Athlete's Foot Information Manual
By CH Woods
Athlete's foot, also called tinea pedi, is a fungal infection that can affect the top layer of the skin on your foot, particularly when it is moist and warm. Athlete's foot is actually a type of ringworm.
Types of Athlete's Foot
Most instances of athlete's foot are hardly visible aside from the somewhat dry and flaky skin. If the infection becomes worse, you will suffer from extremely dry, peeling, and red skin. It generally affects the skin between your toes, although it can spread to the edges and top of the feet in addition to the hands.
There are three common types of athlete's foot:
- Inflammatory: In cases like this the skin of your feet are affected by blisters.
- Interdigital: Infection occurs between the toes.
- Moccasin: Affects only the bottom of your feet.
During treatment, you have to completely cover every area of the fungal infection in order to avoid the infection from returning. This means that if you only focus on treating the bottom parts of your feet while overlooking the infection within your toenails, the infection will not be eliminated and will come back before you know it.
Causes of Athlete's Foot
Everyone has fungi and bacteria on their skin, nearly all of which are safe. The fungi that are the main causes for infection resemble plant life in that they eat broken down natural tissues. The key forms of fungi that trigger skin infections like athlete's foot include mold, tinea, and candida.
The infection may be transferred by means of direct contact, especially if you touch the fungi and do not wash your hands afterwards. You may also get infected by indirect contact, which can involve infected towels, clothing, and linen.
In general, the fungi flourish best in humid and warm environments, which explains why the feet are an ideal breeding ground if not kept dry. Also, this is why locations such as changing rooms, showers, and swimming pools are all popular places for the fungal infection to be spread.
Additional Problems
As stated, athlete's foot is usually a mild problem, which in rare cases, causes more severe problems. Although it is usually easily treated, it is advisable to deal with the infection before the fungi has an opportunity to reproduce and spread, as letting it spread can make dealing with it much harder.
If not taken care of quickly and effectively, athlete's foot can lead to one of the three problems below.
- Cellulitis: Once within your body, bacteria may cause the infection to multiply nearly instantly since some forms discharge chemicals that break down skin tissues. If left without treatment, this can possibly bring about severe health conditions.
- Interior Bacterial infections: Serious athlete's foot could cause cracked skin, which exposes the delicate raw tissue below. Although fungi generally only grow on the outside of your skin, bacteria is likely to thrive within the body and may result in a more serious infection if it gains access.
- Nail Fungus: If athlete's foot is not handled with speed it can very easily spread to your nails, causing them to become thick and discolored. The skin underneath the nail could also become painful and swollen, which makes it difficult to walk or put on shoes.
Treatment for Athlete's Foot
In most cases, athlete's foot is simply an annoying, somewhat uncomfortable fungal infection that can successfully be treated with a good over-the-counter medicine purchased from your local drug store.
It is very important, however, to deal with the condition the instant you notice it to stop it from becoming something more severe, so schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to find out the best way to take care of it.
CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic & Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles and free ebooks on health and environmental solutions.
At Home Relief for Chickenpox
By CH Woods
Chickenpox is a type of viral contamination that brings about itchy rashes.
This condition is extremely contagious, but only to those who have not had a vaccine for it or have never experienced the infection before.
Before the days of the chickenpox vaccination, practically all people were infected before they became adults, at times with severe side effects.
These days, the amount of cases has decreased significantly. For most of us, chickenpox is a minor illness. Nevertheless, it's far better to get vaccinated. The chickenpox vaccine is a risk-free and powerful way to protect against chickenpox and its complications.
Symptoms of Chickenpox : Chickenpox typically lasts around five to ten days. A rash is a sign of chickenpox.
Some other symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of Appetite
- Overall Weakness
The Three Phases of Chickenpox
- Red or pink bumps that show up over many days
- Blisters filled with fluid developing on the elevated lumps. The blister will crack and leak around a day after.
- Scabs will begin to cover the blisters. They will take several days to a week to heal. Do not scratch them off or else you may cause scarring.
Brand new lumps will continue to keep appear for several days. It is possible that you might have all three phases of the rash simultaneously a day after the rash appears. Once you have chickenpox, you can start to spread the virus for as much as two days before the rash shows up and you can still spread the virus until all the spots begin to scab.
The condition is normally mild in those who are healthy. In serious cases, the rash can spread to throughout the entire body, causing bumps to appear in your eyes and throat.
The likelihood that you will catch chickenpox is greater if you:
- Did not receive a vaccination for chickenpox.
- Have not yet had chickenpox.
- Work in an environment with children who are prone to the infection.
- Have children of your own.
The majority of adults in the United State has received a chickenpox vaccination or is immune to the virus.
Complications of Chickenpox: Chickenpox is usually a harmless disease. However there are cases where the infection is severe which can cause complications like:
- Pneumonia
- Toxic Shock Syndrome - an acute, potentially fatal circulatory failure
- Encephalitis - Inflamed Brain
- Bacterial Infections in Your Blood, Bones, Skin, and Joints
Tips to Avoid Scratching
Scratching bumps can result in skin damage and scarring. It will also increase the chances of infections, so if you or your child need help to stop the scratching, you should try:
- Wearing gloves on your hands. This is especially helpful while you are sleeping to prevent unconscious scratching.
- Trimming your fingernails to lower the chances of breaking the blister.
Recommendations for Relief: Chickenpox rashes tend to be extremely itchy and when the blisters break that can be a bit painful as well. These problems, together with the symptoms like a fever, can be quite agonizing.
To help find relief, you should try one of the methods below.
- Apply itch-relief cream to the blisters to prevent scratching and pain.
- Eat a diet of soft foods if the chickenpox has infected your mouth.
- Take a cool bath with oatmeal and baking soda added.
When to Visit Your Doctor
If you believe that you have chickenpox, give your doctor a call. A medical professional can help you determine the best way to deal with it.
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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic and Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions
A Quick Guide to the West Nile Virus
By CH Woods
West Nile virus is the result of being infected with a virus carried by mosquitoes.
The majority of people infected with the West Nile virus do not usually suffer from any symptoms, though in uncommon cases a person may suffer from minor conditions like a headache or low fever.
On the other hand, there are rare cases where people who are infected with West Nile virus end up with a deadly condition that involves the inflammation of their brain.
Minor symptoms of the West Nile virus infection typically start to disappear without any type of treatment, however severe symptoms, like a high fever, overall weakness, and migraines, will need instant medical attention or else death might become a possibility.
Needless to say, being bitten by mosquitoes where West Nile virus is found raises your chances of being infected with it. Make sure you properly protect yourself from mosquitoes with mosquito repellent and by putting on clothing that covers most of your skin in order lower your risk.
Signs of the West Nile Virus
As mentioned, typically there are no signs or symptoms that come with West Nile virus.
Roughly one out of five people will develop a condition known as West Nile fever, which includes several symptoms apart from a fever, such as:
- Skin Rashes
- Headaches
- Body Aches
- Back Pain
- Swollen Lymph Glands
- Eye Pain
- Fatigue
It is estimated that one out of one hundred people infected with the West Nile virus will suffer from severe brain infections. This kind of infection can include brain inflammation along with swelling of the membranes around the brain.
Severe infections might also include problems such as inflammation and contamination of the membranes around your spinal cord and severe flaccid (soft, limp, or lacking firmness) paralysis.
Indications of these complications can include:
- Partial Paralysis
- Pain
- Migraines
- Stiff Neck
- Confusion
- Convulsions
- Coma
- Loss of Balance
- Tremors
- Muscle Spasms
- Muscle Weakness
- High Fever
Symptoms of West Nile fever typically keep going for a couple of days, however the signs of brain inflammation along with similar conditions can stick around for weeks at a time. There are cases where certain symptoms, mainly muscle weakness, last for the rest of your life.
West Nile Virus Prevention Tips
The best way to protect against West Nile virus along with other mosquito-related diseases would be to steer clear of them entirely. In order to prevent the West Nile virus, you need to eliminate any breeding grounds nearby.
To reduce your risk one should:
- Do away with any used tires or old containers that can hold water which act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
- Get rid of any standing water in your yard since mosquitoes reproduce in standing water.
- Regularly change the water in your birdbaths.
- Empty out your swimming pool if it is no longer in use.
- Clean out your roof gutters to prevent breeding.
In order to reduce your chances of coming in contact with mosquitoes, you should:
- Put on fully sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are traveling through mosquito-infested areas.
- Wear mosquito repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Select the concentration according to the length of time you need the protection for.
- Refrain from taking part in avoidable outdoor pastimes during times when mosquitoes are out which includes dawn, dusk and the evening.
- Whenever you are outside, protect your infant's baby stroller or playpen with a mosquito netting to keep them out.
When to See A Medical Professional
Minor symptoms of the West Nile fever typically get better by themselves. In the event you suffer from symptoms like a stiff neck, loss of balance, confusion, or a severe headache then make sure you seek professional medical care as quickly as possible.
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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic and Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.
