Athletes foot, or known medically as Tinea Pedis is a fungal infection of the skin on your feet. It is surprisingly common and the fungus that causes it is called dermatophytes that thrive in the warm, moist and humid conditions that are found in our socks and shoes. It can cause discomfort, embarrassment and even frustration for the sufferer as it rarely gets better on its own.
The symptoms of Athlete’s foot are flaky and dry skin normally in between the toes (Not surprising as fungus likes warm humid conditions) and/or around the soles of the feet, redness and peeling of the skin. Athletes foot is commonly itchy but can also cause pain, stinging or even burning sensations for the sufferer. More extreme cases can cause the skin to blister and even crack.
Other conditions that could cause the above symptoms include general dry skin and other infections or conditions of the skin. This is why an accurate diagnosis is important as they are generally treated differently. But once the correct treatment has been started and is adhered to then Athlete’s foot can clear up quickly.
Athlete’s foot if left untreated can worsen and spread to other areas of the body. The biggest issue is the cracking of the skin can create a portal for further infections that are more serious. If the person also has a compromised immune system such as people with Diabetes, then the crack can also take a long time to heal and become an ulcer.
How can a professional help?
Fully qualified Podiatrists and Foot Health Practitioners can use their knowledge, expertise and experience to help you and your foot problem if its Athlete’s foot or something else. This is how we do it at North Devon Footcare:
1. Assess: We will take a medical history and ask you questions about the problem. We then assess the feet both visually and physically.
2. Diagnosis: Using all the information obtained in the assessment stage we will make a diagnosis of your problem. Whatever the diagnosis is, we will give you the treatment options including ones we don’t offer at North Devon Footcare. Treatment options for Athlete’s foot include antifungal creams or sprays, or even oral antifungals that your GP will have to prescribe.
3. Treatment plan: After discussion about treatment options, we will agree on a treatment plan moving forward. The treatment plan we propose will take into account your medical conditions and history, personal preferences, treatment goals and what we feel in our judgement will give you the best possible outcome. For most treatment plans we will be able to provide you with anti-fungal creams etc.
4. Education and prevention: A big part of any treatment plan you receive at North Devon Footcare is education and tips on how to self-manage a problem in the short term and long term. For Athlete’s foot, any self-management strategies to help cure the problem will also be prevention strategies to stop the condition reoccurring in the future.
If you think you may have athletes foot or any other foot problem that you would like assistance with, give us a ring or you can book an appointment online here
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