Athlete’s Foot: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

Symptoms
Athlete's foot is actually a flaky, sometimes itchy, and a foot that’s sometimes possesses a red rash between the toes and over the rest of the nearby foot. In most people it is confined to the spaces between the toes, but it spreads and affects more of the foot occasionally. It looks rather gruesome and more like an eczema that’s gone wild on your foot. In some people the skin becomes very sore and even bleeds a little. This especially happens in people with a thin layer of skin and those who are vegetarians, by and large.

Causes
Several fungi varieties are the causes of an athlete’s foot, and sometimes there are more than one type of fungus that is present at the same time. The condition may be complicated by a secondary infection with bacteria that takes advantage of the damaged skin.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of this condition is usually made from the visual appearance, but if necessary skin scrapings, with a few cells of superficial skin, are sent to the laboratory where a fungus can be detected, you are sure to detect the seriousness of the condition at once.

Treatment
There are creams, powders, and sprays available, which can mostly be bought over the counter. These work by killing the fungus and need to be applied until the skin seems to be back to normal, and then for a further two weeks to eradicate all the remaining fungal spores. The most effective chemical treatments these days are the imidazoles, for e.g. miconazole and clotrimazole. More often than not, cleanliness of the feet, a part of the body that’s most neglected is the best option for you. If you are not used to drinking water, then my suggestion is that you start making it a point to drink as much as possible. Water flushes all your toxins and adds to your hygiene, from the insides, aiding you in keeping your feet as squeaky clean as possible. If you still have problems see your doctor, who will make sure the diagnosis is correct and may well offer an alternative type of treatment.

Prevention
It’s best to begin with a few basics to avoid serious conditions like these; you should begin with drying well between your toes after baths or showers. The feet are certainly more prone to athlete's foot when they are warm and moist, so it seems to occur more frequently in people that wear artificial soles and especially trainers and sports shoes. No wonder the name Athlete’s foot. It helps to spend time with bare feet when you can. You could apply some talcum or go in for regular pedicures to ease this condition as well. If you think that’s an expensive way out, then you could also clean your feet with rock salt crystals from time to time in warm water. Soaking feet in this solutions can help you get rid of the grime that harbors the fungi.

Some people seem more prone to athlete's foot than others, and although it does not spread round a family like wild fire, there is probably a personal predisposition to develop it. Just to avoid a situation like this one, another great idea would be to start adopting the hobby of purchasing new shoes from time to time. Once you feel the pinch of accessorizing your feet, you would psychologically want to take care of them from time to time. An innovative way to get you back on your feet! What say?