There are a large number of 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 legs is most commonly affected. According to medical research, mycoses are the second most common skin disease. You need to start fighting athlete's foot as early as possible. By seeking medical help in a timely manner, a person will not only quickly get rid of the problem, but also protect his loved ones from infection.
Signs of athlete's foot (symptoms)
At an early stage of the development of the disease, nothing may bother the patient. People attribute mild discomfort on the skin of their legs to many other reasons and are in no hurry to seek medical help. The first obvious symptoms appear when the fungus has spread significantly. The patient experiences:
- redness of the skin of the feet;
- unpleasant smell from feet;
- itching and burning;
- Exfoliating the skin.
The symptoms of the disease can vary greatly depending on the form. The most common is the intertriginous type. It causes the following symptoms of athlete's foot:
- burning in the feet;
- the appearance of cracks in the skin;
- Peeling of the epidermis.
Erosive areas can develop in places of deep cracks. They cause severe discomfort to the patient as they cause severe pain when walking. Subsequently, the skin of the legs becomes very loose, which leads to a significant decrease in local immunity. As a result, the fungal infection is joined by secondary infections that cause:
- 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 of the plate, its thickening or thinning. If left untreated, the fungus leads to damage to all nails or their complete loss.
Causes of the disease
The disease is caused by various types of parasitic fungi. Most often, the disease occurs when affected by dermatophytes or red trichophyton. Only after the pathogen has been identified can a decision be made as to how athlete's foot should be treated. They all thrive and multiply quickly in a moist and warm environment. In this regard, you can become infected by visiting the following public places:
- saunas;
- swimming pools;
- Soul;
- bath
Infection can also occur through contact with a sick person or their personal belongings. For example, people who use foreign objects are at risk of developing athlete's foot:
- Towels;
- pumice stones;
- washcloth;
- socks;
- Manicure scissors.
Another factor that influences the rapid spread of the disease is poor foot hygiene. People who wear wet shoes or socks often suffer from fungus. High susceptibility to mycoses is observed in patients suffering from:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- endocrine diseases;
- reduced immunity;
- diabetes mellitus;
- Varicose veins.
Which doctor should I contact?
It is very difficult to cope with the disease alone. A patient with such a problem needs the help of a qualified specialist. A dermatovenereologist will tell you how to cure athlete's foot.
At the first appointment, specialists carefully examine the affected areas of the foot. A doctor with extensive experience only needs a visual assessment of the skin to make the diagnosis. But the doctor also needs to know how the disease arose. To do this, he has a conversation with the patient. The patient must answer the following questions:
- How long has it been since the first signs of athlete's foot appeared?
- Has this problem ever bothered you?
- Are there chronic illnesses?
- Did the person have contact with sick people?
- Have you visited saunas, steam rooms or swimming pools?
- Do your relatives have athlete’s foot?
Based on the information received from the patient, the doctor can determine the true causes of the disease. In order to understand how to deal with a disease, you need to know exactly what its causative agent is. An examination helps with this. The patient is prescribed a skin scraping from the affected area of the foot. After laboratory tests, specialists determine exactly the causative agent of the disease.
How to treat the disease?
The sooner a person seeks help, the faster the therapy will be for them. After receiving the results of a diagnostic examination, the doctor will determine how to treat athlete's foot. Experts suggest fighting the disease with medication. The patient is prescribed antifungal drugs that:
- stop the development of pathogens;
- destroy mushrooms;
- have an anti-inflammatory effect;
- relieve unpleasant symptoms.
Such products are presented in the form of ointments, gels, sprays, tablets or suspensions for oral administration. If you have fungus on your toenails, you can use special varnishes or plasters that also have an antifungal effect. The specialist selects drugs for the patient strictly individually, since many of them have a number of contraindications. The use of certain medications is prohibited for:
- pregnant woman;
- nursing mothers;
- Children.
To achieve a quick recovery, it is very important to strengthen the immune system. For this purpose, patients are prescribed taking vitamin-mineral complexes and immunostimulants. In advanced cases, when secondary infection is accompanied by fungal infections, patients are prescribed antibiotics.
How can you cure athlete's foot permanently?
Many patients complain that the disease recurs some time after completing therapy. The reason for this is an incompletely healed primary infection. A common mistake many people make is stopping therapy when improvements occur. It is very important that you use the medicine for the full period prescribed by your doctor. Even if the disease does not appear externally, it is not a fact that the entire infection has already been defeated. To prevent recurring damage to your legs, you must:
- Strictly follow the specialist's recommendations.
- Do not replace medications with analogues yourself.
- Apply the products regularly and without breaks.
During treatment, the patient must wear closed slippers at home. You should not let other family members wear them as they can transmit infections. When treating athlete's foot, it is also forbidden to walk barefoot on the floor or share washcloths, pumice stones or other bathing utensils with other people. It is very important in therapy:
- Wash the patient's clothing separately from others.
- Carry out wet cleaning of the house daily.
- Treat the sick person's shoes with antifungal medications.
Foot hygiene must also be taken seriously. They need to be washed at least 2 times a day. At the same time they should be treated with hot water. It is important to change socks frequently and wear comfortable, non-tight shoes. After recovery, you must definitely throw away the slippers, towels, washcloths and socks that the person wore during the illness.
prevention
If you know what causes athlete's foot, you can easily prevent it. To avoid this disease, you just need to adhere to the following prevention rules:
- When visiting baths, saunas or swimming pools, only use disposable or personal slippers.
- Do not wear wet or damp shoes.
- If there is a sick person in the house, only use personal bathroom utensils.
Some diseases also increase the risk of fungus. Therefore, timely elimination can prevent the occurrence of the disease. People who suffer from:
- Flat feet;
- corns;
- Foot hyperhidrosis.
It is important for people to know that the fungus lasts for a long time at low temperatures. Therefore, freezing is not scary for him. However, the pathogen dies at high temperatures. Therefore, cooking can be used as prevention. If you treat the patient's clothes and shoes in this way, the fungus in them will die.