Did you know that over 70% of the population will develop athletes foot during their life? With those kind of odds, the chances are high that you will get it yourself at some point and time. So, what causes athletes foot anyway?
Athletes foot is a form of ringworm that lives on your skin, toenails and hair. The fungus that causes it can easily attach itself on your feet through any kind of a small cut or abrasion. The fungus loves dark, warm, humid and wet areas. That is why locker rooms are notorious for having the fungus. There is virtually no way of preventing it from growing. Even with constant cleaning of all surfaces there is still no guarantee that it won't continue to form.
If you have had athletes foot, have you noticed that your infected foot always seems to itch more after taking off your socks and shoes at the end of the day? This is because your feet have been warm and moist inside your shoes all day. Now that they are uncovered and the air is hitting them, watch out! The itching can become intense. It's easy to scratch them until they are raw.
One form of athletes foot that can be very severe is called Vesicular, or "jungle rot" as it is also known as. It got the name after U.S. soldiers in Vietnam would be out in the hot, humid conditions on a daily basis. They were also constantly walking in water and this would cause sores and blisters on their feet. The blisters would sometimes spread to other areas of their body if they developed an allergic reaction, causing temporary disability. In some severe cases, soldiers would even lose their feet because of it.
The good news to all this is that athletes foot can be treated and healed. Many times this can be accomplished without having to make a trip to the doctors office, although if you have tried to get rid of the fungus and still have not had success, you should definitely see a doctor. Our website has a complete list on how to cure athletes foot.
Athlete's foot or tinea pedis is known as a very common skin problem. This skin disease can find its residence in anyone's feet. Being an athlete is least bit of its concern, a hot and humid foot is what makes that disease choose you. This skin infection is caused mainly by a fungus which eats the dead skin cells and is found in plenty on your feet and mainly occurs between the toes.
The right breeding ground for this infection is a warm, dark and humid place. Our foot tends to fit the bill. The fungi actually can be seen in damp areas of the swimming pool, showers and locker room from where the athletes happen to get infected and so is the name which became widely popular.
If it is not properly treated it may come back to haunt you. It can be there for short or long period depending upon the severity of the infection. It is transmitted through contact with a cut or a bruise on your feet. Therefore, when in such place you should be take extreme care to save yourself from the athlete's foot.
This is commonly found among men from the teens till crossing that 50 mark. It is also related to personal hygiene and how much you actually adhere to that. Some may not be that particular with their daily routine which makes them more prone to such a skin disease. If your immune system is weak they have greater chances of meeting the athlete's foot.
This mostly hits the spaces between your toes, but can easily spread through reaching your soles as well as your toe nails. Even though adults are easily affected, children too can be a soft target. Some of the routine hygiene methods may just help you stay away from such kind of a disease, like wearing dry socks daily.
Signs and symptoms for Athletes Foot
-There is constant itching, burning sensation which cause blisters. -Feet start burning and stinging at the soles -Blisters are very itchy -Your feet becomes completely dry -With the passing days the infection spreads too -You can also find bumps on your feet
Some of the preventive measures if infected by this infection
-Wash your feet everyday, if you happen to go for swimming then take extra care -Drying your feet is very important -Give some breathing space to your feet -Cotton socks is very good as it helps in soaking the wetness -Try not to walk barefoot -Put talcum powder which would help to avoid excess sweating -Soak your legs in a mixture of salt and warm water for 10 minutes -Use of baking soda is also very effective. After rubbing baking soda rinse it and dry it thoroughly. Then the last step of this treatment is by dusting some corn starch.
Both Terry Edwards & Kevin Pederson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Terry Edwards has sinced written about articles on various topics from Mortgage, Yoga and Health. You can find much more information on Athletes foot as well as get on Ringworm at. Terry Edwards's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.
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