If a person has fungus on the feet, it is important to get prompt and adequate treatment. The reality is that tinea pedis is very contagious, and if you don't start fighting the disease right away, all members of the patient's family are at risk of infection. The treatment prescribed by the doctor will depend on the type of disease, the extent of the skin damage as well as the general condition of each person.
Causes of the appearance of fungus on the feet
When entering the skin of the feet, the fungus does not always cause fungus, and for the first symptoms to appear, negative factors must affect the human body. The following negative causes affect the development of fungal diseases:
- weakening of the body's immune forces;
- the use of heavy and toxic drugs;
- non-compliance with the rules of foot and toe hygiene;
- the presence of cracks, wounds and abrasions on the toes and feet, through which fungal spores can enter the body.
The site of fungal infections is the wet floors of swimming pools, tubs and showers in gyms.
Fungal infections enter the body through household contact, when an adult or child comes into contact with a carrier or objects inhabited by fungal spores. Most often, foot fungus can be picked up in public places - changing rooms, showers, swimming pools, on the beach. The disease can also be spread by wearing someone else's shoes, on which germ spores live. Failure to observe the basic rules of hygiene leads to the undesirable consequence of causing fungal diseases of the feet and toenails. It is not always possible for a carrier to detect in time that he has foot fungus, because symptoms appear only when a combination of unfavorable circumstances. But such a person can still be contagious, and this is very dangerous for their loved ones who are also at risk of contracting a contagious infection.
Symptoms and types
Foot fungus has the following forms:
- quasimous;
- digestive disorders;
- continuity;
- nail fungus;
- straight.
Scaly
Initial symptoms of this fungus may be found only on one foot, however, with progression of the disease, a manifestation is observed in the other foot. This disease looks like a defect on the skin, on which inflammation, peeling is formed. Tinea capitis is not always characterized by itching and discomfort, so for many people the disease goes unnoticed and cannot be identified without laboratory testing.
If foot fungus is not treated in time, the damage spreads to the shin, the treatment will be much more difficult. In addition, the fungus can be localized on the calf, however, these complications are rare.
Dyshidrotic
The first signs of fungus on the feet of this form are characterized by the formation of bubbles on the arches of the feet, which gradually increase in size and reach up to 10 mm in diameter. After the rash opens, it is painful, erosion occurs in its place. The lesion sites are damaged, there are cases of bacterial infection. After the affected skin area heals, the disease will turn into a scab. With a dysfunctional disease, the skin on the feet is rarely affected, which, if not treated promptly, develops a form of lethargy, in which periods of remission alternate with exacerbations.
belong together
Ringworm or ringworm is the most common form of skin disease.
This is the most common type of foot fungus. Usually, the skin between the 4th and 5th toes is affected. The disease manifests as the formation of scaly dead areas of skin that peel away from the normal epidermis.
Without timely support, the peeling areas begin to become wet, the patient feels pain and itching. Furthermore, wounds and erosions form on the affected areas, which are difficult to remove.
If you do nothing and ignore the symptoms, the disease will turn into a chronic form, which is easy to recur.
Nail fungus
The disease is characterized by the fact that the fungus is localized on the nails and toes. First, toenail fungus presents as lesions on the free edge of the nail, on which spots and stripes have a slightly yellowish appearance. There are the following types of nail and toe fungus:
- Hypertrophy. The nail plate becomes thickened, yellowed, easily destroyed. Under the lesion foci, the affected skin of the finger is visible.
- atrophied. The nail becomes thinner, rapidly destroyed, and the dermis under it becomes horny.
- Fungal nail fungus. The nail plate becomes thinner, its color becomes black, brown, yellow or green. The disease is a complication of the previous two diseases.
candida
The fungus infects the skin between the toes, which, if not treated appropriately, can lead to a bacterial infection.
This is a disease caused by a fungus that causes a yeast-like disease, the disease name is Candida. The foci of inflammation are usually localized on the skin of 3 to 4 or 4 and 5 fingers. The tissues in these places become inflamed, edema develops, and a bacterial complication often occurs.
Candida is a microorganism that infects the outer mucous membranes and skin of humans. Normally, Candida fungi are present in the human body in limited quantities. However, with a decline in immunity, it can show increased activity, which is inconvenient for the sick person.
If the fungus is not eliminated at an early stage, pustules, cracks and erosions will form, which are difficult to remove even with the help of strong drugs.
Diagnostic method
For the treatment of foot fungus to be effective, it is important to identify the pathogen and make an accurate diagnosis. To do this, you should visit a doctor, usually after the first visual examination, which will be able to identify the pathology. If the skin condition seems suspicious or does not go away with long-term treatment, you will need to have blood and urine tests done, as well as undergo an additional diagnostic study that will help identify the type of germ. diseases and their susceptibility to antifungal agents. To do this, a part of the dermis is taken from the damaged area and examined under a microscope. To check for malignant cells in the tissue, samples are taken from the damaged areas for biopsy.
What treatment?
There are many fungal diseases, in order to distinguish them and prescribe the correct treatment, tests are carried out in a laboratory.
To cure foot fungus and prevent recurrence, you need to contact a medical professional for advice and diagnostic measures. If the diagnosis is made correctly, you can start treatment, in which drugs with a systemic and local effect are used.
It will be effective if it is treated at an early stage, then during the period of treatment you can use means for external use in the form of creams, ointments and sprays. It is also possible to treat foot fungus with home remedies. If the disease has affected the deep layers of the dermis and the nail plates, it is recommended to use systemic drugs against the fungus.
Treatment with folk methods is effective only in combination with the use of drugs, otherwise the disease runs the risk of developing with dangerous complications.
Drug treatment
An effective and effective drug must be prescribed by a doctor. If you self-medicate and ignore the advice of a specialist, you can cause serious complications that the most effective remedy will not be able to deal with immediately.
Treatment with folk remedies
Treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies at home needs to be approved by a doctor. It should be known that strong drugs are used to treat toenail fungus, folk remedies are allowed to be used as an adjuvant therapy because self-treatment at home will not be effective. There are many recipes that use medicinal herbs that have antibacterial, antiseptic and wound-healing properties. Folk remedies for fungus are moderate and inexpensive, but which home method is better to use and which type of formula is appropriate in each specific case, you should consult with your doctor. The best recipes are below:
- A decoction with herbs of chamomile, plantain and heirloom. Mix the ingredients, take 1 tbsp each. l. Pour everything into a pot and pour 1 liter of hot water, bring to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes. After steaming, filter and wash affected hands, feet, and other body parts before going to bed. The essence of the implementation is that it must be done regularly for this method to work and help treat fungus faster.
- Infusion of onions and St. John's wort. Peel the onion and cut it into 4 pieces. St. John's wort must be dried. Pour in onions and 50 g of St. John's in 2. 5 liters of boiling water. Cover the container with coarse material and allow to infuse for a day. In the evening, apply a gauze from the infusion to the affected area.
Prevent
The best preventive measure in the fight against fungi that can prevent the disease is to strengthen the protective properties of the body. This method is inexpensive, but the most effective and efficient. Drug treatments and alternative treatments must be approved by a doctor, any self-medication can cause dangerous complications, which are then more difficult to handle and take longer. so many, so much.