Know which fungal infection ails you

Almost every disease displays certain symptoms before it affects you in a full-fledged manner. If you have read the symptoms correctly, timely medication and care would rid you of the disease. Many a times, when you notice a rash on your arms or see your scalp flaking, you tend to ignore it as a common sunburn or dandruff. But when the rash keeps growing or you lose hair, that’s when you realize that you misread the symptoms and dismissed it for something minor. These rashes indicate the onset of fungal infections caused by different fungi.

Fungal infections are caused by the fungi that are widespread in the environment and can get to you if your immunity system isn’t strong or because of poor personal hygiene, et al.
Different fungi cause different types of fungal infections, some of the common fungal infections are as follows-

Athlete’s foot- The Athlete’s foot, aka Tinea Pedis, is a skin infection that occurs on the skin of the feet. It is caused by the Tinea fungus. When your foot encounters this fungus, which mostly thrives in a warm and moist environment, you start experiencing itching sensations between your toes. The skin on your toes becomes raw and blisters appear. Your heels itch and sting. Having sweaty feet, or wearing tight shoes or touching an infected person cause this infection. It is highly contagious

Ringworm- As the name suggests, this infection looks like ring formations that are scaly and itchy. The affected areas become all blotchy and red. Your frequent use of public showers or swimming pools or physical contact with an infected person is the cause of being infected by Ringworm

Tinea Capitis- Tinea Capitis or the Ringworm of the scalp is caused by a mold-like fungus that attacks the hair shaft. Dandruff, hair-fall and bald patches are the symptoms that indicate you have contracted the infection

Onychomycosis- Onychomycosis or Tinea unguiums is a fungal infection that occurs on the fingernails or toenails. The pathogens that cause this infection are molds, yeasts, dermatophytes, etc. The nail becomes brittle and changes color. If left untreated, the skin under and around the toe would become inflamed and painful

Oral Thrush- Oral Thrush or Oral Candidiasis are caused by the candida fungus, commonly known as the yeast. You would experience pain while chewing or swallowing food and would also contract fever if the fungal infection spreads beyond the esophagus

These fungal infections are caused due to fungi that infect you if you have a vulnerable immune system or poor personal hygiene. However, all these infections are curable and do not let the fear of social stigma stop you from receiving proper medical care.

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