Unfortunately, the number of patients suffering from fungal infections is increasing very quickly.And the reason for this is the people themselves, who neglect the basic rules of personal hygiene.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 make a correct 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, fungi are "settled" in the human body through direct contact with the soil, wet tiles, sick people and animals, and some types of plants.
In the second case, infection occurs through household items used by a 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 fungal 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:
- age (fungal infection is more often observed in children due to imperfections in the protective mechanisms of the body 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;
- the composition of the sweat (in some cases the composition of the secretion of the sweat glands changes, which as a result creates a favorable environment for the development of mold).
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 happens 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 facilities are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, bathrooms, and so on.
In this case, epidermophytosis can be found on all objects in the room.These are:
- washcloths;
- towel;
- oilcloth;
- thermometers;
- mattresses and so on.
This type of fungus mainly affects the male part of the planet's population.Since the main reason for infection with it is the increased activity of the sweat glands on the skin of the feet.
Another common type of fungal infection is trichophytosis.This is one of the most contagious diseases, which is transmitted through:
- bathroom accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common items.
Men are also more susceptible to this disease.Moreover, the older they become, the greater the likelihood of infection with trichophytosis.This disease is especially common among athletes and workers of baths, 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.
Fungi enter the body through direct contact with contaminated food and items.They are absolutely everywhere.There is especially a lot of this fungus in fermented milk products and meat.
The "activation" of the vital activity of Candida fungi is influenced by the following factors:
- skin damage;
- decreased immunity;
- increased sweating;
- increase in the content of fungi in the ambient air (especially there are many in workshops for the production of meat products).
Symptoms of a fungal infection
Symptoms of athlete's foot are as follows:
- itching and burning;
- reduction of unpleasant odor;
- skin peeling;
- white coating on the skin (more like powder);
- change in the color and shape of the nail plates;
- destruction of nails;
- increased sweating of the feet.
In some cases, pustules and fluid-filled blisters may form near the affected skin surfaces.
How to treat toenail fungus?
Only a doctor should treat fungal diseases.The thing is that at home you can eliminate only the external manifestations of the disease.Since a fungal infection affects the whole body, and not just the upper layers of the epidermis.Penetrating through the skin, the fungi come into contact with the capillaries and through them penetrate the arteries, and then spread 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 medicines should be taken only as prescribed 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.This 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 taken from the affected surface to determine what kind of fungus has settled on his feet.And then they will perform a series of tests to exclude the development of complications.After which, after receiving all the necessary information about the patient's health, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment, which can quickly get rid of 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 for several months, in some cases it can be extended up to 6 months.If the infection is not fully treated, symptoms will begin to appear within a few weeks after you stop using the drugs.
For the treatment of 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.
Most often, doctors combine several tools at the same time to achieve the maximum treatment effect.After taking the medicine for a week, the patient is again tested to make sure that the treatment is bringing positive results.
Treatment of fungi with folk remedies
How to cure toenail fungus at home?In no way.Why?We have already given the answer to this question above - fungi colonize the whole body, and not only the upper epidermis of the skin.Therefore, at home you can only eliminate the symptoms of the disease and relieve 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 should soak your feet for several minutes.But before doing this, your feet should be washed well under running soapy water and wiped dry.
After the procedure, you should wear socks on your feet, which should also be pre-soaked in a wine vinegar solution.After a few days of using this procedure, the itching should disappear and the manifestations of the fungus will decrease.
Baths based on salt and soda are also good in the fight against fungal infections.Fungi are afraid of these substances, so they quickly die from it.To prepare a healing bath, you will need a liter of water, in which you should dissolve a tablespoon of salt and baking soda.
Soak your feet in this solution for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat dry.2-3 procedures will help you get rid of external manifestations of fungus.
Various medicinal plants help fight the symptoms of fungal infections.You can prepare a decoction to wash the affected feet from the following ingredients:
- calendula blossoms;
- oak bark;
- dried berries;
- verbena officinalis.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal amounts and mix well.Then take 3 tbsp.l.herbal mixture, pour a glass of water over it and boil on low heat for 15 minutes.
After which the liquid should be cooled a little and strained, and then the limbs should be washed with it every day.In addition, you can wet 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 fungi with the help of ordinary coffee.Brew strong coffee and mix in a liter of warm water.Then lower your feet in 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 to 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 cook and strain.The infusion does not need to be diluted with water.Just drop it in a basin and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes.This bath should be used every day for two weeks.
Antifungal 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;
- lard.
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 and dry skin of the feet.
You can also prepare a cream for fungal infections using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulphur;
- goose fat;
- copper sulfate.
All ingredients should be taken in equal amounts and mixed thoroughly.Then transfer it to a small pot, put it on the fire and bring it to a boil.Then the cream should stay in a dark, cool place and cool.This cream should be used only once a day.But before applying it, you should also wash your feet with warm water.
Compresses and masks against foot fungus
Foot fungus treatment can also be done through the use of masks and compresses.For example, you can use a compress made of onion and garlic.To do this, take a small onion and a head of garlic, peel it and grind it with 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.The procedure should be carried out every day until the fungus on your feet stops bothering you.
If the fungal infection has spread to your nails, then you can use a mixture made of vinegar, glycerin and alcohol.All ingredients should be taken 1 tablespoon.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 heals.
Remember that a fungal 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 with 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.