Athlete's foot medication

introduction

One in three adults has had athlete's foot infection, and most of the time you get this pathogen in a swimming pool, sauna or bathroom. The disease, also known as tinea pedia, is contagious and can therefore be transmitted relatively quickly if adequate and consistent treatment is not started.

Please also read: How contagious is athlete's foot?

In addition to general measures such as foot disinfection and regular shoe and sock changes, there are also some medications that are successfully used against athlete's foot. The group of drugs used to treat athlete's foot is also known as antimycotics (anti-fungal agents). Their mechanism of action can inhibit the growth of the fungi or even kill them off completely. If the fungal findings are not too pronounced, an attempt can be made to apply the antimycotic agent locally to the affected skin areas. Come here:

• Gels
• Anoint
• Lotions and
• Powder used.

There are numerous active ingredients that have an antifungal effect and are assigned to the drug group.

For more information, see the main article athlete's foot or our article on mushrooms.

If the athlete's foot is correspondingly pronounced, it must be considered whether instead of a local application, perhaps one systemic fungal treatment with tablets should be carried out. The drug Terbinafine is often used in mushroom therapy. There is the possibility of the active ingredient as a local application in the form of Gels, lotions or Sprays to be applied to the affected skin areas or to be taken systemically in the form of a tablet. The tablet form acts against fungi throughout the body and can be dosed in different amounts. As a rule, you start with the lowest dose and then increase it if it is not enough. The active ingredient has an inhibitory effect on a specific enzyme that is responsible for the cell wall of the fungus. When the drug is used, a porous cell wall develops and the athlete's foot dies.

Clotrimazole is also a commonly used drug.This active group also inhibits the build-up of the cell wall of the fungus elsewhere and lets it die off after a relatively short period of use. Clotrimazole can be applied to the affected skin areas as a powder, gel, or lotion.

Miconazole is a modification of clotrimazole and works in a similar way and with approximately the same intensity. The duration of treatment should also take place in a similar time. Bifonazole can also be used to treat athlete's foot. The advantage is that the duration of action is considerably longer and is therefore superior to the other preparations. In addition to the longer duration of action, this has drug Another anti-inflammatory component and can be used especially on irritated or inflamed skin.

Treatment of athlete's foot

Treatment of Athlete's foot is not a difficult procedure in most cases. By having a wide range of over-the-counter drugs is present, treatment can be done in many places without seeing a doctor. But it is important that one Athlete's foot disease If the treatment is not carried out, it can be dangerous if the fungus is the whole Body circulation infested. Therefore, treatment must definitely take place. If the problem is resolved by treating with over-the-counter drugs not improved, then a doctor should be consulted and if necessary prescription drugs to be switched.

Treatment with the active ingredients to be applied to the skin Clotrimazole, Bifonazole and Miconazole takes place over two to four weeks by applying a Cream or ointment on the affected area. This takes place depending on the strength of the fungus or depending on the doctor's prescription one to three times a day. A topical (local) drug that is much shorter to use is that Terbinafine. This is over the period of a week to use. This is in contrast to the others mentioned above though prescription only.

When treating with tablets, the period of intake varies widely and depends on the active ingredient used. Consultation with the attending physician should be held here.

Athlete's foot tablets

The use of Tablets in fungus treatment are mostly relevant to systemic treatment a fungal infection, i.e. a fungus that does not grow superficially on the skin, but rather spreads throughout the body various organs affected Has.

In contrast to most creams and other superficial preparations, most tablets are not available over the counter or pharmacy-only, but are available prescription onlyThe use of tablets for the treatment of athlete's foot is indicated if it is extreme manifestations and the athlete's foot cannot be treated optimally from the outside.

An active ingredient used in tablet form is that Terbinafine, which can also be purchased in topical (locally applicable) form. In Tablet form and cream form a doctor's prescription is required. Depending on the severity of the athlete's foot infection, treatment with 250mg per day between 4 weeks and 3 months last.

As a tablet can also Itraconazole be prescribed. This is a Triazole (Drug that interferes with the formation of the fungal cell wall). Be here between 100mg and 200mg For four or two weeks prescribed depending on the severity of the fungal attack.

This is also a triazole Fluconazole. This must be taken over a longer period of time until the fungal infection disappears. Treatment can up to 12 months take advantage of.

Another prescription drug is this Griseofulvin. This works on the so-called spindle apparatus of fungi that attack the skin (so-called dermatophytes). The spindle apparatus is a system of elongated protein chains, which are of great importance in the division of the chromosomes and thus the cells due to the build-up and breakdown. Only when this division takes place can the fungus grow, multiply and heal if damaged. The normal daily dose used is for adults 500mg. More precise periods of intake and dosages must be discussed with the attending physician.

A possibly existing pregnancy is a absolute contraindication, the drug must therefore under no circumstances be taken during pregnancy.

Over-the-counter drugs

A wide variety of drugs are available for treating fungal infections and can be obtained without a prescription from a doctor.

A distinction must be made between over-the-counter and pharmacy-only drugs. Pharmacy-only drugs can only be bought in pharmacies, while over-the-counter drugs e.g. can also be sold in the drugstore.

For most types of athlete's foot, the use of a topical antifungal (anti-athlete's foot medication) is sufficient. Topically acting athlete's foot remedies are locally applied creams, ointments, sprays, gels and other forms that have to be applied to the respective area.

It should be noted that the antimycotics have different modes of action. Depending on which drug is used, there are different application times and frequencies with which the drug must be used.

A frequently used active ingredient is clotrimazole (Canesten®, Antifungol Hexal®). This is a fungostatic agent - that means the fungi are not killed, but their reproduction is inhibited. It is used one to three times a day over a period of 2-4 weeks until the infection has subsided.

Another fungostatic active ingredient is bifonazole (Canesten Extra®, Bifon Creme®). Like clotrimazole, this intervenes in the metabolism of the fungal cell wall and prevents further growth of the fungi there.

Other over-the-counter topical (locally) active ingredients are nystatin (Nystaderm®, Mornonal®) and miconazole (Miconazole acis®). While miconazole also has a fungostatic effect, niystatin is a fungicidal active ingredient (pore formation in the fungal cell wall by binding a membrane component that is very important there - ergosterol, the fungi lose their protective skin layer and die).

Duration of treatment

In some cases it happens that the Skin manifestations most affected foot slowly fades a few time after the medication has been applied and is soon no longer noticeable.
In some cases, the duration of treatment is lengthy and requires a lot of patience from those affected. Numerous studies have shown that approx. 25 % of patients who attend a Athlete's foot suffered and treated them, showed symptoms of athlete's foot again some time after stopping treatment.

The results make it clear that the athlete's foot appears to be on the skin even when there are obviously no symptoms at all. The reason for the frequent reinfection is that the duration of treatment is often not consistently maintained. If you have started a fungal treatment and you see the first successes, the treatment should initially be continued, even if there are no skin symptoms or no itching on the affected skin area.
There are different opinions about the final duration of treatment. After freedom from symptoms, that should drug be applied to the skin for 2-3 weeks to prevent re-infection. If a reinfection occurs, the preparation should be changed and the treatment extended.

Sometimes antifungal treatment may need to be carried out for 1-2 months to ensure lasting success.

Side effects

Like all Medicationthat are used also have the Mushroom medicines Side effects to be considered when using. When used externally in the form of:

• Anoint
• Gels or
• Lotions

can it to Hypersensitivity reactions come in the form of itching or show skin irritation. After discontinuing the medication, the symptoms disappear quite soon. Internally applied substances in tablet form usually have a more intense and larger effect Range of side effects.
The most common side effects include malaise, nausea, a headache, as well as changes in the Blood count. In some rarer cases it can also cause damage and impairment of the liver and Kidneys come. In rare cases, an allergic reaction can occur immediately after ingestion, which manifests itself in the form of chills, strong feeling of illness up to life-threatening situations Shortness of breath expresses.