Feet are a favorable place for the development of pathogenic bacteria, as they spend a lot of time in shoes and sweat. Therefore, fungal wounds are a frequent companion of many people. The delicate skin near the little toe, on the soles of the feet, is most often affected. No less common is nail fungus. However, the most common variety is considered to be interdigital mycosis, which occurs in adults and children. The disease is transmitted by household means. Ordinary saunas, baths, swimming pools, as well as personal hygiene items can become sources of pathogens. Therapy of the pathology is quite long, but the initial stage of the pathology is successfully treated at home with the use of medications and folk remedies.
Causes of mycosis
There are several factors that contribute to the development of an unpleasant pathology.
- Excessive sweating of the feet.
- Regular wearing of uncomfortable shoes in which the skin melts.
- Violation of hygiene requirements.
- Avitaminosis.
- Weakened immunity.
- Metabolic disease.
- Various dermatological and internal diseases (diabetes mellitus, varicose veins, etc. ).
Interdigital mycosis often affects young children, as their skin is more delicate than an adult's.
Important: wounds, ulcers, cuts and microcracks on the feet are a favorable environment for the development of a fungal infection.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a fungal infection:
- The initial stage is characterized by reddening of the skin between the fingers, which indicates the beginning of inflammation.
- Unbearable itching, peeling, unpleasant odor appears.
- Further, the nails are involved in the pathological process, they turn yellow, bloom.
- The patient feels a burning sensation.
- The epidermis between the fingers becomes wet and looks like a continuous wound that does not heal.
- The surface of the tear dries, cracks are created in this place.
If you do not start treatment at this stage, the disease goes into a neglected form, which can cause complications in the form of a bacterial infection.
Medical treatment
It is almost impossible to get rid of a fungal disease quickly. The treatment will last from 1 to 3 months, the time depends on the severity of the pathology. It is necessary to deal with the problem internally and externally.
Pharmaceutical preparations:
- Internally, systemic antifungal drugs are usually prescribed. Funds are available in the form of tablets and capsules. They are effective even in advanced stages of the disease. It is worth knowing that such drugs have a toxic effect on the liver, therefore, they are contraindicated in young children, pregnant and lactating women, and are prescribed with caution to the elderly and patients suffering from liver failure.
- External agents are available in the form of ointments, solutions, sprays, creams. Inexpensive, but effective means - ointments with sulfur and zinc. Special attention is paid to ointments from the allylamine group, as they can be used for treatment in children from the age of 2, pregnant women. The advantage of these drugs is the absence of toxic effects on liver cells. The duration of the therapeutic course is usually 10 days, after which a 10-day break is taken, then the therapy is resumed.
It is strictly forbidden to independently select drugs. If the disease has affected all family members, it is necessary to contact a specialist who will prescribe a suitable medicine for each one.
Alternative therapy
Most doctors approve the use of folk recipes as part of the complex therapy of the fungus between the toes:
- Fungal bacteria do not tolerate salty solutions, so daily baths with the addition of sea or table salt will help not only to cope with the disease, but also to soften the epidermis of the feet. Procedures should be performed in the evening. For 3 liters of water, add 50-60 g of salt.
- A good result is wiping the affected areas with wine vinegar. This should be done only with a cotton swab. Do not rub the product with your fingers.
- Iodine has excellent antiseptic properties. You can use it to lubricate the affected areas twice a day. To prepare therapeutic baths, a few drops of iodine are dissolved in a small amount of water, the feet sit for 15 minutes. The duration of treatment is 14 days. In patients prone to allergic manifestations, a reaction may occur, therefore, an individual sensitivity test should be performed before the procedure.
- A solution of manganese is used to treat areas affected by the fungus. The color of the resulting liquid should be pale pink. A cotton swab is moistened in it and the lesions are lubricated. The procedure is performed every day before going to bed.
- Soda solution effectively fights fungal infection. It is used for daily foot washing instead of ordinary soap. A popular way is to use therapeutic soda baths. 2 tablespoons of soda are taken for 2 liters of water. Feet are immersed in a warm solution and kept for 10-15 minutes. The minimum duration of treatment is 2 weeks.
- Onion juice has long been considered the best medicine in the fight against fungi. To use it, it is necessary to squeeze the juice of a large onion, wet a cotton swab in it and apply it to the affected area for a few minutes. To avoid irritation, the composition should be washed off the skin after a certain time for therapeutic effect.
- The combination of tea and vinegar copes with the disease perfectly. To prepare the solution, it is necessary to drink a teaspoon of black tea in a glass of boiling water, let it cool, strain and add 10 ml of 9% vinegar. The tool is recommended to be used to lubricate the affected areas of the epidermis every day before going to bed.
- The antiseptic properties of boric acid are used successfully in the fight against fungal diseases. The powdered product can be used as a powder at night, and the solution can be added to baths. For 2 liters of water you need 20 ml of solution. Keep your feet in the water for no more than 15 minutes. Such a drug has its own contraindications and is not used for the treatment of children, pregnant women, patients with renal failure.
- Glycerin in combination with vinegar has a good therapeutic effect. The ingredients are mixed in equal proportions in a glass container. Apply a cotton swab dipped in the solution to the affected areas every day.
- Based on vinegar and glycerin, you can prepare a homemade ointment. To do this, you need to take a tablespoon of olive oil, dimethyl phthalate, vinegar and glycerin. All the ingredients should be thoroughly mixed and rubbed into the affected areas of the epidermis at night. Wash in the morning with soap.
- The recipe for oil based on lard is well known. To get it, you need to mix 50 g of fat, 15 g of birch tar, 10 g of sulfur powder, melt the mixture in a water bath and rub it every day on the foci of inflammation.
- The healing properties of propolis will help to get rid of the problem forever. The recipe consists of 100 ml medical alcohol combined with 50 g propolis. The composition is carefully changed and applied to the affected areas in a thick layer. To achieve the best result, it is necessary to wrap the feet with a film and wear socks made of natural fabric. At the beginning of the therapy, a deterioration of the skin condition is observed, but after the completion of the full course, the therapeutic effect will be evident. The tool should not be used by those who suffer from allergies to bee products.
- Honey-based healing ointment. To prepare it, you need to take 30 g of honey, 10 g of apple cider vinegar, 20 ml of eucalyptus essential oil. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and let them infuse for 3 days. Use the oil to treat the affected epidermis daily for 2 weeks.
- Compresses from sea salt and crushed mint leaves in a ratio of 1: 2 make the disease good. The compress is applied at night.
- One of the simple recipes involves daily rubbing of the feet with garlic juice until complete recovery.
- Gruel from fresh burdock leaves should be applied to sore spots at night, fixed with a bandage or put on socks.
- Applications from the infusion of celandine and meadowsweet in a ratio of 2: 1 are effective. The duration of treatment with this drug is 14 days. The recipe should be used with caution, as celandine is a poisonous plant and can provoke allergic reactions.
- Traditional healers recommend fighting fungus using potato baths. To do this, the vegetable peel is boiled in a large amount of water, the raw materials are removed and the resulting soup is used to steam the feet. The duration of the procedure is at least 30 minutes. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the pathology and is usually 2 weeks.
Many popular recipes allow everyone to choose the right one for themselves. The use of home remedies is allowed only after consulting your doctor. It is imperative to conduct a test for individual sensitivity to the selected folk remedy.