One of the most common infectious diseases is athlete's foot.Since the consequences can be quite serious, it is necessary to carry out appropriate treatment as early as possible.It should be based on the type of disease, the time of onset of symptoms and the presence of other pathological processes in the body.
Factors affecting fungal infection
Athlete's foot is the most common fungal infection on earth.This is because there are a number of factors that have a positive effect on the development of the disease:
- Endocrinological diseases, including diabetes mellitus;
- Immune deficiency of various causes;
- Poor blood circulation in the lower extremities;
- Some pathologies of the structure of the foot (deformation, narrow spaces between the phalanges, diabetic shape, etc.);
- Wearing inferior or unsuitable footwear;
- Failure to comply with sanitary and hygiene regulations.
The above factors do not lead to a fungal disease, but significantly increase the risk of infection. This primarily applies to people who go to places where there is an increased risk of transmitting athlete's foot.These are the following institutions:
- swimming pools;
- saunas;
- bathroom;
- gyms;
- fitness centers;
- beaches etc.
The risk of contracting a fungal infection increases significantly when living in the same room with a person who ignores treatment for this disease when symptoms are severe.The use of common hygiene products (towels, toothbrushes, etc.) is strictly prohibited, as this almost completely excludes the transmission of fungal spores.
Symptoms of athlete's foot
The symptoms of a fungus of the lower extremities directly depend on the form of the disease, but in general we can identify a certain standard list of symptoms that appear most often:
- itching of the skin;
- Inflammatory process on the surface of the epidermis;
- dryness and flaking of the upper layers of skin;
- The appearance of certain formations on the skin of the legs (blisters, papules, vesicles);
- brittleness and gradual destruction of nail plates;
- Thickening of the skin, especially on the soles of the feet;
- The appearance of cracks in places of thickening;
- Formation of scales that gradually fall off the surface of the leg.
The symptoms of athlete's foot often appear gradually and not all at once.That is why it is very important to pay attention to the problem at the first sign, make a diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.
Types and forms of fungi on the feet
In medical practice, there are only four forms of spread of athlete's foot:
- interdigital (intertriginous);
- Squamous cell carcinoma-hyperkeratotic;
- Vesicular (dyshidrotic);
- Deleted.
The most common type of athlete's foot is the interdigital form, which is most active in the summer. The folds between the 3rd and 4th and the 4th and 5th fingers are often affected. However, as the disease progresses, the skin symptoms spread to all areas between the phalanges of the feet.At first only a small ulcer or a small crack appears.It can be either dry or wet.White or greenish skin is layered along the perimeter, gradually turning into scales.At the same time, the disease does not spread to the back of the foot, but is localized only in the forefoot area.
The squamous cell carcinoma-hyperkeratotic form of nail fungus is a two-process disease.Squamosis is a lesion of only the upper layer of skin, while hyperkeratosis is a further growth of the stratum corneum that occurs after the initial spread of the fungus.The lesion is located on the sole of the foot and strikes directly along the rib.Scales initially form on it, after which a thick layer of modified skin gradually grows.
Once the callused part reaches a certain thickness, cracks often occur in the heel area.They not only cause discomfort, but also severe pain when walking.If left untreated, this athlete's foot almost always affects the nails and causes onychomycosis.This means that not only the foot itself is affected, but also other parts of the legs.
The vesicular form of athlete's foot is the rarest and least common form.The difference is that vesicles appear on the lower extremities - various blisters and blisters with a certain fluid inside.As the disease progresses, the fullness of the formations becomes cloudy, after which they rupture.Pinkish-red ulcers then form, which can even merge with each other.This leads to extensive signs of erosion on the legs.The biggest problem is the open access of bacteria and other pathogens to these wounds.Therefore, a sick person can often get other diseases in addition to the fungus.This, in turn, affects not only overall health, but also the duration and complexity of treatment.
The eradicated form of athlete's foot has the mildest symptoms, which are expressed only in the appearance of a small, barely noticeable "flour" on the surface of the extremities.In some cases, microcracks appear that are only noticeable upon prolonged examination or magnification.These symptoms are accompanied by mild itching or burning.As in other stages, athlete's foot can also affect the nails, after which a person begins to pay attention to changes in the appearance of their feet.
Diagnosis and treatment of athlete's foot
Diagnosis of mycosis of the legs should be carried out by a qualified mycologist. If there is no such specialist, you should contact a dermatologist.The following methods are used for diagnosis:
- Collection and microscopic analysis of scrapings;
- cultural research;
- DNA research.
Treatment of athlete's foot is often carried out using drugs with a broad spectrum of action, which is why it is not necessary to determine which pathogen has become the causative agent.It is only important to establish that the lesion is fungal in nature.
Doctors often recommend both topical treatment and systemic therapy for the fungus. In the early stages, in most cases, external antifungal agents are used in available forms.All creams, sprays and varnishes should not be applied to contaminated skin.Studies have shown that this is not worth it, as in this case they do not bring the desired effect.
The simplest method of treatment is the interdigital form of the fungus.Healing can occur in one to two weeks.To do this, apply external antifungal agents to the affected skin areas once a day.It is best to start therapy at this stage rather than treating advanced forms of the disease.
With the squamous hyperkeratotic form, you should first remove the calluses on the sole of the foot.This can be done through a special procedure using a device or at home using wraps with salicylic ointment.After contact with a thick layer of altered tissue, it should be gradually scraped off.After removing the top layer, you can start treating the fungus on your feet with ointments.
The vesicular form should not be treated immediately with antifungal drugs until the acute form is eliminated.In some cases, corticosteroid ointments are prescribed and only after that an antifungal drug.
To treat deleted forms of athlete's foot, fungicidal foams, creams and ointments are used.In this case, you can only wash your feet immediately before using the medicine again.
Since athlete's foot can also penetrate the body and not only develop superficially, systemic therapy should also be carried out.This is particularly important if the disease becomes widespread and severe.In such cases, doctors often recommend taking antifungal tablets in addition to topical remedies.Thus, the treatment of athlete's foot has a comprehensive effect and will help you cope with the disease faster.
Traditional treatment methods
Athlete's foot often does not pose a major threat to human life and health, but it does cause some discomfort.That's why infected people try to fight this disease by all possible means.This also applies to traditional treatment methods, which are quite effective in some stages of the disease.
Baths with wine vinegar have a positive effect on the treatment of athlete's foot. This is because this substance has an antiseptic effect. Before taking such baths, you should wash and dry your feet thoroughly.Only then can they be placed in a bowl with a vinegar solution for 3-5 minutes.After the procedure, you should put socks soaked in the same solution on your feet, which should only be taken off in the morning.
Washing the affected areas of the feet with a decoction of medicinal herbs is one of the oldest methods of treating athlete's foot.To do this, mix equal amounts of marigold inflorescences, oak bark, verbena herb and dried blackberries.Add 3 tablespoons of this mixture to the water and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes.After that, the liquid must be filtered and the resulting broth used for lotions.
In some cases, special homemade ointments against fungi help.Wood ash and pork fat are used to make them.These components must be mixed until a homogeneous mass of thick consistency is obtained.It should be applied twice a day to the areas where rashes appear.
Prevention of athlete's foot
To prevent infection with athlete's foot, you should follow certain rules for the prevention of this disease:
- In places with an increased risk of infection, where infections occur most frequently, walking barefoot should be restricted;
- People in certain professions (military, athletes, factory workers, and miners) should use protective creams;
- It is necessary to disinfect both the internal and external surfaces of the shoes once a month.
- It is important to eat right and consume the required amount of vitamins;
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages and smoking cigarettes should be stopped;
- Bathroom surfaces should be thoroughly disinfected and wiped down;
- Bedding should be washed thoroughly and ironed at high temperatures;
- There is no need to wear someone else's clothes and use personal hygiene products that are not individual;
- It is also important to carry out a pedicure every six months, as this is aimed at eliminating the environment where fungal spores tend to penetrate and multiply.
If you follow all preventive measures, you can practically eliminate the risk of possible infection.Even if the fungus penetrates a person's skin, these rules should not be ignored so as not to aggravate the current situation.
Conclusion
It is worth remembering that athlete's foot is much easier to prevent than to treat.If the time of infection was missed, therapy should be started as soon as possible, before the symptoms develop strongly and lead to serious consequences. If the treatment is carried out comprehensively and completely, after a while the patient will not even remember the initially unpleasant appearance of his legs.