Some fungi can be found on and in the human body, certain conditions can trigger them and cause problems, but they generally serve their purpose. [what it was designed to do] without ever making a person sick or causing discomfort.
The most common fungal infections
* ringworm – a round ring-shaped infection that is highly infectious [can cross infect from person to person]it is usually found on all skin surfaces but can also infect the nails [as tinea]. It starts slowly, but if left untreated it can infect the entire surface of the body and cause a lot of itching and discomfort.
* Athlete’s foot/foot: mainly infects between the toes, but can also be found on the sides of the feet or in and around the toenails.
Candida – mainly infects moist areas of the body [groin and upper thighs] but it is also known to infect toenails. This fungus is also known as thrush and can cause diaper rash. [on babies] and vaginal infections [in women]
Jock itch – The upper thighs and groin area are the main areas infected with this fungus
some symptoms
redness
itch
dryness
cracked skin
inflamed skin
raised bumps
burning sensation
smelly discharge
Hair loss
Symptoms depend on the area that the fungus has infected. [you will not lose your hair if you have athletes feet for example]infection care should be started as early as possible to prevent further infection and cross-infection [ringworm, athletes foot etc].
Causes
* Athlete’s foot – wearing dirty socks [or sharing with an infected person]using public showers or pools, not drying between the toes and having very sweaty and wet feet that are not taken care of.
* Jock Itch – Poor personal hygiene in that area could cause this [as well as thrush]. Wearing dirty underwear and having a very sweaty muzzle also contribute to this problem.
* Candida: a form of thrush that infects moist areas, poor personal hygiene, and wearing dirty underwear [diapers in the case of babies with nappy rash] are also a trigger for this problem.
*tub [also know as tinea] – is usually spread from one infected animal or person to another by physical contact. This fungus is very contagious and it is very important to practice good personal hygiene and avoid infected animals or people.
Antibiotics, poor diet, diabetes, cancer, and some other serious illnesses can also make people susceptible to yeast infection; this is because the sick person already has a weakened immune system.
Home remedies
* yogurt – applied as a topical treatment to the infected area [must be fungal] or taken as food for an internal infection [vaginal infection]
* apple cider vinegar – applied as a topical ointment for skin infections [must be fungal]
* aloe – applied as an ointment alone or mixed with olive oil to the fungus-infected area
* vitamin E oil – mixed with baby oil and aloe, applied topically to the fungal infection
* tea tree oil – applied topically to fungal-infected areas
* garlic: apply raw garlic to the area, avoid sensitive areas for this treatment, it may smell bad but it works
Remember to eat right and drink plenty of fluids at this time, this will help your immune system fight off the fungal infection.
Over-the-counter medications will also help clear the infection, if there has been no noticeable change after a few days, see your doctor for diagnosis and prescribed medication or treatment for the condition.
