Ringworm on foot is one of the most common fungal infections affecting the skin of the foot. It happens to a lot of people at some point in their lives. Ringworm of the foot is most prevalent in the male gender and the chances of getting it increases with age. It may sometimes extend to the toenails since it could begin with the toe.

Besides, it can affect the skin just around anywhere on the foot and the fungi can spread from person to person. Note that wearing closed shoes or having a sweaty feet can increase the chance of having ringworm on foot, it can also happen to anyone irrespective of what they wear or how they sweat on their legs. However, it is important to note that ringworm of the foot which is also known as Athlete’s foot is not a severe condition except in a situation where the damaged skin of the foot becomes infected with bacteria. There are a lot of treatment options for this condition as well as some preventative measures that can be adopted to reduce the chances of getting the infection.

Symptoms of Ringworm on the Foot

The symptoms of ringworm of the foot can vary due to several conditions. It is also important to note that the symptoms may also vary due to the type of infection you may have. Besides, there is also a possibility that the symptoms may not always be clear on the foot. However, whatever the case, ringworm on foot will present some sort of symptoms most of the time and they include:

• Itchy Feet
• Tiny blisters
• White to red lesion between toes
• Cracked or peeling skin
• Dry scaly skin

However, the symptoms could present differently with different type of infection. The following explains the symptoms based on different infections.

• Moccasin Type Infection: This type presents soreness of the foot. Besides, the skin on the heel of the foot will become cracked and thick. In some extreme cases, there is a possibility of the toenail getting affected in such a way that it can crumble and fall out.
• Toe Web Infection: Here, the most affected area is usually the fourth and fifth toe. The symptoms include cracks, peels and scaly skin.
• Vesicular Type Infection: Present itself as a sudden outbreak of blisters of the skin which are normally at the bottom of the foot. However, the symptoms could appear just anywhere on the foot and bacterial infection is possible with this type foot ringworm.

Note that the fungus that is responsible for ringworm in foot may spread to other parts of the body as a result of scratching the area and the skin of the foot may become dark and thick whether it is itching or not. However, it is important to mention that most skin allergies may look like ringworm of the foot. Therefore, doctors may likely take a scraping of your skin to the lab to check and confirm the type of dermatophyte in order to prescribe the right treatment.

Causes

Ringworm of the foot is caused by fungus that grows in the layer of the skin. They are known as dermatophytes and there are different species that can infect the skin of the foot. For example, some of the species that can cause this condition include trichophyton tonsurans and trichophyton mentagrophytes. They tend to cause superficial infections because of the enzymes that digest the skin protein. They tend to thrive in environment considered warm, dark and moist. This is why the foot becomes a victim since it provides an ideal micro environment as a result of wearing closed shoes. What the closed shoe does is to trap the body heat, shield the fungi from getting sunlight and prevent the generated sweat from evaporating. This provides the ideal environment and hence the beginning of ringworm on foot.

It is important to note that it can be easily spread and this is why you can get it just from touching the foot of a person who has it. However, in most cases, it comes from walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces. This allows the fungi to grow in a closed shoe and cause it spread to all parts of the foot.

How to Get Rid of Ringworm on Foot

It is important to note that treating ringworm on foot will depend on the severity and the type involved. However, in most cases, it can be treated using both topical and oral medication. This will include an antifungal medication aimed at killing the fungus or slowing its growth.

First of all, you can use nonprescription antifungal medication and this includes terbinafine, miconazole and even clotrimazole. Note that the nonprescription antifungal medications are normally applied to the skin and should be used as the first line of treatment.

You can then try the prescription antifungal medications if you want to get rid of ringworm on foot. The prescription type medication is normally used when the nonprescription fails to get rid of it or if you are having a severe infection. The type of medicines in this category includes Naftifine, clotrimazole and butenafine. In addition, it can also include oral antifungal pills which include itraconazole, fluconazole and even Lamisil.

However, note that the doctor may only prescribe oral antifungal pills in severe or extreme cases and this is because they would normally require some kinds of periodic testing due to its dangerous side effects. To ensure that it gets completely treated, it is always advisable to finish the prescribed dosage of the antifungal pills even if the symptoms stops or improve at the initial stage of taking the pills. Do not forget that ringworm on foot can return if not well treated but a complete treatment will surely reduce the probability of a return.

Do not get worried when taking the oral antifungal medication and not seeing an immediate effect. This is because the oral antifungal pills normally produce effect when the full prescribed dosage is completed.

Pictures of Ringworm on Foot

How does ringworm on foot look like? Take a look at these pictures to get to know how it looks like:

Home Remedies

Fortunately, you can treat ringworm on foot at home by utilizing a variety of home remedies that are effective. However, it is important to note that for people that have diabetes, home remedies should be taken with precaution due to complications with their existing conditions. Therefore, in this case, it is always best to consult your doctor before taking any action. The following are some home remedies that work.

Use Vinegar and Salt

This is one of the most common home remedies for ringworm on foot. What you need to do is to form a paste of salt and vinegar and apply directly on the affected area. Allow for some minutes after each application. All things being equal, the result will start showing in a week

Apple Cider Vinegar

It is important to mention that apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective items for the treatment of not just ringworm on foot but also other skin problems. This is because it has strong antifungal properties. Apply on an infected area at least twice a day for two weeks and you are likely to start seeing results. However, note that you have to confirm that your skin can tolerate the Apple Cider Vinegar before use.

Other home remedies worthy of mention include the application of garlic, Tea Tree oil and Turmeric. You can try them as they are effective.

Burning in bottom of feet (also known as tingling feet or paresthesia) is the feeling of painful burning sensation in feet. It is a very common complaint from people as it can affect a wide age group. The severity could range from mild to severe. It can be an acute or chronic problem depending on the cause. Sometimes this burning sensation can be present along with ‘pins and needles’ sensation (or paresthesia) or numbness.

Symptoms

The symptoms can vary in a range from a mild discomfort felt at the bottom of feet up to an unbearable sensation of hot pain. According to the cause, the symptoms can be intermittent or persistent. Daily routine of some people may get affected due to this as severe and persistent pain could be disabling. Weakness, loss of balance and coordination, pins and needle sensation and numbness too can be present in addition to burning sensation.

What Causes Burning in Bottom of Feet?

There are many causes for burning sensation of feet:

An acute burning of feet can be felt due to a skin infection of the feet (e.g. fungal infection known as “Athlete’s foot”) or due to tiredness. After treating the infection or after resting the feet, normally the burning sensation settles.

But a chronic symptom can be due to many reasons. Amongst all of the causes the commonest is peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy

It is the condition in which the nerves in the peripheries get damaged. The damage could be anywhere along the course of the peripheral nerve up to the spinal cord. The nerves in the feet are one of the commonest sites to get damaged easily. The damaged nerves become hypersensitive than the normal nerves. As a result, these patients feel “pain” even to touch. Few commonest causes for peripheral neuropathy are:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Alcoholism
• Chronic kidney disease causing accumulation of excessive toxins and metabolic wastes
• Nutritional deficiencies including vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folic acid and calcium
• Other medical conditions including hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels), lyme disease, HIV/AIDS, vasculitis, sarcoidosis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
  as side effects of some drugs including chemotherapy drugs, HIV drugs, amiodarone, isoniazid, metformin, and vitamin B6 overdose
• Heavy metal poisoning including lead, mercury and arsenic
• Fractures of the bones in the foot

Peripheral neuropathy can damage both feet simultaneously. Symptoms can be persistent or intermittent depending on the cause for peripheral neuropathy.

• Peripheral artery disease (PAD) – which is also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is the condition which results in poor blood circulation due to an obstruction of the artery in the periphery by an atherosclerosis, stenosis or a thrombus. This condition results in burning sensation which increases with activity, along with numbness, muscle cramps, ulcers and change in skin color due to necrosis. The symptoms reduce with resting and it can affect either one or both feet.
• Morton’s neuroma – is the fibrosis and degeneration of tissues surrounding the nerves of the foot, specially in between third and fourth metatarsals. The characteristic feature of this condition is the feeling of “standing on a ball”. This condition is also associated with numbness.
• Metatarsalgia – this is the condition of pain in metatarsal bones due to inflammation. It causes burning sensation and pain especially while standing or walking right under the big toe.
• Charcot – Marie Tooth disease – it is a genetic disorder resulting in a complex group of motor and sensory neuropathies. In addition to burning sensation it results in wasting and weakness of muscles with loss of sensation and reflexes, foot drop, and imbalance.
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome – it is the condition causing compression of the tibial nerve as it passes through the tarsal tunnel near the ankle. It causes burning foot pain, numbness and paresthesia. It usually affects one foot.
• Chronic regional pain syndrome – it is a condition that causes the peripheral nerves to send false signals to central nervous system due to overstimulation. It results in very severe, painful burning sensation of feet. Normally it is accompanied by swelling, stiffness, spasms, sleep and mood disturbances.
• Burning feet syndrome – this condition is also known as Grierson-Gopalan Syndrome which damages the peripheral nerves of the feet. In addition to the burning sensation of the feet, numbness, pins and needles are also present. The prominent feature is that the burning sensation is high at night time compared to daytime.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis process would start with a complete history including the onset, duration and progression of the symptoms; medical history, drug history, social history and family history (for hereditary conditions) and a complete physical examination of the nervous system and lower limbs.

Often with the history and physical examination of the patients the cause for the symptom can be diagnosed. Mostly it is due to peripheral neuropathy due to diabetes. But further investigations are required if the condition is of acute onset or increasing in severity or without an obvious cause or to analyze the progression of the condition.

The investigations are as below:

• Nerve conduction test – it is carried out to test the nerve’s ability to carry the impulse. It is one of the main tests that are done to diagnose peripheral neuropathy.
• Electromyography (EMG) – it is a test done using probes to measure the electrical activity of the muscles. It helps to detect any nerve damage within muscles.
• Nerve biopsy – a piece of nerve is cut to examine under the microscope, but this is done rarely.
• Laboratory tests – blood tests, urine tests, spinal fluid tests are checked according to the presence of other comorbidities such as diabetes or arthritis.
• Imaging tests (X ray, MRI, CT scan, ultrasound scan) – to rule out any injuries or fractures of the feet.
• Skin samples – in case of skin infections skin samples are taken to diagnose the infection.

Treatment

The main aim of treatment is to prevent any further damage to the nerves. In general the treatment can be mainly classified as pharmacological and nonpharmacological. The treatment procedure depends on the cause of the problem and other co-morbidities of the patient.

Treating the underlying cause of the burning in bottom of feet will help in improvement of the symptoms, such as in case of peripheral neuropathy caused by:

• Diabetes mellitus – proper dietary modifications with oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin injections to maintain the blood glucose level within the desired range.
• Alcoholism – taking proper measures to stop further alcohol intake and medications to cure the alcohol withdrawal syndrome to prevent further nerve damage.
• Vitamins and other nutritional deficiencies – proper dietary supplements given orally or intramuscularly to maintain the required levels.
• Chronic kidney disease – hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis to remove the excess toxins.
• Hypothyroidism – proper oral medications to bring back the thyroid hormone levels back to normal.
• HIV/AIDS – proper treatment according to the condition of the patient.
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) – plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin therapy.

If the symptoms are due to peripheral artery disease treatment should involve lifestyle modification such as exercises, quitting smoking, and healthy diet in addition to lipid lowering drugs to maintain proper lipid levels. Sometimes surgeries will be needed too.

In case of Morton’s neuroma, metatarsalgia and tarsal tunnel syndrome, simple measures including the use of ice, resting, and proper footwear usage can be adopted along with the use of anti inflammatory medications. Surgeries, injections and orthotics may be used based on the severity and extent of disease. Although there is no definitive treatment for Charcot-Marie tooth disease, some exercises, orthotics and some surgeries may be used to improve the condition.

If the reason is chronic regional pain syndrome, treatment involves pain killers, anti depressants, physiotherapy and exercises. Burning feet syndrome can be managed easily by proper footwear, vitamin B supplements and cold water baths.

• If it is due to a skin infection such as athlete’s foot, antifungals can be given.
• Relieving the pain is another main aspect of treatment. Painkillers including NSAIDS, neuropathic pain killers or low dose narcotics can be given according to the severity of the symptoms.
• The non-pharmacological methods include;
• Wearing proper, comfortable footwear.
• Resting the feet as often as possible.
• Elevating the feet while resting.
• Wearing insoles and other supports as orthotics and change them regularly.

Home remedies

In addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, several measures can be taken at home to prevent and to control the burning in bottom of feet, which includes:

• Cold water – immersion of the legs in cold water for few minutes is the best remedy for burning sensation. This can be repeated several times a day.
• Massage – gentle massage of the feet helps in soothing the burning sensation and improves the blood circulation of the feet.
• Exercises – exercises help to maintain proper blood circulation in the whole body which helps in the relieving of symptoms.

In addition to these, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, Epsom salt, ginger, bitter gourd and thyme can be used as well due to their anti-inflammatory and cooling properties.

When should I be concerned?

Although burning sensation of feet is a common problem, proper diagnosis and treatment is important to prevent complications. A person should seek emergency medical care if the symptoms appear acutely or in case of an infected open wound in the foot of a diabetic patient. A person should visit the doctor during other circumstances such as persistent symptoms, increasing severity, radiation of the burning sensation up along the legs or when started to experience other associated symptoms such as numbness and ‘pins and needles’ sensation.

Diabetic foot pain is one of those symptoms or complaints many people with diabetes complain about. It is simply a way that your body tells you to get your glucose level under control or face some serious trouble. It is important to note that diabetic foot pain is just a part of wider diabetic foot issues that are common in diabetic patients. However do not forget that a minor diabetic foot pain could result to something very serious if not well handled. Diabetes has the ability to damage the nerves of the feet and impede blood circulation and this can result in foot pains.

What Does Diabetic Foot Pain Feel Like?

Diabetic foot pain is very painful for people who suffer from diabetics. This is because as mentioned above, diabetes can damage the nerves of the foot and when this happens, there is always a possibility of having blood circulation around the foot impeded. It could lead to the feeling of numbness or burning pain in the foot. This is to say that a lot of people who have diabetic foot pain will likely have stiff joints and may likely bleed since the ability of the blood to clout is decreased.

Therefore, this kind of situation makes it difficult for wounds to heal or in some cases makes it much slower for wounds to heal. It is important to note that the decreasing nerve function on the foot makes the situation very tricky in the sense that there are some people who could have some foot wound without even knowing it. Diabetic foot pains feels like some other severe pains around the body but the difference in this case is that the stakes are higher here due to the complications of diabetes. People who suffer from diabetic foot pain tend to focus more on effectively managing the diabetes problem in general since it is a fall out on diabetics.

Symptoms

The symptoms that this presents arise due to the combination of reduced blood flow and nerve damage. Some of these symptoms include cellulitis which is the infection of the tissues found beneath the skin of the foot. Another common symptom is the osteomyelitis and this is the infection of the bone. Other important symptoms to watch out for include:

• Calluses and Corns: Likely to develop due to abnormal alignment of the foot
• Hammertoes or simply called bent toes which happen as a result of muscle weakness
• Cracking of the foot skin due to dryness
• Tinea Pedis which is simply the infection of the skin of the foot

Causes of Diabetic Foot Pain

There are a lot of causes for diabetic foot pain. Some of the most possible causes include:

• Poor Circulation in feet: One of the effects of diabetes in this situation is poor blood circulation. In this case, blood circulation is impeded to a very large extent and this could cause pains. In fact, it is regarded as a vascular disease in which blood flowing to the foot is severely restricted. Apart from the pains that come with it, having a poor blood circulation is also what makes foot wounds difficult to heal.
• High Blood Sugar: There is absolutely no doubt that blood sugar management is very important for diabetic patients. The high level of glucose is one of the causes of diabetic foot pains in the sense that it is capable of slowing down the healing process of foot wounds and this can lead to severe pains. People suffering from diabetes especially the diabetes type 2 will always find it difficult fighting infections from wounds due to this problem.
• Nerve Damage: This is one of the causes of diabetic foot pains in most of the cases. Nerve damage can be described as one of the causalities of the diabetes problem. This is a serious problem and can even lead to loss of sensation on the foot. It is important to note that nerve damage can lead to painful or tingly feelings at first. However, this can also reduce the foot pain sensitivity and in some cases lead to painless wounds likely to cause an ulcer.
• Irritated or Wounded Foot: This is another cause of diabetic foot pains in most people. The irritation of the foot can cause severe pains that are likely not to go away until the underlying diabetic problem is handled properly. Unfortunately, wounds on the foot may become difficult to heal due to the poor circulation mentioned above and this adds to the pains.

Treatment

Not treating diabetic foot pain can result in even more severe foot problems and conditions. This is why it becomes important to treat this condition without any delay. There are several ways that can be used in the treatment of diabetic foot pains. They are but not limited to the following:

Off-Loading Method

The off-loading method simply means staying off your foot to prevent pains and it is helpful for every kind of foot problems. It is important to note that the pressure from walking can make the foot pain even worse than expected. If the pains is a result of a foot wound, then additional pressure will make the wound expand and infection become worse in the process. This will affect people especially the overweight type since the extra pressure they carry can aggravate the pains.

In addition, your doctor could treat the foot pains by encouraging you to wear certain items like braces, casts, diabetic shoes, shoe insert which aims to prevent things like calluses and corns and even compression wraps. The doctor will evaluate the pain and condition of your body to determine which kind of treatment will suit your body and produce the desired effect. This means that different diabetic foot pains can be handled differently.

If the foot pains is as a result of a diabetic foot ulcer, then debridement can be used to treat the condition. In this case, it will mean a removal of foreign object, dead skin or even infections that may have caused the problem in the first place.

Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotic, anti-clotting medications to treat the wound if they are the sources of the diabetic foot pain that have progressed from minor to sever pains.

Home Remedies

Home remedies for diabetic foot pain may help you reduce the nerve pain as well as heal wounds or injuries to the foot faster. It is important that you do not ignore any injury to your foot if you are diabetic because it could lead to serious problems which include amputation in extreme cases. It is important that you see your doctor and get appropriate medication. However, there are some home remedies you can utilize to keep yourself out of foot diabetic foot pains.

Zinc

It is important to note that zinc remains a very essential mineral which supports healing of wounds and injuries in the body. Unfortunately, people who suffer from diabetes have this essential mineral depleted from their body and this causes wounds not to heal easily. To regain zinc and solve foot pain problems, it is advisable to take a daily multivitamin mineral supplement which has the required dosage of zinc.

External Ointments

This is another important home remedy to utilize for this purpose. The ointment could be one from tea tree or calendula oil. You can use this against minor cuts or scrapes on the foot. Any ointment or gel as long as it contains tea tree oil, lemongrass oil or calendula should work for this purpose. This ointment has been proven to kill some bacteria or prevent them from growing. There are other supplements that can be used at home to tackle the diabetic foot pain problems. However, it is important to always consult your healthcare practitioner to provide direction in these cases because of the consequences of not handling it properly.

Pain Relief

In order to relief your diabetic foot pain problems, there are some certain things you could adopt:

• You could take load off your foot. For example, if you are standing for a long time, it will be better to incorporate some breaks regularly and take some pressure off the foot. You can try elevating the foot to an angle of 45 degrees and allow it in the same position for some minutes to reduce chances of swelling.
• Soak the foot for some time to relieve the pain. You can place your foot in warm water mixed with salt and allow it soak for about 10 minutes. This helps ease sore and tired muscles of the foot.
• Another way to relief diabetic foot pain is through hot and cold therapy. Run water on your foot while sitting on the edge of the bath. You can alternate in between cold and hot water allowing each for a little time. However, end the therapy with cold water.
• Finally a massage can be helpful for foot pain relief. Get your foot massaged with oil and relief the pain immediately.