8 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2016
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Green nail
syndrome is not
easy to treat
DEAR DR. ROACH: For the past
four months, I have had an infection
around the cuticle of my right index
finger. There is green coloration under
the nail near the cuticle, and the nail
grew rather deformed. I am a garden-
er and a homemaker, so I tend to wash
my hands often. The urgent-care doc-
tor I saw prescribed clindamycin and
mupirocin cream. I also was told to
soak my finger twice a day. My fami-
ly doctor took a culture and, because
she did not know if I had a fungus or
an infection, prescribed Lamisil and
levofloxacin. She also recommended
saltwater or peroxide soaks twice
daily.
The
culture
showed
pseudomonas as the cause of the
infection.
With no improvement, I saw an
orthopedic doctor. He told me to con-
tinue the soaking and the mupirocin
cream. On my second visit, he lanced
the area between the cuticle and the
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You
face the possibility of raising your
relationship to another level.
However, your partner might demand
that you make promises for which
you’re not sure you’re ready.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) As
changes continue, expect things to get
a little more hectic at your workplace.
An unexpected travel opportunity
could open new career prospects.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
Confront the person who caused your
hurt feelings and demand a full expla-
nation for his or her actions. You’ll
not only recover your self-esteem, but
you’ll also gain the respect of others.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) That
personal problem in the workplace is
nail bed. There was improvement, but
the symptoms soon return.
The orthopedic doctor spoke of
removing the nail as a possible solu-
tion to clearing up the infection. Is this
my next step, or is there something
else I can do? — P.B.
ANSWER: It sounds as though you
have the aptly named “green nail syn-
drome,” which is caused by the bacte-
ria you mention, Pseudomonas aerug-
inosa, and which often is complicated
by a paronychia, an infection along
the side of the nail. Your orthopedic
surgeon is quite right that sometimes
the nail needs to be removed; howev-
er, many people can avoid that
unpleasant procedure (I had to per-
form it once) with ciprofloxacin (the
best
oral
antibiotic
against
pseudomonas), antiseptic soaks and
by keeping the hands meticulously
dry, using gloves and even using a
hairdryer to dry the nails after soaking
or cleaning.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 67-
year-old male who has had mild to
moderate psoriasis for the past seven
years or so. I have been avoiding the
very effective biological drugs
because of the scary possible side
effects. Instead, I use anti-itch topical
creams and lotions, some with corti-
sone.
In researching the topic, I ran
across a treatment called Fumaderm
that is available in Germany, but I
have never heard of it being used in
the U.S. — C.S.
ANSWER: Psoriasis is an inflam-
matory skin condition that can range
from annoying to life-threatening in
severity. Psoriasis and its common
complication, psoriatic arthritis,
together are a highly destructive
arthritis that often requires powerful
treatment: biologic agents, like adali-
mumab (Humira) or etanercept
(Enbrel). These do have the possibili-
ty of serious side effects, such as reac-
tivation of tuberculosis.
Fumaderm has been used in
Germany for 19 years with a general-
ly good safety record. There have
been reports of a disease, PML,
caused by brain virus, associated with
Fumaderm, although it isn’t clear
whether the Fumaderm predisposed
the individuals to develop this infec-
tion.
No medicine is free of the possibil-
ity of side effects, and treatment for
psoriasis should be appropriate for the
degree of severity of the illness. If you
are doing well enough with your cur-
rent treatment, I wouldn’t recommend
trying a treatment with a higher risk of
serious side effects.
compounded by someone’s biased
interference. Stand your ground, and
you’ll soon find allies gathering
around you.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) You
don’t accept disapproval easily. But
instead of hiding out in your den to
lick your wounded pride, turn the crit-
icism into a valuable lesson for future
use.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) That former friend you thought
you’d cut out of your life is still
affecting other relationships. Counter
his or her lies with the truth. Your
friends are ready to listen.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) What appears to be an unfair situ-
ation might simply be the result of a
misunderstanding. If you feel some-
thing is out of balance, by all means,
correct it.
SCORPIO (October 23 to
November 21) A stalled relationship
won’t budge until you make the first
move. Your partner offers a surprising
explanation about what got it mired
down in the first place.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) A co-worker shares
some startling news, but before you
can use it to your advantage, make
sure it’s true. The weekend favors
family matters.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Your usual conservative
approach to family situations might
not work at this time. Keep an open
mind about developments, and you
might be pleasantly surprised.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) Plans might have to be
put on hold because of a family mem-
ber’s problems. Don’t hesitate to get
involved. Your help could make all
the difference.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Relationships in the home and in the
workplace need your careful attention
during this period. Be careful not to
allow misunderstandings to create
problems.
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