Fungal Disease Treatment

The text is presented for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor. Recommended reading: “Why not self-medicate?”. Fungal diseases, also known as mycoses, include a group of diseases that occur when the skin, mucous membranes, eyes, and sometimes internal organs are affected by pathogenic or opportunistic fungi.

It is believed that human immunity protects it from most fungal diseases. Moreover, normally certain types of fungus are present in the intestines, on the mucous membranes and on the surface of the skin, but up to a certain point they are “in a dormant state”, in other words, they do not attack the body. This state of affairs persists until the so-called “microbial balance” is disturbed. If this balance is disturbed for some reason (exhaustion, serious illness, abuse of antibiotics or other drugs), fungi begin to multiply actively.

Mycoses are diseases that are highly contagious. In addition, they significantly reduce the quality of life by causing not only physical but also psychological discomfort. Fungal lesions are the cause of serious cosmetic problems, provoking self-doubt, the development of psychological complexes and phobias, complicating the skin care procedure.

In the event that the patient delays with treatment or the technique is chosen incorrectly, complications may develop, including generalized fungal infections of the whole organism.

Fungal diseases of the skin

Fungal infections of the skin are usually manifested by a change in the color of the skin, the appearance of spots, itching and peeling. Of course, these symptoms are already very unpleasant in themselves and are the reason for a visit to a dermatologist, but the main danger of the disease is that the waste products of fungi are serious toxins that literally poison the human body. As a result, not only the surface of the skin is deformed, but chronic diseases are exacerbated, intolerance to certain products or medications appears, complications of a bacterial or viral nature arise. Therefore, fungal skin diseases should be taken very seriously and not delayed with a visit to the doctor. Medical products (drugs, medicines, vitamins, medicines) are mentioned for informational purposes only. We do not recommend using them without a doctor’s prescription. Recommended reading: “Why can’t you take medications without a doctor’s prescription?”. In order to choose the most effective treatment tactics, specialists must first of all determine what kind of fungal skin infection they had to deal with. For this, a thorough study is carried out: microscopic and / or cultural diagnostics. The microscopic method includes studies of the patient’s scrapings from nails, skin or hair scales. Thus, the presence or absence of a fungal infection as such is revealed. In order to identify which fungal disease the patient suffers from, fungi are grown in a special nutrient medium, and then the grown colony is evaluated and examined.

Types of fungal skin diseases

To date, there are several types of fungal skin diseases. All of them have their own clinical manifestations and require specific treatment:

1. Keratomycosis is a disease in which the fungus affects only the top layer of the skin. One of the most common forms of keratomycosis is pityriasis versicolor, also called versicolor. It is a slightly scaly patches of pinkish-brown color. As a rule, it manifests itself on the chest, back, shoulders and neck. It is noteworthy that this disease does not cause any inflammatory reactions. Victims of multicolored lichen are usually teenagers and middle-aged people, and the peak incidence occurs in the spring.
2. Dermatomycoses are diseases in which the outer layer of the skin, the dermis, as well as the nails and scalp, become the “victims” of the fungus. It is this group that includes the most common fungal infections – fungal infections of the hands and feet. The victims of the last of these diseases are usually people who suffer from excessive sweating of the legs, as well as those who often visit public saunas or pools. Endocrine problems and wearing rubber shoes also contribute to the development of fungal diseases of the feet. With a mild form of the disease, the skin is only slightly flaky, there is a slight reddening of the areas between the fingers, as well as itching, which intensifies after contact with water. If you do not start treatment, then the symptoms will intensify, calluses, erosion, swelling and hyperemia of the skin appear.
3. Candidiasis is a disease in which the skin, intestines, mucous membranes, and genital organs can be affected. The causative agent of this disease is the yeast-like fungus Candida, which begins to multiply actively as soon as the body’s resistance decreases. Therefore, at risk are primarily children, the elderly, as well as those who have significantly weakened immunity. Candidiasis most often develops in skin folds. The skin turns red, and the inflamed area always has clear boundaries. The affected skin is moist and may be covered with a white coating.
4. Sporotrichosis. This fungus affects both the superficial and deep layers of the skin. Subcutaneous tissue, mucous membranes and internal organs also suffer. Most often, nodules of sporotrichosis appear on the skin of the hands, on the legs and in the inguinal region.
5. Deep coccidioid mycosis is one of the most dangerous types of the disease, since it affects not only the skin, but also the internal organs of a person. If medical care is not provided in a timely manner, the person may die.

Treatment methods for fungal skin diseases

For the treatment of fungal skin lesions, as a rule, three methods of therapy are used. The first of these involves the use of topical drugs, the second – oral therapy, and, finally, the third – a combination of the first two options.

Topical drugs are a variety of ointments, gels, suspensions and other preparations. Their peculiarity is that they act exclusively on the focus of the disease, while not entering the bloodstream. As a rule, such agents are used if a relatively small area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe skin is affected by the fungus.

The duration of treatment varies. It can be from a week to several months in the event that therapy was not started immediately after the detection of the disease. Apply external agents several times a day.

Oral drugs affect not only the affected area, but the entire body. As a rule, they have a wide range of side effects, and therefore most often the course of treatment is not too long. These funds are used for significant areas of damage, as well as for advanced forms of the disease.

Combination therapy is often used. Topical preparations reduce the intensity of symptoms and accelerate healing, while tablets eliminate the causative agent of the disease.

Another nuance is extremely important: no matter what type of therapy is used, it is impossible to interrupt the course on your own. The scheme according to which the drugs will be used, as well as the duration of treatment, is determined by the doctor, based on the symptoms and type of fungal infection:

1. An indispensable condition for the successful treatment of keratomycosis is meticulous hygiene and reduced sweating. Antifungal and antibacterial drugs are used both externally and internally. The affected areas of the skin are carefully treated with solutions of sodium hyposulfite and salicylic acid.
2. With ringworm, you should follow a diet with a minimum presence of sweet and salty foods in the diet. Antihistamines are prescribed to relieve itching, as well as vitamins. Local manifestations help to remove rubbing and lotions based on solutions of salicylic acid and iodine, as well as tar ointment. Fungal infections of the feet require careful hygiene, a temporary refusal to visit the beach and pool. Antifungal ointments, lotions with a cooling effect, antimycotic and corticosteroid preparations are used.
3. With candidiasis of the skin, systemic antibacterial drugs are completely canceled. Antifungal therapy is carried out with ointments and creams, lesions are treated with antiseptics. It is mandatory to take drugs that will help restore the intestinal microflora. Baking, sweet foods, foods containing simple carbohydrates are excluded from the diet.
4. For the treatment of skin manifestations of sporotrichosis, antifungal drugs of the latest generation, as well as potassium iodide, are used.
5. Treatment of deep coccidioid mycosis involves the use of modern antimycotic drugs. It should be borne in mind that most of them are extremely toxic, and therefore they cannot be used to treat patients suffering from liver or kidney failure.

Treatment of skin fungus folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers a huge number of recipes for the treatment of fungal skin diseases. Many of them are quite effective, however, before using herbal decoctions and tinctures, it is imperative to consult a doctor.

1. Grind the peppermint leaves and add some salt to them. Rub thoroughly, the finished mass can be applied to the affected areas in the treatment of foot fungus.
2. 10 g of lilac flowers pour 120 g of alcohol. Within two weeks, the product should be infused in a dry and dark place. After that, strain and wipe the affected areas.
3. Wipe the places of fungal infection with cocklebur leaf juice.
4. Mix oak bark, verbena officinalis, gray blackberry fruits, calendula inflorescences and horsetail in a ratio of 3:2:2:2:2. Pour three tablespoons of the collection with a glass of boiled water and boil over very low heat for a quarter of an hour. After cooling, use a decoction for lotions.
5. In case of fungal infection of the nails with a plaster, fix a previously mashed fresh leaf of Kalanchoe on the nail plate.

Fungal diseases of ENT organs

According to statistics, every fourth patient who has been diagnosed with diseases of the ENT organs of a chronic nature suffers from a fungal infection.

At the same time, diseases of the ears, nose and throat are caused not only by pathogenic fungi, but also by those that are present in a healthy body – for example, Candida yeast-like fungi.

As soon as the microbial balance in the body is disturbed, increased reproduction of the fungus begins.

Fungal diseases of the throat are called pharyngomycosis, fungal diseases of the ears are called otomycosis. Rhinomycosis is fungal infections of the paranasal sinuses and nasal mucosa, and laryngomycosis is a chronic laryngitis provoked by fungi.

Causes of fungal diseases of ENT organs

The causes of fungal infections of the ENT organs vary. The development of mycoses can be triggered by both internal and external factors.

Let’s highlight the main ones:

1. Immune disorders. The reason for the decrease in the body’s resistance can be not only diseases, but also the uncontrolled intake of various drugs, primarily antibiotics and corticosteroids. The abuse of antiseptics can also provoke fungal infections of the throat, as a result of which the microflora of the mucous membrane suffers.
2. Increased blood sugar due to diabetes.
3. Change in hormonal background. This problem is mostly faced by older women. Dryness of the mucous membranes is one of the factors in the development of a fungal infection.
4. Mucosal microtrauma. It is they who most often become the cause of the development of otomycosis. Injured skin secretes interstitial fluid, which is an excellent breeding ground for the development of a fungal infection. At the same time, the thickness of the skin of the outer ear is only half a millimeter, so it is easy to injure it. It is noteworthy that often we do not even notice it. Injury to the skin of the ear is possible even with an ordinary cotton swab, which many people use to remove earwax. Also, otomycosis can develop due to the fact that water got into the ear while swimming.
5. Pharyngomycosis is often called a disease of removable dentures. If they were chosen incorrectly, a fungal infection may develop.
6. Another reason for the occurrence of fungal infections of the ENT organs is problems with the teeth. Caries contributes to the development of fungal diseases of the paranasal sinuses. Often, fungal spores are introduced into this area after poor-quality treatment of the fourth, fifth and sixth teeth of the upper jaw – their roots either grow into the paranasal sinuses or are adjacent to their bottom. Therefore, it is impossible to delay the treatment of teeth, and the choice of a dentist should be approached very responsibly.
7. Fungal infections of the larynx, also known as laryngomycosis, often develop under the influence of harmful environmental factors. These diseases affect people who, by the nature of their activities, often inhale dust, acid or alkali fumes, as well as other chemicals. In addition, the delicate mucous membrane of the larynx can be damaged by too hot drinks or food and strong alcoholic drinks.
8. The cause of laryngomycosis is often also GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease. Fungal infection occurs due to the backflow of acidic contents from the stomach into the esophagus and larynx.

Symptoms of fungal diseases of ENT organs

Fungal diseases of the ENT organs are often confused with manifestations of the common cold or SARS.

Indeed, the symptoms are somewhat similar:

1. Pharyngomycosis is manifested by discomfort in the throat, burning, dryness and perspiration. In this case, the discomfort is more pronounced than with a bacterial lesion. The pain is classified as moderate but worsens with swallowing and eating hot or spicy foods. Pain can radiate to the submandibular area, as well as to the ear area. In addition, with pharyngomycosis, the mucous membrane of the throat swells, plaque forms on it. Patients complain of general symptoms of intoxication.
2. Manifestations of otomycosis are hearing loss and discomfort in the ear. The external auditory meatus may turn red. Patients complain that the ear seems to be “bursting” from the inside, as if there is some kind of foreign body in it. There is also a thick discharge from the ear canal, which may be white, yellow, or almost black.
3. Rhinomycosis is manifested by frequent nosebleeds, increased dryness of the nasal mucosa, pain and “bursting” of the paranasal sinuses.
4. Companions of laryngomycosis are a dry cough, a change in the timbre of the voice. A “curdled”, whitish coating appears on the tonsils. The cervical lymph nodes often become inflamed. There may also be cracks in the corners of the lips, which do not heal for a long time and are very painful.

Treatment of fungal diseases of ENT organs

Fungal infections of the ENT organs can be treated worse than bacterial ones. This is explained by the specific structure of the fungal cell membrane. Therefore, they are resistant to the action of even the most modern antimycotic drugs.

Before conducting drug therapy, the doctor must necessarily conduct a laboratory examination of a swab from the throat and ear. If a fungal infection of the sinuses is suspected, an x-ray or computed tomography is performed.

For the treatment of mycoses of ENT organs, antimycotic drugs of external and internal action are used. The use of immunostimulating drugs is also recommended. For the treatment of mycosis of the sinuses of the nose, surgery is often necessary.

Fungal diseases of the eyes

Fungal infections of the eyes are considered one of the most serious mycoses, because they are difficult to treat. They do not occur too often, but in total there are more than fifty species of fungus that can provoke ophthalmic mycoses. In childhood, fungal eye infections are more common than in adults.

Types of eye fungus

The most common cause of fungal infections of the organs of vision are the following microorganisms:

1. Aspergillosis is a fungus that is commonly found on human skin. With normal immunity, they do not affect the organs of vision, and with a decrease in the body’s resistance, they can cause ophthalmological problems.
2. Candidiasis of the organs of vision is provoked by yeast-like fungi that are present in the human body as a conditionally pathogenic microflora.
3. Sporotrichosis can develop when it comes into contact with the surface of the eyeball or the mucous membrane of fungi that live in the soil.
4. Actinomycosis provoke the so-called radiant fungi that enter the body through damaged skin.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of mycosis of the eyes are the same, regardless of the type of fungus that provoked them. Patients complain of burning and itching, drying of the mucous membrane of the eyes. Increased lacrimation begins, the whites of the eyes turn red. The clarity of vision is reduced, patients complain of “veil”, “fog”, clouding, feeling of “sand in the eyes”. Nodules and dense formations may appear under the eyelid, ulcers and wounds on the surface of the eyelid. With a serious fungal infection, purulent discharge is present, the eye swells.

Causes of fungal eye infections

It is believed that if the immune system is functioning normally, a person is completely protected from the development of an eye fungus. Therefore, almost the main risk group are people with reduced body resistance.

In addition, fungal infections of the eyes can also occur due to other reasons. These are various household or industrial injuries, antibiotic abuse, diabetes mellitus. Also, fungal eye infections can develop in people who use contact lenses, but do not follow the rules for their operation. In particular, mycosis can provoke wearing lenses longer than the period specified by the manufacturer.

In some cases, the fungus passes to the mucous membrane of the eye with mycosis of the skin on the face.

Treatment of fungal eye diseases

Mycosis of the organs of vision is a serious disease that needs timely and thorough treatment. Only in this case can serious consequences be avoided – ranging from reduced visual acuity and complete blindness to brain disorders.

First of all, the ophthalmologist must determine the cause of the disease and the type of fungus that caused it. For a correct diagnosis, the patient must provide information about all chronic and congenital diseases, as well as the medications that he takes. A scraping is also performed from the conjunctiva of the eye.

In most cases, the treatment of mycoses of the eyes is carried out on an outpatient basis. If the disease is advanced, then the patient may be hospitalized.

Most often, for the treatment of fungal eye damage, Okomistin drops are used, the active ingredient of which is the broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug Miramistin. It is effective in the treatment of most known types of fungus. This drug can be used in the treatment of patients of any age, however, the dosage is selected individually in each case.

If the disease is severe, then injections of Amphotericin B are also used.

It must be taken into account that the drugs used to treat fungal infections of the organs of vision are very potent and have a serious effect on the entire body. Therefore, it is extremely important to strictly observe the dosage and follow the recommendations of the doctor. The unsystematic and uncontrolled use of drugs can lead to a deterioration in the condition.

It should be borne in mind that the fungus can not only move to the mucous membrane of the eye from the skin of the face, but in some cases “migrate” in the opposite direction – from the mucous membrane of the eyes to healthy skin. As a rule, this happens only if the mycosis of the eyes is extremely neglected, and the person’s immunity is reduced. Therefore, in the treatment of fungal eye damage, hygiene must be observed.

Treatment of eye fungus with traditional medicine

Traditional medicine offers a fairly large number of recipes for the treatment of fungal diseases of the organs of vision. Some of them are effective, but in any case, the use of such methods must be agreed with the attending physician. This will make sure that traditional treatment and traditional treatment will not be mutually exclusive due to the incompatibility of the components used.

So, in order to alleviate the patient’s condition, tea leaves can be used. It is used for compresses and lotions. It should be borne in mind that tea alone will not relieve the fungus, but it will help alleviate the symptoms: burning, itching and pain.

A decoction of yarrow and calamus is also used. To prepare it, mix one tablespoon of herbs and pour this mixture with 500 ml of boiling water. After the product has cooled, it is used to wash the eyes.

Fresh cucumbers are also used to relieve symptoms. A small cucumber is peeled, then finely chopped and poured with 500 ml of boiling water. After that, half a teaspoon of soda is added to the mixture. Within an hour, the remedy should be infused, and then it must be filtered through cheesecloth. When the composition has cooled, a cotton pad is moistened in it and applied to the sore eye. It is necessary to keep such a compress for an hour.

Finally, we note that any diseases of a fungal nature are easier to prevent than to treat, so their prevention, hygiene, and increasing the body’s resistance play an extremely important role.

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