Fungal infection (tinea infection): symptoms, medications, etc. • hello healthy

Definition

What is a fungal infection (tinea infection)?

Tinea (or black pipe) infection is a disease caused by many different fungi. These fungi affect different parts of the body. The symptoms of this fungal infection are named based on where the fungus occurs, such as fungi on the entire body skin (tinea corporis), scalp fungus (tinea capitis), foot tinea (tinea pedis, foot ringworm), tinea cruris (tinea cruris), and toenail fungus (tinea unguium).

Symptoms of yeast infection, causes of yeast infection, and fungal infection drugs, will be explained further below.

How common is fungal infection (tinea infection)?

People in the following conditions often suffer from tinea:

• People who often live in warm and humid places such as swimming pools and public locker rooms.
• People who frequently share personal items such as towels, clothes, or sporting goods.
• People who have frequent contact with animals or fungi on animal skins.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a fungal infection (tinea infection)?

The common symptom that appears is itching. Sometimes the skin exfoliates or peels.

On the body, tinea begins to appear light scattered, round or oval in shape, red or brown in color, appears on the skin and causes itching. The skin may develop plaques, as well as become scaly hard with sharp edges and slightly blistered.

While the skin is still scaly and has red rashes, this disease can be transmitted to other people. Conditions such as friction or scratching can cause swelling, tearing, and promote infection.

Moldy skin disease often develops on the legs or body. There are many types of skin fungi such as:

• Thigh skin fungal disease: is tinea which usually appears on the inside of the thigh. Thigh tinea often causes severe pain and irritation, often accompanied by a red, fungal-like rash that can spread between the body. The red rash on the skin is usually a swelling of the tumor and the skin color differs from the surrounding color.
• Foot skin fungal disease: is a fungal disease that usually occurs on the skin between the toes and on the back of the foot. Tinea feet often cause itching, a red, scaly rash, dead skin, burning, mild blisters, and a musty or unpleasant odor. Dry layers of skin can peel or crack, often itching in the area between the toes.
• Scalp fungal disease: the initial symptoms are redness and swelling of the scalp, then hair loss. Parts of the hair that are infected are often brittle and fall off easily. There may be pustules, what are known as honeycomb fungal hairs, or areas of the affected skin such as blisters, small swellings and filled with pus. Some people may experience swelling or brittle skin, accompanied by a flow of water. Severe fungal skin disease can cause fever and lead to enlarged lymph nodes.
• Colored fungal disease: signs often appear, but some people feel a little tingling and sweating a lot. Fungal infections can come in many different colors and are accompanied by small, scaly, pink, white or dark brown spots that have hard edges. This disease usually occurs on the upper arms, chest, back, neck and sometimes on the face. Light-colored skin may show pale or brown-red spots, but dark skin can show dark spots. The infected skin is often an abnormally brown color.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Call your doctor if you have itchy, red, scaly skin accompanied by swelling that is blistered like a U-letter, and the condition does not improve after 2 weeks of over-the-counter antifungal medication.

In case of a skin fungal infection, you should contact your doctor. Signs of a bacterial infection include:

• The level of pain is getting worse, swelling, redness, or burning.
• Red patches appear that spread from the infected area.
• Discharge.
• 38oC body temperature or high fever with no known cause.
• The red rash still spreads after treatment.

Cause

What causes yeast infection (tinea infection)?

The cause of fungal skin disease is not worms, but a small number of fungi that can only be seen under a microscope known as dermatophytes (tinea). Popular malassezia furfur, Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton. The fungus that causes tinea is usually very small, visible only under a microscope and has the ability to thrive in warm, humid environments. People with hormonal changes in the body make the immune system weak and susceptible to skin fungi compared to normal conditions.

Come into contact with people who have tinea can also cause this disease. This disease is transmitted by:

• Equipment that is shared with other patients.
• Exposure to fungal infections in other patients.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for a yeast infection (tinea infection)?

Certain factors that increase your risk of developing a yeast infection include:

• Children younger than 15 years;
• Living in a humid or crowded environment;
• Close contact with infected people or sick animals;
• Sharing clothes, blankets or towels on fungal skin infections;
• Doing sports that involve direct skin contact;
• Wear tight clothes;
• Weak immune system;
• Those infected with a fungus may be susceptible or may have previously been infected with a fungus.

Drugs & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for a yeast infection (tinea infection)?

For mild cases, you can use non-prescription drugs (creams, skin ointments, or antifungal powders). However, the patient should use the anti-fungal cream prescribed by the doctor. You should continue treatment with this medicine within 7 days after the infected area heals.

Your doctor may also prescribe an anti-fungal cream that is rubbed into the affected area or an oral anti-fungal medication for more serious cases. Your doctor may also prescribe a type of medication (such as griseofulvin or terbinafine) for serious or persistent infections. Use of this drug must be completed according to your doctor's instructions. If not, the disease will recur.

In some rare cases, this drug causes changes in liver function and your doctor will ask you to do laboratory tests to make sure that your liver is working normally. Meanwhile, the doctor will monitor the dose during the treatment period.

The treatment period may vary depending on where the dermatophyte appears. This disease is a systemic progressive fungal development that can recover within 4 weeks of treatment. Thigh tinea usually gets better sooner i.e. after 2-8 weeks of treatment and foot tinea may take even longer to promote better treatment. The treatment period for colored tinea lasts from 1 to 2 weeks, but can also last up to 1 month.

What are the usual tests for a fungal infection (tinea infection)?

Doctors diagnose by skin test. The doctor may take a small skin sample to test for the presence of a yeast infection if the diagnosis is not clear. This sample will be analyzed under a microscope. The results of the analysis are usually available after a few days.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat a yeast infection (tinea infection)?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with tinea infections:

• Use medication as directed.
• Body condition must be kept clean. Take a shower every day.
• Keep the area affected by the skin fungus clean and dry.
• Do not scratch or rub the infected area.
• Don't share personal items with other people.
• Avoid using the bathroom in public places.
• Wear comfortable underwear (to prevent thigh tinea).
• Use cotton socks and sneakers with small holes for good air circulation to keep your feet dry (to prevent foot tinea).
• Wear clean, dry clothes. Avoid wearing nylon fabrics. Wear cotton or clothing that absorbs sweat.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.