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.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, on the one hand, to know exactly how the infection occurs and, on the other hand, how the disease manifests itself in order to correctly make a diagnosis in the early stages of its development.
Routes of infection
Infection with fungal diseases can occur in several ways:
- direct route;
- 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 certain types of plants.
In the second case, infection occurs through household items used by a sick person.For example, if you came to visit us and wiped your feet or hands with someone else's towel, the probability of getting a fungal infection is 60%.
At the same time, certain factors play an important role in this, increasing the body's sensitivity to the fungus.Namely:
- age (fungal infection is most 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 the sweat glands changes, which thereby 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 infections.After all, it may be different and therefore the treatment of the disease proceeds 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 where high humidity and temperatures of at least 10 degrees prevail.Examples of such premises are swimming pools, saunas, gyms, baths, etc.
In this case, epidermophytosis can be found on all objects in the room.These are :
- washcloths;
- towels;
- oilcloths;
- thermometers;
- carpet and so on.
This type of fungus mainly affects the male part of the planetary population.Since the main reason for its infection is the increased activity of the sweat glands on the skin of the legs.
Trichophytosis is another common type of fungal infection.It is one of the most contagious diseases, which is transmitted by:
- bath accessories;
- sports equipment;
- shoes and socks;
- other common items.
Men are also the most susceptible to this disease.Additionally, the older they get, the greater the risk of trichophytosis infection.This disease is especially common among athletes and workers in 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 not essentially a disease.This fungus only begins to parasitize when favorable conditions present themselves.And they occur when a person’s immunity wanes.
The fungus enters the body through direct contact with contaminated objects and food.They are absolutely everywhere.This fungus is particularly present in large quantities in fermented dairy 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 fungus content in the ambient air (there are especially a lot of them in meat product production workshops).
Symptoms of a fungal infection
Symptoms of foot fungus include:
- itching and burning;
- exhaustion of unpleasant odors;
- peeling of the skin;
- white coating on the skin (more like dust);
- change in color and shape of nail plates;
- destruction of nails;
- increased sweating of the feet.
In some cases, fluid-filled pustules and blisters may form near affected skin surfaces.
How to treat foot fungus?
Only a doctor should treat fungal diseases.The fact is that at home you can only eliminate external manifestations of the disease.Because a fungal infection affects the entire body, not just the upper layers of the epidermis.Penetrating through the skin, the fungus comes into contact with the capillaries and penetrates through them into 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, these medications should only be taken 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 threshold 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.
During a visit to the doctor, a scraping will be carried out on the affected surface to determine what type of fungus has settled on his feet.Next, they will perform a series of tests to exclude the development of complications.After which, having received all the necessary information about the patient's state of health, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment that will quickly eliminate the unpleasant external manifestations of the disease.
However, it should be noted that the disappearance of 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 completely treated, symptoms will begin to appear a few weeks after stopping treatment.
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.
Most often, doctors combine several remedies at once to achieve the maximum effect of treatment.After taking the medication for a week, the patient is tested again to ensure that the treatment is showing positive results.
Treatment of fungus with folk remedies
How to treat foot fungus at home?Certainly not.For what?We have already given the answer to this question above: the fungus colonizes 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.We should therefore 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 need to soak your feet for a few minutes.But before doing this, your feet should be washed well under running water with soap and dried.
After the procedure, you need to put socks on your feet, which should also be pre-moistened 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 effective in combating fungal infections.The fungus is afraid of these substances and quickly dies.To prepare a healing bath, you will need a liter of water in which you need to dissolve a tablespoon of table salt and baking soda.
Soak your feet in this solution for 15 minutes, then rinse them with lukewarm water and pat them dry.2-3 procedures will help you get rid of the external manifestations of the fungus.
Various medicinal herbs help combat the symptoms of fungal infections.You can prepare a decoction for washing affected feet from the following ingredients:
- calendula inflorescences;
- oak bark;
- dried blackberries;
- officinal verbena.
To prepare the decoction, take all the herbs in equal quantities and mix them well.Then take 3 tbsp.L.herbal mixture, pour a glass of water over it and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
After which the broth should be slightly cooled and filtered, then the limbs should be washed with it daily.Additionally, 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 using regular coffee.Brew strong coffee and mix it in a liter of lukewarm water.Then lower your feet into it and leave them in the solution for 15 minutes.Then rinse your feet with lukewarm water and dry them.
A milkweed-based bath helps combat the appearance of fungus on the feet.To prepare it, you need to take fresh grass and pour several liters of boiling water into it.Then let it brew and filter.The infusion does not need to be diluted with water.Simply pour it into a 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;
- pork fat.
These ingredients should be mixed until smooth.It is of course best to use a blender for this.The cream should be used every 12 hours, applying it to clean, dry skin on the feet.
You can also prepare a fungal infection cream using the following ingredients:
- yellow sulfur;
- goose fat;
- copper sulfate.
All ingredients should be taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly.Then transfer to a small saucepan, put on fire and bring to a boil.Then the cream should lie in a dark, cool place and cool.This cream should only be used once a day.But before applying it, you should also wash your feet with lukewarm water.
Compresses and masks against foot fungus
Treatment of fungus on the feet can also be carried out through the use of masks and compresses.For example, you can use a compress made from onion and garlic.To do this, take a small onion and a head of garlic, peel them and grind them in a meat grinder.
Then apply the resulting mixture to the affected area, wrap it in plastic and put warm socks on your feet.Leave the compress to act overnight.In the morning, some symptoms of the disease will disappear.The procedure should be carried out daily until the fungus on your feet stops bothering you.
If the fungal infection has spread to your nails, you can use a mixture of vinegar, glycerin, and rubbing alcohol.All ingredients should be taken 1 tsp.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.Traditional medicine alone will therefore not be enough.Requires oral antifungal medications.But you should not buy them yourself on the advice of a pharmacist in a pharmacy.You should consult a doctor.Only he can really help you overcome this illness and forget about it for many years.