungus to the Colorado region. Our clinics in Fort Collins and Broomfield locations were among the first in the region to offer this advanced laser therapy. If you’ve searched for a “local podiatrist near me,” we’re ready to help.

What to Expect During a Podiatrist Visit

During your visit, the podiatrist will:

  • Examine your feet
  • Review your symptoms
  • Take nail samples to identify the fungus
  • Recommend a treatment plan

They may suggest prescription medications, laser nail fungus treatment therapy, or other targeted approaches. They’ll also guide you on preventing future infections, so you can maintain long-term foot health.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Foot Soaks for Toenail Fungus

How Do You Get Rid of Toenail Fungus?

Treatment may include over-the-counter antifungal products, prescription meds, or nail removal in severe cases. Regular trimming and filing help the treatment reach deeper.

What Kills Toenail Fungus Instantly?

No treatment kills it instantly, but laser therapy and medications like terbinafine are highly effective over time.

How Do You Know If Toenail Fungus Is Dying?

Signs include less discoloration, thinner nails, reduced odor, and healthy nail growth from the base.

Is Hydrogen Peroxide Good for Toenail Fungus?

Yes, it has antifungal properties. Use it alone or in a soak. However, it’s generally not strong enough for severe cases.

What Are the Best Home Remedies for Toenail Fungus?

  • Tea Tree Oil: Apply directly after cleaning
  • Vinegar Soaks: Use apple cider vinegar and water
  • Baking Soda: Absorbs moisture, preventing fungal growth
  • Garlic: Apply crushed garlic or take it in supplement form
  • Hydrogen Peroxide: Mild but useful antifungal soak

Sports Injuries of the Foot and Ankle

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Foot and Ankle Sports Injuries

How to deal with foot and ankle surgeries?

When it comes to sports injuries, your foot and ankle are areas at highest risk of injury. Within sports themselves, injuries are common. A foot or ankle injury could result from the repetitive stress of running on hard surfaces, or from the stress of side-to-side activities in sports such as tennis or soccer. Other injuries may not be from overuse, but from trauma such as an ankle sprain. Commonly seen foot and ankle surgeries are listed below:

  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Achilles Tendonitis
  • Peroneal or Posterior Tibial Tendonitis
  • Neuromas
  • Stress Fractures
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Ankle Fracture

Below, read through the descriptions of the most common foot and ankle overuse injuries.

Plantar Fasciitis: This will cause pain on the bottom of the heel. It usually hurts most in the morning when you take your first step out of bed. The fascia is a very strong binding tissue that originates in the ball of the foot and connects to the bottom of the heel . As we get older, it tends to lose flexibility. A common attempt for relief is stretching of the fascia and the Achilles which is attached to the large calf muscle called the gastrocnemius muscle. We often use custom orthotics precisely designed for your feet to reduce pulling of the fascia from the heel. Regenerative medicine has also worked very well to eliminate the pain by repairing the fascial tissue which has become damaged.

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Achilles Tendonitis: Here, the pain can be located where the Achilles attaches to the heel. Sometimes referred to as a Haglund’s deformity, this is when additional bone may be created from the tendon constantly rubbing against the heel. The pain may also be along the tendon above where it attaches to the heel. The tendon will also become swollen as time goes on. The more chronic the condition, the more painful the condition. In early stages, rest, icing, and stretching may help. Custom made inserts and orthotics are very successful in treating Achilles tendonitis as they help reduce tension on the tendon by reducing rotation of the heel bone where the tendon attaches as you walk or run. Regenerative medicine has also been a game changer in eliminating this sometimes-persistent problem.

Peroneal and Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: The peroneal tendons (peroneus longus and peroneus brevis) run along the outside to the foot and ankle. However, the tendon that runs on the inside of the ankle and the foot is the posterior tibial tendon. These tendons function to help stabilize the foot from moving side to side. I refer to them as stirrup tendons. Pain will present along the inside of the arch by the ankle or on the outside of the foot around the ankle joint. Treatment may involve rest, and icing in early stages. However, more foot support is often the best treatment. The podiatrist will often recommend custom inserts or orthotics to reduce the stress placed on these tendons, as the support of these inserts will counter this. This tendon can also develop tears, which can require surgical repair. However, the advent of regenerative medicine has drastically reduced the need for surgery.

Neuromas: The pain with neuromas typically present as a swollen nerve in the ball of the foot, between the second and third toe, or between the third and fourth toes. Often you’ll feel like your sock is wrinkled because of the swollen feeling. This is caused by the transverse metatarsal ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot compressing on the nerve. Support with orthotics and cortisone injections are frequently used. We will also use lasers, but at times, conservative measures fail. If so, there is surgery to release and decompress the ligament that is rubbing the nerve may be needed.

Trauma Injuries: These are injuries that if you suspect you have need to be seen by a professional

Stress Fractures: These can be caused by overuse. The constant repetition from the activity will gradually stress the bone. These fractures rarely occur in the bones that are part of the ankle joint area or rearfoot. However, they are frequent in the long metatarsal bones. These are the bones that extend from the midfoot area down to the ball of the foot. They are the longest bones in the foot and subject to a lot of stress. Pain will often present along one of these bones and will be accompanied by swelling.

Ankle Sprains: These are very common and usually the pain will be on the outside of the ankle. The injury can stretch or tear the ligaments that support your ankle, so sometimes immobilization in a cam boot may be necessary to access in healing

Ankle Fractures: In certain situations, it may be obvious that you broke your ankle. But in other situations, it could be confused with a bad ankle sprain. Again, it’s important not to assume you just sprained your ankle.

If you’re suspicious of these, a professional opinion from a podiatrist should be considered sooner rather than later. And finally, to counter what you may have heard, you can walk on a broken bone! If you need a foot doctor fort collins, make an appointment today!

Dr. James Anderson

Call us today at our Fort Collins location (970) 484-4620, Broomfield location (720) 259-5053

Fort Collins

1355 Riverside Avenue,
Suite C, Fort Collins, CO 80524
(MAP)
(970) 484-4620

HOURS:
Mon–Thu: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Broomfield

3303 West 144th Ave #207
Broomfield, CO 80023
(MAP)
(720) 259-5053

HOURS:
Mon–Thu: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Sports Or Other Injuries? Mls Laser Therapy Can Help Manage Pain, Reduce Inflammation, And Speed Recovery

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Have you ever been injured? If you have, you know that anyone who has had a physical condition, sports or any injury that affects mobility or quality of life has the same goal: A rapid return to everyday activities. From practicing cryotherapy to speed up muscle healing, to spending thousands of dollars on therapy… people will do just about anything to recover faster.

At Anderson Podiatry Center, our foot doctors and medical doctors have an innovative technology that promotes cellular reproduction and growth to allow your cells to repair themselves, faster! Anderson Center for Laser Therapy is proud to be on the medical technological forefront by offering MLS Laser Therapy. You will benefit from our investment in the very best technology as a key component of our continuing quest to offer you the finest in health care.

MLS Laser therapy has been cleared by the FDA and proven safe and effective as evidenced by extensive and credible studies conducted in our country’s finest institutions including Harvard University.

MLS Laser Therapy Treats

  • Back Pain
  • Shoulder & Elbow Pain
  • Arthritis/Degenerative Joint Conditions
  • Bursitis
  • Sports Injuries
  • Muscle Sprains, Strains, Tears and Soreness
  • Tendon and Ligament Injuries
  • Occupational Injuries
  • Repetitive Motion Injuries
  • Pre-Surgical Treatment and Post-Surgical Swelling
  • Wounds
  • Bruising
  • Neuropathy and other Neurological Conditions
  • Headaches
  • Neck Pain

MLS Laser Therapy uses specific wavelengths of light that have a strong anti-inflammatory, anti-edema effect on tissues that are exposed to the laser. Cellular reproduction and growth are accelerated, so the cells of tendons, ligaments and muscles repair themselves faster.

As inflammation is reduced, pain subsides very quickly. In simple terms, laser energy kick-starts the healing process, thereby speeding recovery. Unlike some pharmacological solutions, there are no known negative side effects.

MLS Laser Therapy is pain-less. Most patients report no sensation at all while receiving laser therapy. Treatments average 8 minutes. MLS Laser Therapy is fast-acting; many patients in high levels of acute pain experience relief after the first or second treatment. Over 90% of patients experience positive results after the 3rd treatment, with the average course of treatment being 7 to 10 sessions. In many cases, by the 3rd or 4th treatment, swelling is greatly reduced and there is a rapid relief of pain. The effects of MLS Laser Therapy are cumulative; therefore, expect to see improvement as you proceed through your treatment plan. Chronic conditions can be controlled with regular treatments. Acute conditions usually subside quickly, typically within one phase of treatments. It is critical that once you start, you complete the course of treatments recommended by your doctor or symptoms are likely to re-occur.

Benefits of MLS Laser Therapy

  • Rapid relief of pain
  • Strong anti-inflammatory effect

Timely healing of sprains and strains

  • Rapid recovery of the structural integrity of injured region
  • Rapid resolution of painful swollen areas
  • Immediate improvement of local blood circulation
  • Rapid repair of superficial injuries, such as wounds and ulcers
  • Affordable cost

Call us to see if MLS Laser Therapy is right for you!

Call us today at our Fort Collins location (970) 484-4620, Broomfield location (720) 259-5053 or use our online scheduling system to book your appointment.