Unfortunately, the number of patients suffering from fungal infections is increasing very quickly.And the reason for this is the people themselves, who neglect the basic rules of personal hygiene.Fungus on the feet develops very quickly and brings a lot of discomfort to a person.And in order to know how to treat this disease, it is necessary, firstly, to know exactly how the infection occurs, and secondly, how the disease manifests itself, in order to make a correct diagnosis in the initial stages of its development.
Routes of infection
Infection with fungal diseases can occur in several ways:
- direct way;
- indirectly.
In the first case, the fungus "settles" in the human body through direct contact with soil, wet tiles, sick people and animals, and certain types of plants.
In the second case, the infection occurs through household items used by a sick person.For example, if you came to visit and wiped your feet or hands with someone else's towel, then the probability of contracting a fungal infection is 60%.
At the same time, some factors play an important role in this, which increase the sensitivity of the organism to the fungus.That is:
- age (fungal infection is more often observed in children due to defects in the body's defense mechanisms and thin skin).
- weakened immune system;
- disruption of the functionality of the nervous and endocrine system (they greatly affect the body's protective functions).
- increased work of sweat glands.
- composition of sweat (in some cases, the composition of the secretion of the sweat glands changes, which as a result creates a favorable environment for the growth of fungi).
Types of fungal infections
Before talking about how to treat athlete's foot, it is necessary to talk about the types of fungal infection.After all, it can be different, and therefore the treatment of the disease appears differently.
The most common type of fungal infection is athlete's foot.This disease affects not only the skin of the feet, but also the nails.Infection with this type of fungal infection occurs most often in places where there is high humidity and temperatures of at least 10 degrees.Examples of such spaces are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, baths and so on.
In this case, epidermophytosis can be found on all objects in the room.These are:
- towels;
- towels;
- oilcloth;
- thermometers;
- mats and so on.
This type of fungus mainly affects the male part of the planet's population.Since the main reason for infection with it is the increased activity of the sweat glands in the skin of the feet.
Another common type of fungal infection is ringworm.This is one of the most contagious diseases, which is transmitted through:
- bathroom accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common species.
Men are also more susceptible to this disease.In addition, the older they are, the greater the chance of contracting trichophytosis.This disease is particularly common among athletes and workers in baths, saunas and swimming pools.
Candidiasis is another common form of foot fungus.The causative agent of the disease is the fungus candida, which is present on the skin of every person and is not essentially a disease.This fungus begins to parasitize only when favorable conditions arise.And they arise when a person's immunity decreases.
The fungus enters the body through direct contact with contaminated objects and food.It is absolutely everywhere.This fungus is especially abundant in fermented dairy products and meat.
The "activation" of the life activity of the Candida fungus is affected by the following factors:
- skin damage;
- reduced immunity;
- increased sweating;
- increased content of fungi in the ambient air (there is a particularly large amount in laboratories for the production of meat products);
Symptoms of a fungal infection
The symptoms of foot fungus are as follows:
- itching and burning;
- exhaustion of unpleasant odor;
- peeling skin;
- white coating on skin (more like powder).
- change in the color and shape of the nail plates.
- nail damage;
- increased sweating of the feet.
In some cases, fluid-filled blisters and blisters may form near the affected skin surfaces.
How to treat toenail fungus?
Only a doctor should treat fungal diseases.The point is that at home you can eliminate only the external manifestations of the disease.Since a fungal infection affects the whole body, and not just the upper layers of the skin.Penetrating through the skin, the fungus comes into contact with the capillaries and through them penetrates the arteries and then spreads throughout the body.For this reason, the treatment of fungal diseases should include not only antifungal drugs for external use, but also agents for oral administration.
However, such drugs should be taken only as directed by the doctor.After all, there are more than 500 varieties of fungi in the world, each of which has its own characteristics and resistance limit to various aggressive substances.This is why the same antifungal agent may help some people manage the symptoms of the disease, but not others.
When you visit a doctor, a scraping will be taken from the affected surface to determine what type of fungus has settled on his feet.And then they will carry out a series of tests to exclude the development of complications.After that, having received all the necessary information about the patient's health, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment, which can quickly get rid of the unpleasant external manifestations of the disease.
However, it is worth noting that the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease is not yet a sign of complete healing.Treatment for fungal infections can last several months, in some cases it can be extended up to 6 months.If the infection is not fully treated, symptoms will begin to appear within a few weeks of stopping the medication.
For the treatment of the fungus, a mycostatic agent is often prescribed, which inhibits the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.This product is available as both topical ointments and oral tablets.
Most often, doctors combine several treatments at the same time to achieve the maximum effect of the treatment.After taking the medicine for a week, the patient is checked again to make sure that the treatment is bringing positive results.
Treatment of the fungus with folk remedies
How to treat athlete's foot at home?It is excluded.Why?We have already given the answer to this question above - the fungus colonizes the whole body and not only the upper epidermis of the skin.Therefore, at home you can only eliminate the symptoms of the disease and relieve your condition, but nothing more.Therefore, you should not expect a "miracle" from traditional medicine.
So, at home you can relieve the itch with a wine vinegar bath.To prepare it, you will need a strong solution of wine vinegar, in which you should soak your feet for a few minutes.But before doing this, your feet should be thoroughly washed under running water with soap and dried.
After the procedure, you should wear socks on your feet, which should also be pre-soaked in a solution of wine vinegar.After a few days of using this procedure, the itching should disappear and the manifestations of the fungus will decrease.
Baths based on salt and soda are also good at fighting fungal infections.The fungus is afraid of these substances, so it quickly dies from it.To prepare a therapeutic bath, you will need a liter of water, in which you should dissolve a tablespoon of table salt and baking soda.
Soak your feet in this solution for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat dry.2-3 procedures will help you get rid of the external manifestations of the fungus.
Various medicinal herbs help fight the symptoms of fungal infections.You can prepare a decoction for washing the affected feet from the following ingredients:
- calendula inflorescences;
- oak bark;
- dried blueberries;
- verbena officinalis.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal amounts and mix them well.Then take 3 tbsp.large.mixture of herbs, pour a glass of water and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
After that, the broth should be slightly cooled and strained, and then the limbs should be washed with it daily.In addition, you can moisten a bandage in this decoction and apply it to the affected areas for 15-20 minutes.
If you do not have the opportunity to use all these herbs, you can overcome the manifestations of the fungus with the help of regular coffee.Make strong coffee and mix it in a liter of hot water.Then lower your feet into it and keep them in the solution for 15 minutes.Then rinse your feet with warm water and dry them.
A bath based on milkweed helps to fight the manifestations of foot fungus.To prepare it, you need to take fresh grass and pour several liters of boiling water over it.Then let it boil and drain.The infusion does not need to be diluted with water.Just pour it into a basin and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes.This bath should be used daily for two weeks.
Cream for fungus at home
At home, you can also prepare a cream to treat the affected surfaces.
To prepare the cream you will need:
- sifted wood ash;
- lard.
These ingredients must be mixed until homogeneous.It is better, of course, to use a mixer for this.The cream should be used every 12 hours, applying it to clean and dry skin of the feet.
You can also prepare a cream for fungal infections using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulfur;
- goose fat;
- copper sulfate.
All ingredients should be taken in equal amounts and mixed well.Then transfer to a small saucepan, put on the fire and bring to a boil.Then the cream should stand in a dark, cool place and cool.This cream should only be used once a day.But before applying it, you should also wash your feet with warm water.
Anti-fungal foot compresses and masks
The treatment of foot fungus can also be done with the use of masks and compresses.For example, you can use a compress with onion and garlic.To do this, take a small onion and a head of garlic, peel them and grind them through a meat grinder.
Then apply the resulting mixture to the affected area, wrap it with plastic on top and put warm socks on your feet.Leave the compress on overnight.In the morning, some symptoms of the disease will disappear.The process should be done daily until the fungus on your feet stops bothering you.
If the fungus has spread to your toenails, then you can use a mixture of vinegar, glycerin and rubbing alcohol.All ingredients should be taken 1 tsp.and mix well.Then the resulting liquid should be applied to the nails (literally a few drops).This should be done every day until the affected nail recovers.
Remember that a fungal infection requires a comprehensive approach to treatment.Therefore, traditional medicine alone will not be enough.Requires oral antifungal medication.But you should not buy them yourself after the advice of a pharmacist in a pharmacy.You should consult a doctor.Only he can really help you overcome this disease and forget about it for many years.