Detect athlete’s foot

Synonyms in a broader sense

Tinea pedis, tinea pedum, foot mycosis, athlete’s foot, dermatophyte infection of the foot spelling: athlete`s foot

Symptoms of athlete’s foot

After the dermatophytes penetrate the uppermost boundary layer (stratum corneum) of the epidermis, they spread there, break down the keratin of the skin and cause an inflammation, which is occasionally associated with several concentric growth rings around the focus of inflammation. The pathogen Trichophyton rubrum usually causes only a minor inflammation at the edge of the damage, which heals in the center. In the area of the foot, three different forms of athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis) can be distinguished.

The interdigital type of athlete’s foot, Tinea pedis interdigitales, which is usually noticeable between the particularly narrow toe spaces of the 3rd and 4th or the 4th and 5th toe, is by far the most common type of athlete’s foot. Mostly the disease begins with a soaking (maceration) of the epidermis. Through the spreading of the toes, one then sees a gray-white swollen skin.

When these macerated layers become detached or detached, weeping injuries (erosions) and deep cracks (rhagades) occur, accompanied by redness and scaling. The lateral surfaces of the toes are often affected by small blisters. This athlete’s foot can sometimes persist unnoticed for years or even spread.

An additional bacterial infection of the affected area causes the unpleasant smell. In addition, the injury can also be an entry point for a spreading erysipelas caused by bacteria. A further symptom of the interdigital fungus is severe itching, which develops particularly with increased sweating (hyperhidrosis), such as when rubber boots or sports shoes are worn for long periods.

The second form of athlete’s foot is the squamous-hyperkeratotic type. It is also relatively common. The disease begins with a very fine dry scaling on a rather only slightly inflamed skin.

In the course of the disease, there are usually heart-shaped, asymmetrical, sharply defined and scaly, excessively keratinized areas of the skin (hyperkeratosis), which can be accompanied by cracks (rhagades). This type of athlete’s foot is found more often on the edges of the foot, heels and tips of the toes. But also a scattered (diffuse) scaly keratinization of the entire sole of the foot, especially on one side, is a manifestation of the squamous-hyperkeratotic type and is called moccasin mycosis.

It is particularly common that the nails are also affected, which contributes to the diagnosis. The dyhidrosiform type of athlete’s foot is another possible manifestation of the disease. Particularly in the area of the arch of the foot and on the edges of the foot, slightly cloudy blisters appear in summer and on muggy warm days.

These blisters contain thread-drawing contents and are sometimes found on slightly reddened skin. The blisters do not burst spontaneously, but dry out and form scaly crusts. Symptoms are a feeling of tension and severe itching.

If the disease persists over a longer period of time, fresh and old skin changes can coexist. If larger blisters develop, one speaks of the bullous type of tinea pedis. Whether the dyshidrotic type of athlete’s foot actually disturbs the formation of sweat could not be completely proven, but it is the most commonly used name.

In addition to the clinical diagnosis, which can be made due to itching, reddened and scaly, sometimes even foul-smelling skin regions, laboratory diagnostics is indispensable to detect athlete’s foot. The mycological diagnostics is based above all on the detection of fungi in the skin material. The sample material is taken from the edge of the scaly flock with the help of a scalpel, which includes skin scales as well as blister covers.

A positive native preparation, for the detection of live pathogens under the microscope, is regarded as conclusive. To remove approach germs from the environment, the sampling site is wiped with alcohol beforehand. Since the treatment of athlete’s foot disease is often based on a clinical diagnosis, which can be incorrect, a pathogen determination should be carried out in the laboratory using a fungus culture, i.e. the cultivation of the fungus on a culture medium, before treatment.

If the patient has already started self-medication, a two-week break should be taken before the pathogen detection.If you have athlete’s foot, a doctor should be consulted in any case. On the one hand to secure the diagnosis and to exclude other diseases with similar symptoms, on the other hand to initiate a suitable therapy. Although home remedies can also be effective against athlete’s foot, this therapy should only be used as an additional therapy, as the effect is much less than that of the medically prescribed medication.

If the athlete’s foot is not treated effectively, it can lead to the fungus spreading over other parts of the foot or even to the other foot. Also nail fungus can then develop. The doctor prescribes an antimycotic to treat the athlete’s foot.

Antimycotics are drugs that specifically combat fungi. If the fungal disease is not yet very advanced, it is sufficient to use an antimycotic for external application, which is applied locally to the affected areas. Here there are creams, gels, solutions, sprays, ointments or powders.

With very strong athlete’s foot, a so-called systemic therapy may also be necessary. This means that an antimycotic is applied which works from the inside, i.e. it must be taken in the form of a tablet. If the affected areas are additionally colonized by bacteria, which manifests itself in strong foot odor, an antibiotic must also be taken.

The medicines against fungus must be taken regularly. It is also important that they are taken over a long period of time, even after the symptoms have subsided, so that the fungus is completely killed. A treatment usually lasts two to four weeks.

Home remedies that help against athlete’s foot include tea tree oil, apple vinegar, garlic rubbing, lavender oil. Care should be taken when using cider vinegar, however, as athlete’s foot often causes cracks in the skin. Also the morning medium jet urine is said to have a healing effect.

Athlete’s foot can also be caused by an intestinal disease. In this case an intestinal rehabilitation is indicated.