There are both good and harmful fungi. When dangerous fungi invade your body, they are nearly impossible to kill and leave you with a pesky infection. Here are some of the most common symptoms to tell if you have one of the more common fungal diseases.
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General Symptoms
While each fungal infection has unique symptoms, some can let you know that you are dealing with this type of issue. The most common symptoms are itching, redness, peeling or cracking skin, and any other kind of skin changes.
Athlete’s Foot
One of the more common fungal diseases is Athlete’s Foot. As the name indicates, it affects your feet. This fungus prefers warm, moist environments and is associated with sports due to its tendency to live in sweaty socks, locker rooms, and equipment.
Athlete’s foot can present a variety of symptoms. The most common ones include redness, blisters, soft skin, peeling, scaling, cracking, itching, stinging, or a burning sensation.
Yeast Infection
Women are susceptible to vaginal yeast infections. These are caused when the Candida fungus interrupts the natural bacterial balance. They can be triggered by antibiotics, stress, hormone problems, and poor eating habits.
The classic yeast infection symptoms include itching, swelling, burning while urinating, pain, redness, soreness, and unusual discharge. In severe cases, you may also develop a rash. If you suspect a yeast infection, you should take action quickly to avoid more severe problems.
Jock Itch
Along the same lines is Jock Itch. The fungus enjoys warm, moist environments, yet they choose to target the groin, butt, and inner thigh. They tend to be more prevalent in warmer climates and the summer.
Jock Itch is easily identified because it is almost always an itchy rash with a red circular pattern. It may also be accompanied by chafing, irritation, burning, cracking, flaking, or peeling skin.
Ringworm
Finally, ringworm is a fungus that enjoys dead tissue, often found on peoples’ hair, skin, and nails. It is the same fungus that causes Athlete’s Foot and Jock Itch. It is called ringworm when it is anywhere other than the feet or groin.
Ringworm is easy to identify because of its trademark shape. You’ll see a red, raised patch that is itchy or scaly. If you leave it untreated for too long, you could end up with one or more rings.
Fungal diseases can be a pain. Fortunately, knowing what to look for can help you identify your potential irritant. With this information, you can get the proper treatment as quickly as possible.
