Unfortunately, the number of patients suffering from fungal infections is growing very quickly.And the reason for that is the people themselves, who ignore the basic rules of personal hygiene.Fungi on the feet progress very quickly and bring great 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 correctly diagnose it in the initial stages of its development.
Routes of infection
Infection with fungal diseases can occur in several ways:
- direct path;
- indirectly.
In the first case, the fungus "settles" on the human body through direct contact with the ground, wet tiles, sick people and animals, and some types of plants.
In the second case, the infection occurs through household items used by the sick person.For example, if you came to visit and wiped your feet or hands with someone else's towel, then the probability of getting a yeast infection is 60%.
At the same time, some factors play an important role in this, which increase the sensitivity of the body to fungi.namely:
- (fungal infection most often occurs in children due to the imperfection of the body's defense mechanisms and thin skin);
- weakened immune system;
- disruption of the functionality of the nervous and endocrine systems (they greatly affect the body's protective functions);
- increased work of sweat glands;
- the composition of sweat (in some cases, the composition of sweat gland secretions changes, which as a result creates a favorable environment for the development of fungi).
Types of fungal infections
Before talking about how to treat foot fungus, it is necessary to talk about the types of fungal infection.After all, it can be different, and therefore the treatment of the disease takes place 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 most often occurs in rooms with high humidity and a temperature of at least 10 degrees.Examples of such rooms are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, baths and so on.
In this case, epidermophytosis can be found on all objects in the room.these are:
- wash cloths;
- towels;
- Oilcloths;
- thermometers;
- mats and so on.
This type of fungus mainly affects the male part of the planet's population.Because the main reason for the infection is the increased activity of the sweat glands on the skin of the legs.
Another common type of fungal infection is ringworm.This is one of the most contagious diseases transmitted by:
- bathing accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common things.
Men are also most susceptible to this disease.Moreover, the older they are, the more likely they are to be infected with trichophytosis.This disease is especially common among athletes and workers in swimming pools, saunas and swimming pools.
Candidiasis is another common form of fungal foot infection.The causative agent of the disease is the candida fungus, which is present on the skin of every person and is essentially not a disease.This fungus begins to parasitize only when favorable conditions are created.And they arise when a person's immunity decreases.
The fungus enters the body through direct contact with contaminated objects and food.They are absolutely everywhere.There is especially a lot of this fungus in fermented dairy products and meat.
The following factors influence the "activation" of Candida's life activity:
- skin damage;
- reduced immunity;
- increased sweating;
- increased content of fungi in the ambient air (especially in workshops for the production of meat products).
Symptoms of a yeast infection
Symptoms of foot fungus are as follows:
- itching and burning;
- exhaustion of unpleasant odor;
- peeling skin;
- white coating on skin (more like dust);
- change in color and shape of nail plates;
- destruction of nails;
- increased sweating of the feet.
In some cases, fluid-filled pustules and blisters may form near the affected skin areas.
How to treat foot fungus?
Fungal diseases should only be treated by a doctor.The thing is that at home you can eliminate only the external manifestations of the disease.Because a fungal infection affects the whole body, not just the upper layers of the epidermis.Penetrating through the skin, the fungus comes into contact with the capillaries and penetrates through them into 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 recommended by a doctor.After all, there are more than 500 types of mushrooms in the world, each of which has its own characteristics and threshold of resistance to various aggressive substances.That is why the same antifungal agent can help some people cope with the symptoms of the disease, but not others.
During the visit to the doctor, a scraping will be taken from the affected area to determine which type of fungus has settled on the feet.He will then carry out a series of tests to exclude the development of complications.After that, after receiving all the necessary information about the patient's state of health, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment, which can quickly get rid of 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 a complete cure.Treatment of fungal infections can last several months, and in some cases it can be extended up to 6 months.If the infection is not completely cured, symptoms will begin to appear within a few weeks after you stop using the medication.
For the treatment of fungi, a fungistatic agent is often prescribed, which inhibits the development of pathogenic microorganisms.This product is available as an ointment for external use and as a tablet for oral administration.
Most often, doctors combine several drugs at once in order to achieve the maximum effect of treatment.After taking the medicine for a week, the patient is tested again to make sure that the treatment brings positive results.
Treatment of fungi with folk remedies
How to cure foot fungus at home?No way.Why?We have already given the answer to this question above - fungi colonize the whole body, not just the upper epidermis of the skin.Therefore, at home you can only remove the symptoms of the disease and alleviate your condition, but nothing more.Therefore, we should not expect a "miracle" from traditional medicine.
So, at home, you can relieve itching 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 you do that, you should wash your feet well under running water with soap and dry them.
After the procedure, socks should be worn on the legs, which must also be pre-moistened 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.
Salt and soda baths are also good for fighting yeast infections.The fungus is afraid of these substances, so it quickly dies from them.To prepare a healing bath, you will need a liter of water in which you need to dissolve one tablespoon of table salt and baking soda.
Soak your feet in this solution for 15 minutes, then rinse them with warm water and dry them.2-3 procedures will help you get rid of external manifestations of fungi.
Various medicinal plants help fight the symptoms of fungal infections.From the following ingredients, you can prepare a decoction to wash the affected feet:
- marigold blossoms;
- oak bark;
- dried blackberries;
- verbena officinalis.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal amounts and mix them well.Then take 3 tbsp.l.herbal mixture, pour a glass of water and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
After that, the soup should be cooled a little and strained, and then used to wash the limbs daily.In addition, you can moisten a bandage with 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 fungi with the help of ordinary coffee.Brew strong coffee and stir it in a liter of warm 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 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 cook and strain.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.
Antifungal cream at home
At home, you can also prepare a cream to treat the affected areas.
To prepare the cream you will need:
- sifted wood ash;
- lard.
These ingredients must be mixed until smooth.For that, of course, it is better to use a mixer.The cream should be used every 12 hours, applied to clean and dry skin of the feet.
You can also prepare a cream for yeast infections using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulphur;
- goose fat;
- copper sulfate.
All ingredients must be taken in equal amounts and mixed well.Then transfer it to a smaller pot, put it on the fire and boil it.Then the cream should be kept in a dark, cool place and cooled.This cream should be used only once a day.But before applying, you must also wash your feet in warm water.
Compresses and masks against foot fungus
Treatment of foot fungus can also be done using masks and poultices.For example, you can use a poultice made from onions and garlic.To do this, take one 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 wrap and put warm socks on your feet.Leave the compress overnight.In the morning, some symptoms of the disease will disappear.The procedure should be carried out daily until the fungus on the feet stops bothering you.
If the fungal infection has spread to the toenails, then you can use a mixture of vinegar, glycerin and alcohol.All ingredients should be taken 1 teaspoon each.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 yeast infection requires an integrated approach to treatment.Therefore, traditional medicine alone will not be enough.Requires oral antifungal medication.But you should not buy them yourself on 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.