athlete's foot - definition of athlete's foot in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Athlete's Foot

Definition

A common fungus infection between the toes in which the skin becomes itchy and sore, cracking and peeling away. Athlete's foot (also known as tinea pedis or foot ringworm) can be treated, but it can be tenacious and difficult to clear up completely.

Description

Athlete's foot is a very common condition of itchy, peeling skin on the feet. In fact, it's so common that most people will have at least one episode at least once in their lives. It's less often found in women and children under age 12. (Symptoms that look like athlete's foot in young children most probably are caused by some other skin condition).

Because the fungi grow well in warm, damp areas, they flourish in and around swimming pools, showers, and locker rooms. Tinea pedis got its common name because the infection was common among athletes who often used these areas.

Causes and symptoms

Athlete's foot is caused by a fungal infection that most often affects the fourth and fifth toe webs. Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum, the fungi that cause athlete's foot, are unusual in that they live exclusively on dead body tissue (hair, the outer layer of skin, and nails). The fungus grows best in moist, damp, dark places with poor ventilation. The problem doesn't occur among people who usually go barefoot.

Many people carry the fungus on their skin. However, it will only flourish to the point of causing athlete's foot if conditions are right. Many people believe athlete's foot is highly contagious, especially in public swimming pools and shower rooms. Research has shown, however, that it is difficult to pick up the infection simply by walking barefoot over a contaminated damp floor. Exactly why some people develop the condition and others don't is not well understood.

Sweaty feet, tight shoes, synthetic socks that don't absorb moisture well, a warm climate, and not drying the feet well after swimming or bathing, all contribute to the overgrowth of the fungus.

Symptoms of athlete's foot include itchy, sore skin on the toes, with scaling, cracking, inflammation, and blisters. Blisters that break, exposing raw patches of tissue, can cause pain and swelling. As the infection spreads, itching and burning may get worse.

If it's not treated, athlete's foot can spread to the soles of the feet and toenails. Stubborn toenail infections may appear at the same time, with crumbling, scaling and thickened nails, and nail loss. The infection can spread further if patients scratch and then touch themselves elsewhere (especially in the groin or under the arms). It's also possible to spread the infection to other parts of the body via contaminated bed sheets or clothing.

Diagnosis

Not all foot rashes are athlete's foot, which is why a physician should diagnose the condition before any remedies are used. Using nonprescription products on a rash that is not athlete's foot could make the rash worse.

A dermatologist can diagnose the condition by physical examination and by examining a preparation of skin scrapings under a microscope. This test, called a KOH preparation, treats a sample of tissue scraped from the infected area with heat and potassium hydroxide (KOH). This treatment dissolves certain substances in the tissue sample, making it possible to see the fungi under the microscope.

Treatment

Athlete's foot may be resistant to medication and should not be ignored. Simple cases usually respond well to antifungal creams or sprays (clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole nitrate, sulconazole nitrate, or tolnaftate). If the infection is resistant to topical treatment, the doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal drug.

Untreated athlete's foot may lead to a secondary bacterial infection in the skin cracks.

Alternative treatment

A footbath containing cinnamon has been shown to slow down the growth of certain molds and fungi, and is said to be very effective in clearing up athlete's foot. To make the bath:

heat four cups of water to a boil
add eight to 10 broken cinnamon sticks
reduce heat and simmer five minutes
remove and let the mixture steep for 45 minutes until lukewarm
soak feet

Other herbal remedies used externally to treat athlete's foot include: a foot soak or powder containing goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis); tea tree oil (Melaleuca spp.); or calendula (Calendula officinalis) cream to help heal cracked skin.

Prognosis

Athlete's foot usually responds well to treatment, but it is important to take all medication as directed by a dermatologist, even if the skin appears to be free of fungus. Otherwise, the infection could return. The toenail infections that may accompany athlete's foot, however, are typically very hard to treat effectively.

Prevention

Good personal hygiene and a few simple precautions can help prevent athlete's foot. To prevent spread of athlete's foot:

wash feet daily
dry feet thoroughly (especially between toes)

avoid tight shoes (especially in summer)
wear sandals during warm weather
wear cotton socks and change them often if they get damp
don't wear socks made of synthetic material
go barefoot outdoors when possible
wear bathing shoes in public bathing or showering areas
use a good quality foot powder
don't wear sneakers without socks
wash towels, contaminated floors, and shower stalls well with hot soapy water if anyone in the family has athlete's foot.

Resources

Books

Thompson, June, et al. Mosby's Clinical Nursing. St. Louis: Mosby, 1998.

Organizations

American Podiatric Medical Association. 9312 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-1698. (301) 571-9200. http://www.apma.org.

foot (foot)

1. the distal portion of the leg, upon which an individual stands and walks; in humans, the tarsus, metatarsus, phalanges, and the surrounding tissue.

2. something resembling this structure.

3. a unit of linear measure, 12 inches, equal to 0.3048 meter.

athlete's foot tinea pedis.

cleft foot a congenitally deformed foot in which the division between the third and fourth toes extends into the metatarsal region, often with ectrodactyly.

club foot see talipes.

dangle foot , drop foot footdrop.

flat foot flatfoot.

immersion foot a condition resembling trench foot occurring in persons who have spent long periods in water.

Madura foot mycetoma of the foot.

march foot painful swelling of the foot, usually with fracture of a metatarsal bone, after excessive foot strain.

pericapillary end foot , perivascular foot, sucker foot a terminal expansion of the cytoplasmic process of an astrocyte against the wall of a capillary in the central nervous system.

trench foot a condition of the feet resembling frostbite, due to the prolonged action of water on the skin combined with circulatory disturbance due to cold and inaction.

ath·lete's foot (

ts)

A contagious fungal skin infection caused by a species of Trichophyton or Epidermophyton that usually affects the feet, especially the skin between the toes, and is characterized by itching, blisters, cracking, and scaling; ringworm of the foot. Also called tinea pedis.

athlete's foot.

See tinea pedis.

athlete's foot

Tinea pedis A malodorous dermatophytosis affecting moist, warm toe webs and soles of feet; AF often occurs in athletes, especially in adolescent ♂, and causes maceration, flaking, peeling, erosion, pruritus Risk factors Poor hygiene, occlusive footwear, prolonged moisture of skin, minor skin or nail injuries Agents Trichophyton rubrum, T mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum Treatment Drying, if recalcitrant, haloprogin, tolnaftate; if refractory, griseofulvin. See Jock itch, Tinea pedis, Tinea cruris.

Patient discussion about athlete's foot.

Q. what else besides athletes foot can cause painful itchy burn tops of toes if the toes are bumped they throb and it hurts to flex toes, small red spots on toes

A. maybe only an allergic reaction is able to do so. but i would go on the athlete foot theory. or as they say "it's much more common to find horses and not zebras in America" 99% of the time it's an athlete foot. but it's o.k- it's relatively easy treatment.