| What is Ringworm? |
Ringworm, despite its name is not a worm and has nothing to do with worms. It is in fact a fungal infection. The theorize for its name is due to what it looks like. That is, it appears as a round circle or ring on the skin of the patient.
Very closely connected to Ringworm is a health known as Jock Itch where there is a fungal infection in the groin.
A tasteless name for ringworm is tinea. Depending upon whereabouts on your body the ringworm appears will determine it's spoton name, for example if the ringworm appears on the head or scalp, it's known as tinea capitis, if it is on the body, then it is known as tinea corporis and if the ringworm is found on the feet, then it is known as tinea pedis or more generally athletes foot.
Ringworm is mostly found in children; however, it can be caught by any person of any age.
The ringworm looks like a round ring shaped patch on the skin which will be red and silvery with scales. It can also be quite itchy. The ring spreads outwards and eventually the centre will heal and look like normal skin, leaving a red ring.
Scalp and head ringworm infections can cause baldness at the point where the ringworm is.
What causes Ringworm?
The fungal spores which cause ringworm are colse to all of us everyday. They are found in the soil, on other population and also on a range of animals. Usually, they enter straight through a break in the skin where they are then able to infect the patient.
The environment where ringworm thrives best is in warm damp areas, so in places where you sweat a lot are precisely excellent for the fungal spores to thrive.
There are a estimate of ways that ringworm can infect you. It can be passed to you from other population or animals very precisely due to its high contagious level. Any high levels of touch from whether pets or from working livestock on farms can pass on ringworm to population very easily. When it comes to person to person contamination, it usually happens when population share combs, or unwashed clothes. Unwashed surfaces in swimming pools are also very good places to catch ringworm.
Diagnosing Ringworm
Ringworm is very easy to diagnose. Usually, the characteristics of ringworm i.e. The round red scaly ring are enough just on their own. However, doctors could also take a scraping off the affected skin or in the case of head or scalp ringworm a hair off the inpatient and then look at it under a microscope where confirmation of the diagnosis can be carried out.
What is the Treatment of Ringworm?
Depending upon whether or not you're suffering from head or scalp ringworm or whether you're suffering from ringworm on your skin, will determine what type of treatment you will receive.
If you can catch the health early enough, then you should be able to purchase an anti fungal cream from your pharmacist which should cure your skin ringworm or in the case of head/scalp ringworm, an oral anti fungal medication.
However, if the cream or oral medication doesn't appear to be eradicating the ringworm, then a trip to your doctor will be required. He will then probably prescribe a slightly different anti fungal medicine with different active ingredients.
If the ringworm is very inflamed and/or irritated, then the doctor may also prescribe a topical corticosteroid in order to soothe these symptoms. This is generally the case when an area of eczema is infected by ringworm.
For all patients who are suffering from ringworm, it is very foremost to have a spoton habit in order to deal with it. That includes
Keeping the affected area dry and clean
Don't share towels and wash bedding and night clothes usually (ideally once a day).
Wash the affected area gently but wholly every day
Change your socks and underwear daily
Avoid scratching and touching the irritated area
It is potential that the ringworm could move from one affected area to the other. Also the broken skin caused by scratching the ringworm, could lead to other infections as the skin is broken.
Ringworm is a very tasteless contagious health caused by a fungus and not by worms. With the spoton treatment and care, in the vast majority of cases, will just be uncomfortable and inconvenient. However, it is foremost to remember that if you are in any doubt, then visit your doctor.
Ringworm - Symptoms and treatment
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