If you do decide to take a prescription medication such as fluconazole to treat a fungal infection of your fingernails or toenails, you may suffer side effects. These include headaches, skin rashes and nausea, and in rare cases, more serious problems such as extreme skin reactions and liver toxicity. Therefore, you should think twice before taking a drug with possible serious side effects to treat a nail fungus problem, which is more cosmetic.

All prescription drugs used to treat nail fungus can cause serious problems. These include lamisil (terbinafine), sporanox (itraconazole) and diflucan. The good news is that they are more effective and less toxic than older prescription anti-fungal medications such as griseofulvin. There is no fool-proof treatment available for fungal nail infections, but many individuals have experienced success after taking diflucan or other prescription drugs.

You should be aware that you will need to take diflucan for a longer period of time to treat nail fungus than most other prescription medications. While doing so, make sure to take proper care of your hands and feet and keep your nails short and clean. You should also wash and carefully dry your feet every day and wear ventilated shoes or bare feet, as dry cool skin and air circulation makes it difficult for fungus to grow. Regularly file and keep any infected nails thin and remove any pieces that are flaky or crumbling. Make sure to continue with these regimen even after the infection has cleared, as proper nail habits may prevent a future nail infection.

If you are concerned about the possible side effects, have a pre-existing health condition that prohibits the use of diflucan, or you find the cost of the prescription too high, you can try other over-the-counter options or home remedies. You can use these with or instead of prescription drugs to try to eliminate the nail fungus. Regardless of your choice, make sure to take good care of your feet and hands to minimize the possibility of a recurrence.

Medications are taken to slow down the growth of the trush-causing yeast called candida albicans. Candida occurs naturally in the body and grows on the skin. It is usually found in moist warm areas like folds under the skin or the vagina, as well as in the gastrointestinal tract and in the mouth.

If you have recently changed your diet, taken antibiotics or suffered a lot of stress, your skin acidity may change. This can create an environment where candida can grow and may result in symptoms such as swelling, pain, burning sensation, itchiness or a cheesy discharge.

To treat these episodes, antifungal medication such as diflucan can reduce the symptoms by lowering the amount of fungi. The medication can be administered in various ways such as placing a medicated tablet called a pessary inside the vagina or orally taking a tablet form for more severe yeast infections. In most cases, you will need to take fluconazole for approximately 7 days until the infection clears.

Even if you treat the symptoms of a yeast infection by eliminating the yeast, the thrush will return if your body continues to have the same acidic imbalance. This is why some people prefer to try natural treatments rather than taking medication to treat the problem. You should consult with your doctor before starting any new treatment program. You can choose a medication such as diflucan to treat your thrush infection or opt for one of the natural remedies currently available.