Unfortunately, the number of patients with fungal infections is increasing very rapidly.And the reason for this is that people themselves ignore the basic rules of personal hygiene.Fungus on the feet progresses very quickly and brings a lot of discomfort to the patient.And to know how to treat this disease, it is necessary, first of all, to know exactly how the infection occurs, and secondly, how the disease manifests itself in order to accurately diagnose it at the initial stages of development.
Path of infection
Fungal infections can occur in many ways:
- direct way;
- indirectly.
In the first case, this fungus "settles" on the human body through direct contact with soil, wet bricks, sick people and animals, as well as some types of plants.
In the second case, infection occurs through household items used by the sick person.For example, if you visit and wipe your feet or hands with someone else's towel, the chance of fungal infection is 60%.
At the same time, a number of factors play an important role in this, increasing the body's sensitivity to fungi.Specifically:
- age (fungal infections are most common in children due to imperfect body defense mechanisms and thin skin);
- weakened immune system;
- disruption of the function of the nervous and endocrine systems (they greatly affect the protective functions of the body);
- increases the work of sweat glands;
- composition of sweat (in some cases, the secretion composition of sweat glands changes, creating a favorable environment for fungal growth).
Types of fungal infections
Before talking about how to treat foot fungus, it is necessary to talk about the types of fungal infections.After all, it may 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 fungus most often occurs in rooms with high humidity and a temperature of at least 10 degrees.Examples of such facilities are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, baths, etc.
In this case, cuticles can be found on all objects in the room.This is:
- facial towels;
- towel;
- oilcloth;
- thermometer;
- carpet and so on.
This fungus mainly affects the male part of the planet's population.Because the main cause of infection is increased sweat gland activity on the skin of the feet.
Another common type of fungal infection is trichophytosis.This is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases, transmitted through:
- bathing accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common items.
Men are also the most susceptible to this disease.Furthermore, the older you are, the higher your risk of trichophytosis.The disease is especially common in athletes and sauna, steam bath, and swimming pool workers.
Candidiasis is another common fungal infection of the feet.The causative agent of the disease is candida, which is present on the skin of every person and is not a disease in nature.This type of fungus only begins to parasitize when conditions are favorable.And they arise when a person's immunity decreases.
Fungi enter the body through direct contact with contaminated objects and foods.They are absolutely everywhere.There are especially a lot of these mushrooms in fermented dairy products and meat.
The "activation" of the vital activity of Candida is influenced by the following factors:
- skin damage;
- reduced immunity;
- increased sweating;
- The fungal content in the surrounding air increases (especially there are a lot of mushrooms in factories producing meat products).
Symptoms of fungal infection
Symptoms of foot fungus are as follows:
- itching and burning;
- deterioration of unpleasant odors;
- skin peeling;
- white coating on the skin (more like dust);
- change the color and shape of the nail plate;
- destruction of nails;
- increased foot sweating.
In some cases, pustules and fluid-filled blisters may form near the surface of the affected skin.
How to treat foot fungus?
Only a doctor should treat fungal infections.The problem is that at home you can only eliminate the external manifestations of the disease.Because fungal infections affect the entire body, not just the upper layers of the epidermis.Penetrating through the skin, the fungus comes into contact with the capillaries and through them enters the arteries, then spreads throughout the body.For this reason, the treatment of fungal diseases includes not only antifungal drugs for external use, but also drugs for oral use.
However, these medications should only be used as prescribed by your doctor.After all, there are more than 500 types of mushrooms in the world, each of which has its own characteristics and resistance thresholds to different harmful substances.That's why the same antifungal medication that helps some people cope with the symptoms of the disease doesn't help others.
When you see your doctor, the affected surface will be scraped to determine what type of fungus has settled on your leg.And then they will conduct a series of tests to rule out the development of complications.Then, after receiving all the necessary information about the patient's health condition, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment methods, helping to quickly get rid of the unpleasant external manifestations of the disease.
However, it is worth noting that the disappearance of symptoms of the disease is not yet a sign of complete recovery.Treatment for fungal infections can last for several months, in some cases up to 6 months.If the infection is not completely treated, symptoms will begin to appear within a few weeks after you stop using the medicine.
To treat fungus, people often prescribe antifungal drugs that inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.This product is available in ointment form for external use and in tablet form for oral administration.
Often, doctors combine several measures at the same time to achieve maximum treatment effectiveness.After taking the medication for a week, the patient is tested again to ensure that the treatment has produced positive results.
Treat fungus with folk remedies
How to treat foot fungus at home?No way.Why?We gave the answer to this question above - the fungus invades the entire body, 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 "miracles" from traditional medicine.
Therefore, at home you can reduce itching by bathing in wine vinegar.To prepare it, you will need a concentrated solution of wine vinegar, which you need to soak your feet for a few minutes.But before doing this, your feet must be washed under soapy water and dried.
After doing this, you should put socks on your feet, and also pre-moisten them with a wine vinegar solution.After a few days of applying this procedure, the itching will disappear and the manifestations of the fungus will decrease.
Bathing with salt and soda is also very good in fighting fungal infections.Mushrooms are afraid of these substances and quickly die from them.To prepare a healing bath, you will need a liter of water, in which you need to dissolve a spoonful 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 treatments will help you get rid of the external manifestations of fungus.
Many different medicinal herbs help fight the symptoms of fungal infections.You can prepare a decoction to wash the affected feet from the following ingredients:
- calendula inflorescences;
- oak bark;
- dried raspberries;
- verbena.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal quantities and mix well.Then take 3 tablespoons.I.herbal mixture, pour a glass of water on top and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
After that, the broth must be allowed to cool slightly and filtered, then wash your hands and feet every day.Additionally, you can moisten the bandage with this decoction and apply it to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.
If you do not have the opportunity to use all these herbs, you can overcome the manifestations of fungus with regular coffee.Brew strong coffee and stir in a liter of warm water.Then drop your feet into it and keep it in the solution for 15 minutes.Then wash your feet with warm water and pat dry.
Bathing with milkweed helps fight the manifestations of fungus on the feet.To prepare it, you need to take fresh grass and pour a few liters of boiling water over it.Then let it brew and strain.The infusion does not need to be diluted with water.Just pour it into the 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 affected surfaces.
To prepare the cream you will need:
- sifted wood ash;
- lard.
These ingredients must be mixed together until smooth.Of course, it is better to use a mixer for this.The cream must be used every 12 hours, applying to clean and dry skin of the feet.
You can also prepare a cream for fungal infections using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulfur;
- goosegrease;
- copper sulfate.
All components must be taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly.Then transfer to a small pan, put on heat and bring to a boil.After that, the cream should be kept in a dark, cool and cool place.This cream only needs to be used once a day.But before applying, you also need to wash your feet with warm water.
Compresses and antifungal masks on the feet
Treatment of foot fungus can also be done using masks and compresses.For example, you can use compresses made from onions 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 overnight.In the morning, some symptoms of the disease will disappear.This procedure should be done daily until the fungus on your feet no longer bothers you.
If the fungal infection has spread to your toenails, you can use a mixture made from vinegar, glycerin, and rubbing alcohol.All ingredients need to be taken 1 teaspoon.and mix well.After that, the resulting liquid should be applied to the nails (literally a few drops).This should be done daily until the affected nail heals.
Remember that fungal infections require an integrated treatment approach.Therefore, traditional medicine alone is not enough.Oral antifungal medication is required.But you should not buy them yourself on the advice of a pharmacist at a pharmacy.You should consult your doctor.Only he can really help you overcome this disease and forget about it for many years.