Symptoms of Athlete's Foot
Athlete’s foot, which is also known in medical terms as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection that affects your feet, especially the area between the toes where moisture is easily trapped. Once the infection happens you will experience an itching and burning sensation on the skin. You will also find that the infected area is covered with dry and flaky skin, which is rough to touch. As the infection advances you may also experience pain, swelling, and inflammation. Sometimes, if the skin is raw and exposed, you may also get a secondary infection in the same area.
Athlete’s foot is condition in which the toes of the feet are afflicted with a pathogenic fungus. This is a very common disease to those who spend a lot of time in moist environments like locker rooms, bathhouses and swimming pools. The related conditions to athlete’s foot are jock itch, which affects the area of the groin. In most cases, this is not a serious infection purely because the treatment is simple; however, it is important to treat a possible case of athlete’s foot immediately so that a secondary infection by bacteria does not occur. Since athletes foot is a problem that is caused by bad hygiene, there is a need to pay more attention to one’s cleanliness habits to avoid this and other fungal infections.
Fungal infections span the whole gamut of the body from the scalp, as is the case in tinea capitis or ringworm scalp, to the toenails, as is the case in the toenail fungus. Fungi are sometimes even able to take a hold in the lungs and cause infection there as well. Fungi are actually a species of plants, biologically speaking and those that invade, germinate and grow in the skin are called dermatophytes. Another common infection of dermatophytes is ringworm.
Left untreated, the fungal infection can also open the door to some bacterial infections of the open wounds and lesions left behind. This is especially dangerous as you could even get a case of cellulitis or end up with necrotized tissue, depending on which bacteria ends up using the opportunity of broken skin. Fungi only require nutrients and a warm, moist environment to live and germinate in. Therefore, you have to start by keeping your feet dry at all times. This requires that you change your socks regularly and avoid wearing shoes when unnecessary, like at home. You change into flip-flops instead when you are in a safe environment.
Treatment for Athlete's Foot
Athlete’s foot can be remedied with proper medication and foot care. In severe cases, you may also have to get treatment from a doctor. The medical treatment for athlete’s foot is a simple antifungal and sometimes antibiotic use. However, there are several home remedies for athlete’s feet that you can try out to treat athlete foot at home.
Athletes Foot Cure - Home Remedies for Athlete's Foot
The first home remedy for athlete’s foot is to apply solutions like tea tree oil, vinegar, diluted hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol on the affected area. Take a cotton ball, soak it in the solution, and gently swab over the infected skin.
You can cure athlete's foot with simple home remedy using rubbing alcohol. Dissolve six aspirin in a half cup of rubbing alcohol and mix thoroughly. Dry your feet completely and then apply this rubbing alcohol to athletes foot.
Another athlete foot natural treatment is using tea. Ordinary tea contains tannic acid, which soothes the feet while drying it. Put some tea bags in a liter of boiling water. Allow the tea bag to steep for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool to lukewarm, then soak your feet in the tea bath for 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you can also dice and juice some garlic and onions and soak your feet in the residue as well for athletes foot cure, as these are good antifungal treatments for athlete’s foot. This is another best way to get rid of athletes foot.
Use boric powder or baking soda on the infected skin. They will help keep the feet dry by soaking up the extra moisture.
Epsom salt can help soothe your feet, giving you instant relief from athlete’s foot. Mix Epsom salt in lukewarm water and soak your feet in it at the end of the day. This is one of the best home remedies for athlete's foot.
Dealing with the itch that accompanies the athletes foot can be cured by rubbing an ice cube over the itching parts. This athletes foot cure will reduce the inflammation, which is a response to the fungal infection.
Besides these, you should also maintain proper hygiene of your feet. Do not wear the same pair of shoes or socks every day; use alternate pairs of shoes and socks. Preferably, use cotton socks and shoes that have ventilation. Be careful and make sure to dry your feet after a bath or wash so that moisture is not trapped in the folds of your skin. Most importantly, in the future you must also refrain from walking barefoot in wet areas that are also public areas.