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Athlete's Foot: Conventional and Alternative Treatments
Athlete�s foot itself is not that serious of an infection. It usually can be treated quite quickly. There are times, however, when the original fungal infection triggers a secondary bacterial infection. This occurs if the fungus should kill vulnerable
bacteria
through the production of an antibiotic substance. A hardier, more resistant
type of bacteria grows in the place of these more vulnerable ones.
These
newer bacteria then release substances that can cause the tissue breakdown
which results in soggy skin and painful eroded areas between the toes.
There�s
still one more complication of athlete�s foot you should be aware of.
This one occurs after the infection has cleared.
Proteins may enter your bloodstream, which may lead to an allergic
reaction. This could cause an occurrence of blisters on your fingers,
toes or even on your hands. This
condition is called dermatophytid reaction.
How
your health care practitioner treats your case of athlete�s foot depends
on the severity of your infection. There
are choices of topical drugs from which your health care practitioner may
select for mild infections as well as three separate prescription drugs for
the more severe forms of the disorder.
Your
infection may be so mild, in fact, that he may just recommend an
over-the-counter remedy. There are plenty on the market.
For the most part, mild infections respond well to the following
prescription medication: Terbinafine
(sold as Lamisil AT), Clotrimazole (sold as Lotrimin AF) and Miconazole
(Micatin).
If
your particular care of athlete�s foot doesn�t improve, then your health
care practitioner may prescribe one of these stronger medications:
Itraconazole (sold as Sporanox), Fluconazole (sold as Diflucan) or a
stronger variation of Terbinafine (sold as Lamisil).
Before
you fill that prescription that your personal care practitioner hands you
though, be sure to question him thoroughly about the possible side effects
of these medications. Oral
itraconazole and oral terbinafine may be linked in rare cases to liver
failure or even to death, according to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. Taking oral itraconazole may, in fact, weaken the heart�s
contractions. Be sure to tell
your health care practitioner if you have a history of heart failure.
If
you should have athlete�s foot as well as another bacterial infection,
your health care practitioner may prescribe an oral antibiotic. He may also decide that your specific case can be helped by
using steroid ointments. Other remedies that he may recommend may to wet
dressings or compresses as well as vinegar soaks to help clear the blisters
or the soggy skin.
Athlete�s
foot: Natural Remedies
Many
people use natural, herbal remedies to help heal their athlete�s foot.
There are in fact, many remedies that may be of use to you.
Before you use any of them though, be sure to consult with your
naturopathic doctor or your health care provider.
One
of the pieces of information she�ll be able to provide you is whether any
the supplements you�re planning on taking interfere with any prescription
drugs you may be on. Before choosing a supplement, you�ll also want to
check with a professional herbalist to ensure that you�re not only taking
the most effective herb, but also to ensure that you�ll get the proper
serving.
One
of the first things you�ll want to do upon recognizing the symptoms of
athlete�s foot is to apply aloe vera gel on the affected area twice a day.
Aloe vera�s antifungal properties help to hasten the healing process.
Some
of the best natural remedies incorporate herbs into them to use as foot
baths or rubs. You may want to
soak your feet in a basin of warm water which not only has some rubbing
alcohol in it, but several cloves of peeled and crushed garlic as well.
The
natural antifungal properties of garlic make it a natural choice as a
stand-alone remedy to help alleviate the symptoms of athlete�s foot. Some
individuals advise to simply rub a clove of raw garlic on the fungus.
Others say it�s best to crush the garlic to bring out its natural
oils. Place the crushed garlic
on the affected area. Leave this on for about half an hour and then wash it
off with just water. This
should be done daily for a week. By
the end of the week, the fungus should be gone.
If
the idea of covering your feet with crushed garlic is a bit much, you might
want to compromise and just put a dusting of garlic powder on your feet
(seriously!). Some herbalists
and others specializing in home remedies say that if you do this twice a
day, you�ll athlete�s foot will be gone in no time at all.
If
garlic is a bit strong for you, then you might want to consider a poultice
made with ginger, which also is widely known for its antifungal powers.
Place one ounce of fresh chopped ginger in a cup of water and simmer
this for about 20 minutes. Let it cool sufficiently so you can apply it to
your feet. Do this twice daily
until your athlete�s foot disappears.
Here�s
another one � it�s a bit sticky, but it works.
Rub raw honey on the infected area before bedtime.
Cover the feet with old socks. Leave
it on overnight. When you wake
up in the morning you�ll notice an improvement.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be
approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and
should not be taken as professional medical advice.
Compleat Mother