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nail fungus
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estebanana
Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009
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 RE: nail fungus (in reply to Mark2)
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How many doctors have you seen for this? If one I would get another opinion. If you are getting it on your right hand thumbnail only, what kinds of daily routine do you have and what does the thumb come in contact with?
Is it possible the guitar itself is fungal and transmitting it back to your thumb? Fungus grows on anything wetted with body sweat that stays. You should also check your guitar case for possible fungus living in there and anything related to your guitar, a moldering music book etc. Any of those things.
You can also swab the bass string with alcohol or bleach water solution to make sure the string is not growing fungus in your perspiration and body oil which holds moisture. Inspect the inside of the guitar, molds and fungi can develop in the upper bout under your chin. People who perspire on the guitar usually get that area wet and the moisture can slowly permeate the guitar and cause mold to grow up under the bout where you never see it. It can be killed by swabbing the area with a bleach water solution, but don't just do that until you research how. Or take it to someone.
If the case is the suspect, leave it out in the sun open for three of four whole days and that should kill it. Or wash it with with strong detergent and blow dry it and vacuum it- then set it in the sun for a week.
Small organisms like mites can grow in case plush, they might be carrying a fungus. Case mites grow because they live off the moisture on the guitar when it is put away wet. Species of mites that thrive in cases normally are not a problem for the guitar itself, but they will eat glue and cork if they can get at it. Usually it means the glue in the case under the plush, but they eat for example Saxophone pad material. Always dry your axe after you perspire a lot after a session.
The fungus under your nails might not live out side the human body, but it might. I don't know, but I would look into the possibility that something related to your guitar is cross contaminating your nail.
I had a teacher in Berkeley who is a professional player who had this and badly. Like I said in the first post I made last year- He went to a dermatologist who referred him to a specialist who did this minor surgery by removing the entire nail with a special clipper. Then the doctor used a strong topical anti fungal medicine and the nail - it grew back in the nail bed straight and true. It took a few months but the ordeal was done. The doctor was persnickety that the nail bed be kept clean while the nail grew back. Perhaps the pill diminishes the fungus, but does not root it out totally. I would go to more than one doctor, sometimes they miss stuff. I would also ask about contamination in your gear and if your gear can hold a fungus that infects your nails.
I hope you get rid of it, keep working the problem.
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https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com
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Date Oct. 4 2016 2:20:15
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Mark2
Posts: 1929
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
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RE: nail fungus (in reply to estebanana)
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Dudnote-thanks for that link. There is some stuff there I haven't tried yet. estebanana thanks as well. All who posted support or advice, thanks, it helps. Piwin, yeah finger picks are the last resort-I'm not there yet. Juan, Vicks for 18 months, whew, also a last resort. Kiko, bleach is on my list for sure. Something's got to kill it. I had not considered the guitar/case angle. Seems a bit far fetched but who knows. I have not changed the strings on my conde for a few months. Gonna do that, and clean the guitar too. Since I'm a lefty, it's my left thumb nail, not that that matters. I didn't need to go to a doc to remove the nail-it fell off by itself a few times now. In the last few weeks I've seen some improvement. It might have been the tea tree oil, or this over the counter med with some kind of acid it in. I'm still far away though from having a healthy nail. I am going to get a second opinion as well. My hands are in ocean water a lot cause my number one hobby is surfing, but I hope that's not the cause. I'd think it would have affected my other nails but who knows.
I've got a few things yet to try so I'm not even close to giving up. I do look on the bright side-I had quit playing for dance more than ten years ago, so it's not like playing flamenco is my life. I do play at home almost every day, and always seem to find myself practicing flamenco techniques or falsetas, playing along with cantes, or figuring out something related to flamenco as opposed to playing electric or grabbing a pick. I've been studying some jazz as well, as that doesn't have to involve the thumb as much. The pill did make me sick at one point, but I took it anyway, and didn't get pregnant or need a liver transplant. So, yeah, life is good.
And when it does get better, doing alzapua, the marote ras, or just hitting a note with the thumb, is going to be all the sweeter.
quote:
ORIGINAL: estebanana
I think you should also look on the bright side. You took the pill, your mom did not find out and you never got pregnant.
You are very lucky, and you still have a liver.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 4 2016 18:09:42
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estebanana
Posts: 9413
Joined: Oct. 16 2009
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RE: nail fungus (in reply to Mark2)
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If you are surfing in an area where there is raw sewage discharge you can get infections and fungus, but thanks to the Surfrider Foundation that is not happening on the West Coast. If anything I think surfing would be good for it.
Have you tried topical treatments like Lamisil? I used it for fungus between my toes and it worked very quickly. Getting a second medical opinion seems wise.
I did a little reading and see that there are also dietary triggers and immune system issues. But I woudl ask a doctor about the cross contamination possibility and rule it out at least.
This is another thought, your thumbs PH might be changed due to the metal of the strings and your body chemistry reacting, it could be making a better environment for fugus to reccur- ?? I would ask about that too. Anything to get the doctor thinking deeper. I used garlic first, and it was effective, but stinky foot is never welcome in small room.
One more thing, when my teacher had the issue the doctor did a minor cuticle surgery, really just a reshaping and strategic clipping of the cuticle. When I had lost my own toe nail , it grew back in split in half. This was dangerous because the nail kept getting caught on things and breaking back, painful. I did a cuticle surgery myself after looking at the way the nail was growing. One side of the cuticle was thick and oppressing the growth forcing a lop sided nail. I simply used good nail cutters to trim that back and remove the uneven cuticle, it hurt a bit. After that the nail grew back in one piece.
Ive lost the right thumb nail before too hammer smash. Maybe you just need to hit your thumb with a hammer and reboot the nail bed !!! 
_____________________________
https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 5 2016 2:32:25
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