Unfortunately, the number of patients suffering from fungal infections is increasing very rapidly.And the reason for this is the people themselves, who neglect the basic rules of personal hygiene.The fungus on the feet progresses 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 correctly make a 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" 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 objects used by a sick person.For example, if you came to visit and wiped your feet or hands with someone else's towel, the probability of getting a fungal infection is 60%.
At the same time, some factors play an important role that increase the organism's sensitivity to the fungus.Namely:
- age (fungal infection is more often observed in children due to imperfections in 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 protective functions of the body);
- increased work of sweat glands;
- composition of sweat (in some cases, the composition of the secretion of sweat glands changes, which consequently creates a favorable environment for the development of the fungus).
Types of fungal infection
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 occurs 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 environments where high humidity and temperatures of at least 10 degrees prevail.Examples of such rooms are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, spa baths and so on.
In this case epidermophytosis can be found on all objects in the room.These are:
- wipes;
- towels;
- oilcloths;
- thermometers;
- floor mats and so on.
This type of fungus predominantly affects the male part of the planet's population.Since the main cause of 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, which is transmitted through:
- bathroom accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common objects.
Men are also most susceptible to this disease.Also, the older they get, the greater the likelihood of ringworm infection.This disease is especially common among athletes and workers of baths, saunas and swimming pools.
Candidiasis is another common form of fungal infection of the feet.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 occur.And they arise when a person's immunity decreases.
The fungus enters the body through direct contact with contaminated objects and foods.They are absolutely everywhere.Especially a lot of this fungus is present in fermented milk products and meat.
The "activation" of the vital activity of the Candida fungus is influenced by the following factors:
- skin damage;
- decreased immunity;
- increased sweating;
- increased fungal content in ambient air (there are especially many of them in laboratories for the production of meat products).
Symptoms of a fungal infection
Symptoms of foot fungus are as follows:
- itching and burning;
- exhaustion of unpleasant odor;
- peeling of the skin;
- white coating on the skin (more like powder);
- change in the color and shape of the nails;
- destruction of nails;
- increased sweating of the feet.
In some cases, pustules and fluid-filled blisters may form near the affected surfaces of the skin.
How to treat foot fungus?
Only a doctor should treat fungal diseases.The fact is that at home you can only eliminate the external manifestations of the disease.Since a fungal infection affects the entire body, and not just the upper layers of the epidermis.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 prescribed by a doctor.After all, there are more than 500 varieties of mushrooms in the world, each of which has its own characteristics and thresholds 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.
When you visit a doctor, a scraping will be done from the affected surface to determine what type of fungus has settled on your feet.And then they will conduct 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 an appropriate treatment that can quickly eliminate 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 recovery.Treatment for fungal infections can last several months, in some cases it can be extended up to 6 months.If the infection is not treated completely, symptoms will begin to appear within a few weeks of stopping the medications.
To treat fungi, a fungistatic agent is often prescribed, which inhibits the development of pathogenic microorganisms.This product is available both in the form of ointments for external use and in the form of tablets for oral administration.
Very often, doctors combine several remedies at once to achieve the maximum effect from treatment.After taking the drug for a week, the patient is tested again to ensure that the treatment is producing positive results.
Treatment of fungus with folk remedies
How to cure foot fungus at home?There's no way.Why?We have already given the answer to this question above: the fungus colonizes the entire body and not just the upper epidermis of the skin.Therefore, at home you can only eliminate the symptoms of the disease and alleviate your condition, but nothing more.Therefore, you 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 will have to soak your feet for a couple of minutes.But before doing this, your feet should be washed well under running water with soap and dried.
After the procedure, you should wear socks on your feet, which also need to be pre-moistened in a solution of wine vinegar.After a couple of days of using this procedure, the itching should disappear and the manifestations of the fungus will decrease.
Salt and soda baths are also useful in fighting fungal infections.The fungus is afraid of these substances, so it quickly dies from this.To prepare a healing bath you will need a liter of water, in which you will need to dissolve a spoonful 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 the external manifestations of the fungus.
Several medicinal herbs help fight the symptoms of fungal infections.You can prepare a decoction with which to wash feet affected by the following ingredients:
- marigold inflorescences;
- oak bark;
- dried blackberries;
- verbena officinalis.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal quantities and mix them well.Then take 3 tbsp.the.herbal mixture, pour over a glass of water and simmer for 15 minutes.
After that the broth should be slightly cooled and filtered, then the limbs should be washed daily.Also, 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 ordinary coffee.Prepare a strong coffee and mix it in a liter of warm water.Then lower your feet and keep them in the solution for 15 minutes.Then rinse your feet in warm water and dry them.
A bath based on milkweed helps fight the manifestations of fungus on the feet.To prepare it you need to take fresh grass and pour several liters of boiling water over it.Then let it ferment and filter.It is not necessary to dilute the infusion with water.Just pour it into a basin and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes.This bath should be used every day for two weeks.
Mushroom cream 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;
- pork fat.
These ingredients should be mixed together until smooth.It is better, of course, to use a mixer for this.The cream should be used every 12 hours, applying it to clean, dry skin of the feet.
You can also prepare a cream for fungal infections using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulfur;
- goose fat;
- copper sulphate.
All ingredients should be taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly.Then transfer to a saucepan, put on fire and bring to the boil.Then the cream should stand in a dark, cool and cool place.This cream should only be used once a day.But before applying it, you also need to wash your feet in warm water.
Compresses and masks against fungus on the feet
Treatment of foot fungus can also be done through the use of masks and compresses.For example, you can use an onion and garlic based compress.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 on top with plastic 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 done daily until the fungus on your feet stops bothering you.
If the fungal infection has spread to your toenails, you can use a mixture of vinegar, glycerin, and rubbing alcohol.All ingredients should be taken 1 teaspoon.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 an integrated approach to treatment.Therefore, traditional medicine alone will not be enough.Requires oral antifungal medications.But you should not buy them yourself on the advice of a pharmacist in the pharmacy.You should consult a doctor.Only he can really help you overcome this disease and forget about it for many years.