There are many fungi in the world, but only a few of them can infect the human body. Diseases caused by these microorganisms are called mycoses. People call these diseases fungi. The skin of the feet is most often affected. According to medical research, mycosis is the second most common skin disease. The fight against athlete's foot must be started as early as possible. If you seek medical help in time, you will not only get rid of the problem quickly, but also protect your loved ones from infection.
Signs (symptoms) of athlete's foot
In the early stages of the development of the disease, nothing can disturb the patient. People attribute the mild discomfort on the skin of the feet to many other reasons and do not rush to seek medical help. The first obvious symptoms appear when the fungus has spread significantly. The patient experiences the following:
- redness of the skin of the legs;
- unpleasant smell from the feet;
- itching and burning;
- peeling of the skin.
The signs of the disease can be very different depending on its form. The most common is the intertriginous type. Athlete's foot causes the following symptoms:
- burning sensation in the legs;
- appearance of cracks on the skin;
- peeling of the epidermis.
Erosion areas may appear at the site of deep cracks. They cause severe discomfort to the patient because they cause pronounced pain when walking. After that, the skin of the legs becomes very loose, which leads to a significant decrease in local immunity. As a result, secondary infections join the fungal infection, which:
- extensive inflammation of the skin of the feet;
- suppuration of the affected areas;
- swelling and pain in the legs.
The fungus can also affect the nails. This type of disease is called onychomycosis. Its appearance is indicated by a change in the color, thickening or thinning of the disc. If left untreated, the fungus leads to damage or complete loss of all nails.
Causes of the disease
The disease is caused by several parasitic fungi. Most often, the disease is affected by dermatophytes or red trichophyton. The way to treat athlete's foot can only be determined after the pathogen has been identified. All do very well and multiply quickly in moist and warm environments. In this regard, you can become infected in the following public places:
- saunas;
- swimming pools;
- soul;
- baths
Infection can also occur through contact with a sick person or his personal belongings. For example, people who use aliens are at risk of developing athlete's foot:
- towels;
- pumice;
- dishcloths;
- socks;
- manicure scissors.
Another factor influencing the rapid spread of the disease is the lack of proper foot hygiene. People who wear wet shoes or socks often suffer from fungal infections. A high sensitivity to mycoses is observed in those who suffer from:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- endocrine diseases;
- reduced immunity;
- diabetes mellitus;
- varicose veins.
Which doctor should I see?
It is very difficult to cope with the disease alone. A patient with such a problem needs the help of a qualified professional. The dermatovenerologist will tell you how to cure athlete's foot.
During the first meeting, the specialists carefully examine the affected areas of the foot. A doctor with extensive experience will need only a visual examination of the skin to make a diagnosis. But the doctor must also know how the disease appeared. To do this, he conducts a conversation with the patient. The patient must answer the following questions:
- How long ago did the first signs of athlete's foot appear?
- Has this issue bothered you before?
- Are there any chronic diseases?
- Have you had contact with sick people?
- Have you ever been to a sauna, steam bath or swimming pool?
- Do your relatives have a fungal foot infection?
Based on the information received from the patient, the doctor can determine the true causes of the disease. To understand how to treat a disease, you need to know exactly what is causing it. An examination will help with this. The patient is prescribed skin scraping from the affected area of the leg. After the laboratory tests, the specialists determine exactly the causative agent of the disease.
How do we treat the disease?
The sooner a person seeks help, the faster the therapy will be. The method of treatment of athlete's foot is determined by the doctor after receiving the results of the diagnostic test. Experts recommend treating the disease with medication. The patient is prescribed antifungal drugs that:
- stops the development of pathogens;
- kill fungi;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect;
- relieves unpleasant symptoms.
Such products are offered as an ointment, gel, spray, tablet, or suspension for oral administration. Special varnishes or plasters can be used against nail fungus, which also have a fungicidal effect. The specialist selects medicines for patients on a strictly individual basis, as many of them have many contraindications. It is forbidden to take certain medicines:
- pregnant women;
- nursing mothers;
- children.
Strengthening the immune system is very important to achieve a quick recovery. For this, patients are prescribed vitamin-mineral complexes and immunostimulants. In advanced cases, when secondary infection is associated with fungal infections, patients are prescribed antibiotics.
How to cure athlete's foot forever?
Many patients complain that the disease returns after some time after the end of the therapy. This is due to an incompletely healed primary infection. Many people make the common mistake of stopping therapy when they start to improve. It is very important that you continue to use the medicine for the full duration prescribed by the doctor. Even if the disease does not appear externally, it is not a fact that the entire infection has already been overcome. To avoid repetitive strain injury to your feet, you should:
- Strictly follow the recommendations of the specialist.
- Do not replace the drugs yourself with analogues.
- Apply the products regularly, without breaks.
During treatment, the patient must wear closed slippers at home. Do not let other family members wear it, as the infection may spread to them. When treating athlete's foot, it is also forbidden to walk on the floor with bare feet, or to share washcloths, pumice stones or other bath equipment with others. It is very important during therapy:
- Wash the patient's clothes separately from others.
- Do wet cleaning of the house daily.
- Treat the patient's shoes with antifungal agents.
Foot hygiene must also be taken seriously. Wash at least 2 times a day. However, it must be treated with hot water. It is important to change your socks often and wear comfortable shoes that are not tight. After recovery, the slippers, towels, washcloths, and socks used during the illness must be thrown away.
Prevention
If you know what causes athlete's foot, you can easily prevent it. In order to avoid the disease, you must follow the following preventive rules:
- When visiting a bath, sauna or swimming pool, use only disposable or personal slippers.
- Do not wear wet or damp shoes.
- If there is a sick person in the house, use only personal bathroom equipment.
Some diseases also increase the risk of fungal infection. Therefore, by eliminating them in time, the occurrence of the disease can be avoided. People who suffer from:
- goose feet;
- corns;
- foot hyperhidrosis.
It is important for people to know that at low temperatures the fungus can survive for a long time. Therefore, freezing is not scary for him. However, when exposed to high temperatures, the pathogen is killed. Therefore, boiling can be used for preventive purposes. If you treat the patient's clothes and shoes in this way, the fungus in them will be killed.