In our San Jose, CA clinic, we know that athlete's foot can cause an incredible amount of itching, and when persistent, can be difficult to live with. As a 95133 foot doctor, we can provide you with an athlete's foot treatment to help eliminate the problem. Athlete's foot is caused by fungus. Sometimes you will be able to treat it by using a topical cream or gel that can often be bought at the drugstore. However, if you are suffering from extreme athlete's foot, you will need an athlete's foot treatment from an actual podiatrist. As one, Leonard Greenwald, D.P.M. can provide you with an oral medication to take and also discuss different treatment options when you come in for an examination. To schedule an appointment for podiatry care, call (408) 827-9483.
At Leonard Greenwald DPM, we know that athlete’s foot can cause an incredible amount of itching and can be difficult to live with when it is persistent. Athlete’s foot is a skin disease caused by a fungus which can form on the foot. Since the shoe provides a warm and dark place for the fungus to grow, athlete’s foot can become a significant issue if it is left untreated.
Causes for developing athlete’s foot include coming into direct contact with someone else who has it or spending time barefoot around warm and damp areas. These areas can include the shower and floor of a public locker room. All it will take is one player who has athlete’s foot on a sports team to infect others who walk barefoot in the shower and locker rooms as well.
If you believe you have athlete’s foot, then you may be experiencing dry skin on the foot, itching, burning or inflammation. Some of the symptoms can increase as the condition worsens over time. Although the common symptoms are itching and burning irritation, blisters and scaling can also occur on the foot. These symptoms can occur together or separately. The best way to discern if you have athlete’s foot is to see if the symptoms last more than a day and continues to increase in scale.
POSSIBLE TREATMENT METHODS
With the advancements of modern medicine, there are topical creams and gels available for the minor cases at the drugstore. However, if the store-bought treatments do not seem to be working, professional podiatric treatment will be necessary.
Postponing treatment or even a consultation will only allow athlete’s foot can spread to other parts of the body from touching the foot, contaminated bed sheets and other factors. Too often, patients will try to tough symptoms out, believing that the issue will just pass on its own. While that can be true for minor cases, a major foot condition needs to be treated as soon as possible.
With most cases of athlete’s foot, the patient will be given a topical antibacterial medication to apply onto the fungus or consume an oral medication. Dr. Greenwald will examine the patient and recommend the best treatment.
Once Dr. Greenwald prescribes a treatment, it is then up to the patient to continue the treatment for the condition to heal properly. A patient, who does not continue with the treatment and prescription, will only allow the fungus to get worse. The individual who has athlete’s foot needs to wash and dry the infected area each day thoroughly. Using foot powder can help to keep the foot dry each day as well. To avoid spreading the infection to other family members, keep the bathroom, shower and other areas of the house where one is commonly barefoot, clean.
WILL THE TREATMENT BE PAINFUL?
The simple answer is not much at all. While athlete’s foot will cause the skin to feel itchy and irritating, the treatment should not cause more pain than the patient is already feeling. Dr. Greenwald and the staff will make sure the patient is comfortable and taken care of throughout the treatment process.
Treatment of athlete’s foot may take a while, depending on the severity of the condition. Due to this, we will ensure that the patient has every resource necessary to ensure as quick a recovery as possible. During the examination, Dr. Greenwald will go over any areas of concern and discuss possible treatment options.
At the appointment, Dr. Greenwald will lay out the duration of treatment with each individual patient. No patient will go into a treatment procedure with a long list of unanswered questions. Our staff at Leonard Greenwald, DPM, will take care of each patient to ensure that the procedure is as painless as possible.
WHY DO I NEED ATHLETE’S FOOT TREATMENT FROM A PODIATRIST?
With store-bought solutions or medications, the treatment may not always be guaranteed. If the athlete’s foot is extreme enough, store-bought medications will not be enough to treat the condition. If you live in the San Jose area and are struggling with athlete’s foot, do not shy away from a consultation with our staff. During a consultation, Dr. Greenwald will examine your foot and discuss the best option for treatment with your needs in mind.
Treatment for athlete’s foot will not drastically impact or alter one’s schedule either. In many cases, the patient can clean the infected area during the morning routine. The timing of using or consuming the treatment will depend on the prescription, but is not too difficult to incorporate into one’s daily life.
In other cases, the condition may not be athlete’s foot but another form of fungus or infection. In this case, a patient who continues to treat said condition with an athlete’s foot treatment from the drugstore is at risk of causing more harm than good. With this in mind, getting the professional opinion of a professional podiatrist will guarantee the best treatment method.
While some patients may worry that treatment will be a burden and hindrance on their lives, living with the disease is a greater burden. There is no need to let athlete’s foot worsen and cause more irritation to the foot. Seek treatment today with our staff and continue life on a pair of healthy feet.
POSSIBLE PREVENTION METHODS
Prevention of athlete’s foot depends entirely on what the individual’s bare feet touch. Since the fungus can be on any surface including the shower, bathtub, locker rooms or poolside, it is easy to contract athlete’s foot.
Prevention methods for athlete’s foot include:
- Proper foot hygiene – By thoroughly washing the feet with soap and water daily, you can take eliminate any harmful bacteria. After washing the feet, dry the feet thoroughly, being mindful to dry between the toes.
- Wear shower shoes or sandals in public locker rooms – Whenever a patient uses a public shower or locker room, wearing shower shoes or sandals will help to prevent the risk of picking up a fungus. Since numerous amounts of people with any variety of feet conditions will walk through those areas barefoot, it is unsanitary to walk barefoot as well.
- Wear light and airy shoes – The inside of a shoe is dark, damp and the perfect breeding ground for fungus. Wear lighter shoes that help your feet breathe will work to prevent athlete’s foot as well.
- Use talcum powder – Talcum powder can help with perspiration on the feet. Talcum powder can help with the itching of athlete’s foot as well and keep the feet dry in the process.
