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 often affected. According to medical research, fungal infections are the second most common skin disease. You need to start fighting foot fungus as early as possible. By seeking timely medical help, a person will not only quickly get rid of the problem, but also protect loved ones from infection.
Signs of foot fungus (symptoms)
At an early stage of the development of the disease, nothing can disturb the patient. People attribute slight discomfort on the skin of their legs to many other reasons and are in no hurry to consult a doctor. The first obvious symptoms appear when the fungus has spread significantly. The patient experiences:
- redness of the skin of the feet;
- unpleasant foot odor;
- itching and burning;
- peeling of the skin.
Signs of the disease can vary considerably depending on its form. The most common is the intertriginous type. It causes the following symptoms of foot fungus:
- burning sensation in the feet;
- the appearance of cracks on the skin;
- desquamation of the epidermis.
At the location of deep cracks, erosive zones may appear. They bring severe discomfort to the patient, because when walking they cause pronounced pain. Subsequently, the skin on the legs becomes very loose, which leads to a significant decrease in local immunity. As a result, secondary infections join the fungal infection, which causes:
- 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 will be indicated by a change in color of the plaque, its thickening or thinning. If left untreated, the fungus leads to damage to all nails or even complete loss.
Causes of disease
The disease is caused by several types of parasitic fungi. Most often, the disease occurs when affected by dermatophytes or trichophyton red. It is possible to determine how to treat foot fungus only after identifying the causative agent. They all do very well and reproduce quickly in a humid, warm environment. In this regard, you can become infected by visiting the following public places:
- saunas;
- swimming pools;
- soul;
- thermal baths
Infection can also occur through contact with a sick person or their personal items. For example, people who use strangers are at risk of developing foot fungus:
- towels;
- pumice stones;
- washcloths;
- socks;
- manicure scissors.
Another factor that influences the rapid spread of the disease is lack of foot hygiene. People who wear wet shoes or socks often suffer from fungus. A high susceptibility to mycoses is observed in those who suffer from:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- endocrine diseases;
- decreased immunity;
- diabetic sugar;
- varicose veins.
Which doctor should I contact?
It is very difficult to cope with the illness alone. A patient with such a problem needs help from a qualified specialist. A dermatovenerologist will explain to you how to treat foot fungus.
During the first appointment, specialists will carefully examine the affected areas of the foot. A doctor with extensive experience will only need a visual assessment of the skin to make a diagnosis. But the doctor must also know how the disease appeared. To do this, he will conduct a conversation with the patient. The patient will have to answer the following questions:
- How long ago did the first signs of foot fungus appear?
- Has this problem ever bothered you?
- Are there any chronic diseases?
- Has the person been in contact with sick people?
- Have you visited saunas, steam rooms or swimming pools?
- Do your loved ones have foot fungus?
Based on the information received from the patient, the doctor can determine the true causes of the disease. In order to understand how to treat a disease, you need to know exactly what its causative agent is. An exam helps with this. The patient is prescribed skin scraping of the affected area of the foot. After laboratory tests, specialists accurately determine the causative agent of the disease.
How to treat the disease?
The sooner a person seeks help, the quicker therapy will come for them. The doctor determines how to treat foot fungus after receiving the results of a diagnostic examination. Experts suggest fighting the disease with medication. The patient is prescribed antifungal medications that:
- stop the development of pathogens;
- destroy mushrooms;
- have an anti-inflammatory effect;
- relieve unpleasant symptoms.
These products are available in the form of ointment, gel, spray, tablets or suspension for oral administration. For fungus on the nails, special varnishes or dressings can be used, which also have an antifungal effect. The specialist selects medications for the patient on a strictly individual basis, since many of them have a number of contraindications. It is forbidden to take certain medications for:
- pregnant women;
- breastfeeding mothers;
- children.
To achieve rapid recovery, it is very important to strengthen the immune system. For this, patients are prescribed to take vitamin-mineral complexes and immunostimulants. In advanced cases, when a secondary infection is combined with fungal infections, patients are prescribed antibiotics.
How to permanently cure foot fungus?
Many patients complain that the disease returns some time after treatment ends. The reason is an incompletely cured primary infection. A common mistake many people make is to stop treatment when improvements appear. It is very important to continue using the medication for the entire period prescribed by your doctor. Even if the disease does not appear from the outside, it is not a fact that the entire infection has already been defeated. To avoid recurring damage to your legs, you should:
- Strictly follow the specialist's recommendations.
- Do not replace medications with analogues yourself.
- Apply the products regularly, without breaks.
During treatment, the patient must wear closed slippers at home. You should not let other family members carry them, as they can spread infection. When treating foot fungus, it is also prohibited to walk barefoot on the floor or share washcloths, pumice stones or other bathing accessories with other people. It is very important during treatment:
- Wash the patient's clothes separately from others.
- Carry out wet cleaning of the house daily.
- Treat the sick person's shoes with antifungal agents.
You should also take foot hygiene seriously. They should be washed at least twice a day. At the same time, they must be treated with hot water. It is important to change socks frequently and wear comfortable, loose shoes. After recovery, you should definitely throw away the slippers, towels, washcloths and socks that the person used during the illness.
Prevention
Knowing the causes of foot fungus, you can easily prevent them. To avoid this disease, it is enough to respect the following prevention rules:
- When visiting baths, saunas or swimming pools, use only disposable or personal slippers.
- Do not wear wet or damp shoes.
- If there is a sick person in the house, use only personal bathing accessories.
Certain illnesses also increase the risk of fungus developing. Therefore, by eliminating them in time, the occurrence of the disease can be avoided. People who suffer from:
- flat foot;
- corns;
- hyperhidrosis of the foot.
It is important for people to know that at low temperatures the fungus persists for a long time. Therefore, frost does not scare him. However, the pathogen dies when exposed to high temperatures. Therefore, boiling can be used for prevention purposes. If you treat the patient's clothes and shoes in this way, the fungus on them will die.