Athlete's foot can be a nagging problem for anyone. It is caused by a fungus that can cause itching, inflammation and blisters. The foot becomes a thriving breeding ground for such type of fungus because they provide a dark and humid environment which encourages fungus growth.
Individuals may get the fungus from areas that are always damp and warm especially in areas around swimming pools, locker rooms and showers. Athletes make frequent use of such facilities and are therefore more likely to suffer from the disease, hence the popularity of the name.
There are other fungal infections that can be similar to the ones brought about by athlete's foot such as eczema, psoriasis, and other infections and should be treated differently. The only way to differentiate them is by the symptoms that they show. A person suffering form athlete's foot experiences having dry skin in the foot area. Itching then tends to develop along with the scaling of the skin.
Frequent scratching may lead to inflammation and then blisters. When the blisters break, they cause raw areas of the skin to become exposed, causing pain and more swelling. As the infection spreads, such symptoms become more and more extensive throughout the foot area.
Athlete's foot can spread from the soles to your toenails. The infection may even reach other parts of the body including the groin and underarms through scratching the infection and touching other parts of the body. Athlete's foot can also infect a person by sleeping in a contaminated bed or by using clothes of an infected person. Athlete's foot is a persistent infection that can continue on for a very long time unless treated. Using fungicides made especially to treat athlete's foot can help keep the infection in check. There are topical as well as oral anti-fungal solutions that can be used to treat athlete's foot.
The best way to stop athlete's foot is through prevention. Knowing how to avoid such fungus infections would prove to be a better choice than treating any existing infection. The best way of preventing athlete's foot is by always keeping the feet dry and clean. Using foot powder before you put on your shoes or socks can help keep your feet dry and prevent fungus from ever making your foot their breeding ground.
