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Ayurvedic Fungal Infection Treatment

Ayurvedic Fungal Infection Treatment: A Natural Approach to Healing

Are you suffering from reccurent fungal infection? if yes then you should try Ayurvedic Fungal Infection Treatment. 
Fungal infections are one of the most common health problems. They can affect any part of your body, and they're difficult to treat. If you're experiencing a fungal infection, then you should consult an Ayurvedic doctor. Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicine that's based on the principles of nature. It has many effective treatments for fungal infections. Here are some tips on how to treat a fungus infection with Ayurveda.

The Hungarian microscopist based in Paris David Gruby first reported that fungi could cause human disease in the early 1840s. 

Worldwide, every year fungal infections affect more than one billion people. An estimated 1.6 million deaths from fungal disease were reported in 2017. The figure has been rising, with an estimated 1.7 million deaths from fungal disease reported in 2020. Fungal infections also constitute a significant cause of illness and mortality in children.1  

What is a fungal infection?

Fungal infection, also known as mycosis, is a disease caused by fungi. Fungal infection occurs after spores are either breathed in, come into contact with skin or enter the body through the skin such as via cut, wound, or injection. Fungi that cause infection in humans include yeasts, molds, and fungi that are able to exist as both mold and yeast. Keeping the skin clean and dry, and also good hygiene.

Some fungal infections are contagious and hence it is important to wash hands after touching other people or animals. Sports clothing also be washed after use. Since fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, fungal skin infections can often develop in sweaty or damp areas that don’t get much airflow. Some examples include the feet, groin, and folds of skin. Treatment depends on the type of fungal infection and usually requires topical or systemic antifungal medicines.1,2

Signs and symptoms of fungal infection3

  • Irritation
  • Scaly skin
  • Redness
  • Itching 
  • Swelling
  • Blisters
  • Deeper fungal infections may present with pneumonia-like symptoms or meningitis

Types of fungal infection2

Fungal infections are basically divided into superficial, subcutaneous, or systemic. 

Some common types of fungal infection include: 

  • Athlete’s foot
  • Jock itch
  • Ringworm
  • Yeast infection
  • Onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail
  • Athlete’s foot: also known as tinea pedis. It affects the skin on your feet as well as your hands. It is caused by a group of fungi that thrive in the warm and humid areas between the toes. It is particularly common among athletes and is contagious. It can also be caused by contamination from surfaces like public showers or locker room floors. Symptoms include itching, stinging, blisters, skin peeling or burning sensation between your toes or on other parts of the foot.
  • Jock itch: also known as tinea curis. It affects the skin on your groin area, inner thighs, and buttocks. This infection mostly affects men and boys, but women and girls can also develop it. Symptoms include redness, itching, burning sensation, changes in skin colour, flaking or cracking skin, and skin rash.
  • Ringworm infection: is an infection that can affect your skin and scalp. Ringworm is also a part of a group of fungi that grow on the skin, particularly in damp and humid parts of your body. The infection usually begins as a reddish, itchy, scaly rash and gradually turns into patches of ringworm and can spread forming red rings. Some other signs include patches that get blisters and start to ooze, bald patches on the scalp, patches that look like rings with a redder outside edge, and thick, discolored, or cracked nails. 
  • Yeast infection: Candida albicans is a type of fungus that infects your skin, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or genitals. When these fungi multiply too much, they can cause an infection known as a yeast infection. If you get the infection in the mouth or throat it is called oral thrush causing white patches. Vaginal yeast infections are relatively common in women and cause pain, itching, clumpy discharge, swelling, and redness.
  • Toenail fungus:   It is also known as tinea unguium or onychomycosis. It is a common fungal infection that can affect your toenails, fingernails, and nail beds. Signs and symptoms include scaling under the nail, white or yellow streaks under the nail, flakiness or crumbling of the nail, thick or brittle nail, and lifting off the nail bed. 

Tests advised

KOH microscopy: Skin scrapings, nail scrapings, and hair microscopy using potassium hydroxide solution to identify the type of fungal infection.

Culture: Skin scrapings should be sent for culture.

Fungal Infection – An ayurvedic View

All skin diseases in Ayurveda have been classified under the chapter “kushta” which is further classified as “mahakushta” and “kshudrakushta”.  Dadru kushta is correlated to fungal infection in Ayurveda. Acharyan Charaka mentions dadru kushta under mahakushta while Acharya Sushrutha has explained dadru kushta under kshudra kushta. Dadru kushta is kapha-pitta dosha condition. It also involves raktha dosha. 

The causes include intake of excessive salt and sour taste food items, navanna (new variety of rice), curds, black gram, fish, milk and products, jaggery and products, irregular food intake, indigested food, etc. 

Signs and symptoms explained are kandu (itching), raga (redness), atasi pushpa vat pidika (macular rashes similar to flax flower), tamra varna pidika (copper coloured skin rashes), visarpani pidika (diffused macular rashes), deergha pratana (tendril like macular rashes), unnata mandala (raised skin lesions with raised borders), scaling, etc.4

Ayurvedic Fungal Infection Treatment

The Ayurvedic fungal infection treatment is based on the dosha involved. Shodhana karma
(purificatory therapies), Lepa (application of medicated paste) and Shamana chikitsa (medicines).

  1. Shodhana chikitsa (panchakarma or purificatory procedure): Virechana (purgation) and Raktamokshana (bloodletting) procedures. 
  2. Snehana (oleation) and swedana (sudation) are done before the virechana karma or purgation. 
  3. Raktamokshana therapy purifies the blood which is the cause of the infection.
  4. Lepa: Durvadi lepa, Edagajadi lepa etc.4

Ayurvedic Fungal Infection Treatment works best when your current medication does not show any results or when you have antifungal resistance.

Commonly used Ayurvedic medicines for fungal infection

Diet and Lifestyle to be followed 

Diet includes coconut oil, garlic, and ginger. Avoid cold food items. Eat yogurt and probiotics.

Always wear clean clothes since fungal spores can stick to clothing for a long time especially when it is unwashed, avoid using harsh detergents to clean clothes, avoid wearing too tight clothes as those can reduce airflow to your skin and increase local sweating, and wash the affected area at least 2-3 times a day, keep the affected area as dry as possible.5   

Home remedies for fungal infection5

  • Coconut oil: Application of the oil.
  • Garlic: Crush a couple of garlic with some olive oil and make a paste. Apply the paste and leave it for thirty minutes.
  • Turmeric: Mix little water to turmeric powder and apply over the affected area.  
  • Oregano oil: Mix a few drops with any carrier oil and dab on the affected area.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water and drink it up or dip a cotton ball in it and dab over your skin. 
  • Tea tree oil: Tree tea oil to be mixed with coconut oil or olive oil and dabbed over the infected area.  
  • Neem leaves: Washing the infected area with neem water helps in treating fungal infections.
  • Baking soda: Applying baking soda powder on our feet and the inside of our shoes helps to absorb moisture and sweat.
  • Honey: Applying raw honey to the affected region is beneficial.
  • Powdered licorice: Boil the powered licorice with water until it turns to a paste form. Allow it to cool and apply the paste twice a day.
  • Lemongrass oil: Mix lemongrass oil with coconut oil or olive oil and dab it on the affected region with a cotton ball or swab twice a day.  

When to see a doctor

The fungal infection worsens or recurs, and starts spreading, accompanied by fever or discharge of pus. Visit a doctor if the fungal infection has occurred during pregnancy or when a person has diabetes.5

Conclusion

Good hygiene, and keeping the affected area dry are of prime importance. Various home remedies can be beneficial. Ayurvedic treatments like purgation, bloodletting and the application of medicated paste are very effective in treating fungal infections. Although the infection is annoying and uncomfortable yet it is typically not serious.

NOTE:
“This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call or visit your doctor.”
For more information about Ayurvedic, Fungal Infection Treatment call us at +919945850945
Limited consultations per day with prior appointments only.

References and citations

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