5 Most Common Causes Of Fungal Infections
You must know that there are two types of fungi, harmful fungi, and the helpful fungi. The helpful fungi are naturally found in our body and do not cause us any harm.
While on the other hand, when harmful foreign fungi enter your body, they create utter chaos. A fungal infection is unpleasing because you might be able to stay clear of the fungus temporarily, but you don’t know when the fungus would attack you again and get the better of you.
It is observed that fungal infection is more likely to bump into your path if you have a weak immune system or if you are under any antibiotics for a long duration of time.
In this article, you will come across some of the most common types of fungal infections you can contract and why they happen to you.
- Athlete’s foot
Athlete’s foot or tinea pedis, as it is scientifically referred to is a fungal infection that affects the feet of a person. In athlete’s foot disease, a person experiences itching, redness, inflammation and in some cases even swelling and forming of bumps. The growth of the fungus responsible for this infection boosts in hot and humid weather conditions. The disease is named so as it is common in athletes as they wear shoes and tight-fitting socks most of the time, take a shower in shared bathrooms and spend a lot of time in community locker rooms. But with that said, people who are not athletes but wear tight shoes, socks, and use community showers are equally vulnerable to getting the infection. - Ringworm
Though the name makes it sound like a worm infection, ringworm is a fungal infection. Ringworm can occur on any part of the body. You can recognize and distinguish them from the other skin infections from their looks. They are circular, flat red patches that itch and cause immense discomfort. You might be interested to know that ringworm is the fungus that lives on dead tissues like the skin, hair and the nails. These fungi are responsible for other fungal infections like the athlete’s foot and the jock itch. Unfortunately, ringworm is highly contagious unlike the jock itch or the athlete’s foot. You are highly likely to suffer from ringworm if you come in contact with the person who is suffering from the condition, infected objects or pets. - Jock itch
Tinea cruris or jock itch is one of the most common and unpleasing infection a person could ever come across. The infection causing fungus, just like most fungus, thrives on moist and damp places. The groin, buttocks and the inside of your thighs are one of the damp parts of the body, and thus the infection grows in these areas. The disease brings along some frustrating symptoms like itching, redness, and irritation in the affected area. The worst thing about this illness is that it is contagious to some extent, and you might contract the infection through direct contact with the person who is suffering from or with an object that is infected with the fungus. - Yeast infection
A yeast infection is a skin infection which is caused by a fungus that is similar to yeast, called the candida. When the yeast on the skin starts blooming, it causes red, itchy rashes. Yeast infection might happen in any part of the body but remember that the moist areas like the armpit, groins and the inner thigh area are more prone to this infection. It is noted that diabetic patients, obese people and people who are under any antibiotics are at a higher risk of developing a yeast infection. A good thing about yeast infections is that it is not contagious. - Vaginal yeast infection
The same fungi which are responsible for yeast infection called the candida can also cause vaginal infection in women. Statistics say that 75% of the women suffer from vaginal infection at least once in their life. Out of these, some are unfortunate, and they suffer multiple cases of this infection. A healthy vagina has a balanced amount of yeast and bacteria that help you in keeping the vagina clean and safe from harmful organisms. But if for some reason, the balance is slightly disturbed, then the candida yeast might intervene and create a yeast infection. Vaginal infection is painful, unpleasant and embarrassing to talk about for many, but you should not leave it untreated.
The good thing about the fungal infection is that it does not create any major complication in most cases and it can be treated easily.
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