Fungal Infections

Infections of the skin by fungi are extremely common in warm countries.'Athlete's foot', which is a fungal infection between the toes, is generally acquired where people go barefooted, e.g at swimming pools and the changing rooms and showers at clubs. It usually starts between the third, fourth and fifth toes and may be simple redness and scaling, but cracks are apt to develop. the skin becomes macerated, whitish and soggy, and a clear, mucoid liquid oozes from it. the condition is intensely itchy and sometimes spreads to the adjacent skin of the foot. less commonly affects the hands, groins, armpits and other regions. The fungus is resistant and persists in shoes and socks and may be transmitted on towels. As soon as the condition appears medical assistance should be sought as correct diagnosis is essential and treatment is not always easy.

A hot, humid climate and wet feet are predisposing factors. The preventive measures are:

-careful drying between the toes
-scrupulous cleanliness
-the application of a dusting powder between the toes and
-wearing of slippers in public bathrooms.

Once the condition develops a special towel should be used for the toes, it should be sterilized by boiling and should be kept separate from other towels. cotton socks should be worn and boiled after wearing. shoes and slippers should be treated inside with formalin solutions. various fungicidal preparations are obtainable for local application, but cream or powder containing tolnaftate (Tinaderm) is probably the best. the cream is used for treatment and the powder should be reserved for dusting as a prophylactic.

There are many different anti-fungal preparations available, older preparations such as Whitfield's ointment and Castellani's paint, are still useful and many are obtainable when proprietary preparations are not.

'Dhobie itch' is a fungal infection of the groins, and is a common condition in warm countries: it is acquired most often from infected towels and is characterized by brownish or reddish itchy areas, having a scaly surface and a slightly raised edge. the condition is treated with a fungicide, and the same care as that described in the previous paragraphs must be taken with personal towels, underclothing, etc. For very extensive fungus infection, a doctors advice with regard to treatment should also be sought.

Though fungal infections are most common between the toes or in the groins, they may occur anywhere on the body, the armpits are quite commonly involved, and red circular patches of 'ring worm' can occur on the face, limbs or trunk. they all tend to be red and scaly, roughly circular in outline, and they all itch.

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Why Health Care Clinics?

If you confront a disastrous situation like an injury or an illness, then rushing to a healthcare clinic is the most obvious thing that you would do. Well, this also seems to be the right thing to do. There are a few ways in which healthcare centers have an upper hand over hospitals. A private clinic that is open 24 hours a day is more beneficial as compared to the hospital.

Accessibility:

These private clinics are far more accessible than hospitals. In India, where traffic is always present, it is not possible to rush a patient to a hospital in time. There are many private clinics that are available in a particular locality. When you finally arrive at the clinic, you can reach the doctor faster than the ones present in a hospital as there are fewer patients. Moreover, if there is any mishap that you have encountered during late hours of the night, visiting a 24 hour clinic which is nearby would be far more convenient that rushing all the way to a hospital and still end up waiting for a doctor to be available.

Quality of the physician and the services:

As compared to a hospital, the physicians and the quality of the services available in a healthcare clinic is much better. A private clinic consists of doctors who are certified to carry out emergency operations just like the doctors present in the hospital. The only difference here is that the time taken to get in touch with a doctor is much faster than a hospital. Besides that, clinics are well equipped with state of the art medical equipment that are also present in hospitals. The cost of treating a patient in a clinic works out cheaper than the fees charged by a hospital. Urgent care is also provided to the patients admitted in a clinic. To add to this, clinics are not usually far away from a residential area as compared to hospitals, thus contributing further to the convenience factor.

Variety with care:

If you enter a clinic, you are treated with the same importance as compared to that of a hospital irrespective of the nature of the injury that you have sustained. Obtaining medical results is a much faster process in a healthcare clinic. The reports are passed on to the doctors immediately as it is a small place that handles a limited amount of patients. In addition, the level of comfort also is great as the doctor gets a better chance to share a greater rapport with his or her patients.

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