ALTERNATIVE THERAPY SERIES NO: 18 ATHLETE'S FOOT

Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.

ATHLETE'S FOOT




SYMPTOMS

• Itchy, scaly, red rash that usually starts between the toes; if untreated develops into cracked, blister skin that may become infected.

• Dry, flaking skin on the soles of the feet.

• Unpleasant foot odor.

• Whitish, brittle, flaky toenails.



WHAT IS ATHLETE'S FOOT

Athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection, and you don’t have to be an athlete to get it. This annoying ailment occurs most often in men and boys, but it is common enough in women and girls, too. Virtually unheard of in ancient Greece and Rome, when people went barefoot or wore sandals, athlete’s is by product of a society that keeps it feet enclosed in shoes most of the time.



CAUSES

The various kinds of fungi that cause athlete’s foot belong to a group called dermatophytes, which also cause joke itch. The fungi thrive in closed, warm, moist environments and feed on keratin, a protein found in hair, nails, and skin. Athlete’s foot is mildly contagious; it can be spread through direct contact with the infection and by skin particles left on towels, shoes, and floors of shower stalls and around swimming pools. Although walking barefoot in the shower at the gym or around the pool may increase your chance of contracting athlete’s foot, you are more likely to develop the infection from not changing sweaty socks and shoes. The risk of developing athlete’s foot can also depend on your susceptibility. For example, people who have taken antibiotic for two weeks or longer are at greater risk because the drug not only fight infection but can kill beneficial bacteria that help keep the athlete’s foot fungus from spreading. (see yeast infections.)



TREATMENT

You should treat athlete’s foot at the first sign of itchy feet or redness between your toes. Most cases of athlete’s foot can be cured with over the counter anti fungal powder and basic good hygiene. Wash and dry your feet thoroughly morning and evening, change your socks or stocking daily, and don’t wear the same shoes day after day. Sprinkle anti fungal powder on your feet and shoes daily.

Make sure your feet get plenty of air. If you can’t go barefoot or wear sandals, wear cotton socks and shoes made of a natural, porous material such as leather or fabric, not water resistant synthetics. If not treated properly and promptly, the infection can be very persistent. Even when treated with anti fungal drugs, the infection may take several weeks to disappear.



CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

For the cases that resist at home treatment, your doctor may prescribe 1 percent terbinafine ointment. The medication is expensive, but terbinafine treatment can lead to complete cure in a week. Doctor prescribe oral antifungal drugs for athletes foot only when topical remedies fail, since the treatment may have serious side effects, such as liver toxicity. Typical oral medication are Ketoconazole and griseofulvin . The same treatment options apply to athlete’s foot affecting the toenails.



ALTERNATIVE CHOICES

AROMATHERAPY

To combat infection, put 5 drops of tee tree oil (Melaleuca spp.) in your bathwater. To relive itching, try 2 drops of peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil and 4 drops of chamomile (Matricaria recutita) oil in the bathwater.



HERBAL THERAPIES

Soak your feet for half an hour in a solution of 6 tsp goldenseal (hydrastis Canadensis) to a point of water; you can also powder your feet with goldenseal. Or rub tea tree oil (Melaleuca spp.) on the affected area daily. Try other herbal baths and ointments, following label directions : Myrrh (Commiphora molmol) is said to fight fungus; lavender (Lavandula officinalis) may reduce inflammation; calendula (calendula officinalis) cream is recommended to heal cracked skin.



HOMEOPATHY

To soothe inflammation, try an over the counter preparation containing calendula. A professional homeopath may recommend Graphite s for a condition with weeping skin.



AT HOME REMEDIES

Soak your infected feet in warm, salted water (1 tsp salt per cup) for 5 to 10 minutes every day. Dry your feet thoroughly, then apply a baking soda paste between your toes, or dab on an aluminum chloride solution, available from your local pharmacy. You may prefer using an over the counter antifungal powder, cream, or spray. The most effective products contain undecylenic acid or the anti fungal drugs clotrimazole or miconazole. As long as the area is not blistered or cracked, remove flakes of dead skin with a soft brush before using topical powder or ointment. Do not tear off flaking skin; you may break near- by healthy skin and spread the infection.

Use the same topical treatment for athlete’s foot of the toenails, but don’t expect fast action. Keep your nails short, and clean out debris under and around infected nails using a smooth woodent toothpick or matchstick rather than a nail file that might scratch or break the skin.



PREVENTION

Your coach and the school nurse were on the right track when they made you wear shower shoes in the locker room and around the pool. But we now know that susceptibility is a big factor as actual contact with the fungus. Cut your risk by keeping your feet clean, dry, and powdered with an over the counter fungicide. Other sensible steps :

• Wear cotton socks, and shoes that breathe; shoes that keep water out also keep sweat in.

• Never share shoes, socks, or towels.

• If you get athlete’s foot, wash your socks and towels in the hottest water possible or boil them.

• Be doubly cautious of your feet if you take an antibiotic for two weeks or more. The medication can kill beneficial bacteria that normally control the fungus that causes athlete’s foot.