Fungal infection is a skin disease caused by a fungus, also known as a mycosis. It usually affects your skin, nails, hair or mucous membranes but they can also infect your lungs or other parts of your body. If you have a weakened immune system you are at a higher risk for fungal infections. Fungi are living things that are classified separately from plants or animals. They move around by spreading out or sending pores into the air or environment. Many fungi live naturally in our body but can overgrow under certain circumstances.
Types of fungal infections-
Fungal infection can be occur on the surface of your skin, nails underneath your skin or inside other organs of your body like brain, lungs or heart.
- Superficial fungal infections – it affect your skin nails. It includes
- Ringworm
- Candidiasis
- Onychomycosis
- Tinea versicolor
- Subcutaneous fungal infections- in this type you can get a fungal infection under the surface of your skin. This fungal infection causes ulcers and rashes and many more symptoms on your skin. examples include-
- Sporotrichosis
- Chromoblastomycosis
- Eumycetoma
- Deep fungal infection – this infection found in places in your body other than skin, lungs, blood, urinary tract or brain. This occurs only in people with weakened immune systems. Deep fungal infections includes-
Blastomycosis
Histoplasmosis
Coccidioidomycosis
Aspergillosis
- Candida urinary tract infection
- Invasive candidiasis
- Pneumocystis pneumonia
What are the signs and symptoms of fungal infection?
The following symptoms of superficial or subcutaneous infection include:
- A painless lump under your skin
- Itching, soreness, rash and redness in the affected area.
- Pain while eating, white patches in mouth or throat
- Discolored, thick or cracked nails.
- Symptoms of fungal infections in your lungs include:
- Muscle aches
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Cough sometimes coughing up blood
- Shortness of breath
- Joint pain
- Headache
- Night sweats
- Symptoms of fungal infections in other parts of your body includes-
- Fungal infection of your sinuses- nasal congestion, headache, fever, facial swelling on one side, face pain
- Fungal infection of your intestinal tract- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
- Fungal infection of your eye- redness, itching, blurred vision, sensitivity to light
- Fungal infection in or around your brain- fever, headache, neck pain, confusion
What causes fungal infections?
Molds, yeast and other types of fungus cause fungal infections. Most of the fungi do not cause disease, but few fungi cause disease.
Common ways to get fungal infections include-
- Through a break in your skin or an injury
- From breathing fungus in from the environment
- From damp public spaces like showers, and locker rooms.
Risk factors of fungal infection-
The fungal infection increases in the following cases:
- Not drying your skin completely after a shower or wash
- Walking barefoot in shower and wet locations
- If you have a weak immune system
- If you suffer from diabetes
- If you come into contact with a person or animal with fungal infections
- Due to a recent course of antibiotics
Prevention from Fungal Infection
- Shower after getting dirty or sweaty. Don’t let areas of your skin stay damp
- Wear clean, dry, cotton clothes
- Put on protective clothing before dealing with soil
- Keep your fingernails neat and short
Management of Fungal infection according to Ayurveda-
In Ayurveda the skin disorder is known as a Kushtha and the fungal infection is classified as Dadru. Kushta is further classified as mahakushta and kshudrakushta. If you have a weakened immune system you are at a higher risk for fungal infection.This correspondingly leads to a decrease in the immune system. The infection when mild shows superficial symptoms but when it affects internally it can become chronic. The Ayurvedic management protocol ensures a complete cure for various skin infections.
Many external therapies helpful in easy healing of wounds and ulcers-
- Swedana
- Padaavagaha
- Lepa
- Abhyanga
- kshalana
Purification Thearpies in Fungal Infection-
- Vamana
- Virechana
- Raktamokshana
Pathya in fungal infection-
- Include more fruits and vegetables in the diet
- Consume old harvested grains and cereals
- Take easily digestible food
- Drink adequate amount of water
- Take food only after digestion of the previous meal
- Mild to moderate exercise
Apathya in Fungal infection-
- Fermented food
- Curd
- Heavy to digest food
- Excessive salty, sweet, spicy and sour food
- Old and refrigerated food
- Day sleep
- Lack of exercise
Herbs used in Fungal Infection-
- Pippali
- Haritaki
- Shatavari
- Haridra
- Kushta
- Chitraka
- Patola
- Tila
Yoga for fungal infection-
- Bhujangasana
- Surya Namaskar
- Kapalbhati
- Anulom- Vilom
- Sarvangasana
- Bhastrika Pranayama
Fungal Care Kit
Chandigarh Ayurved centre helps in treating fungal infection in a purely natural and herbal way. CAC Fungal care kit consists of ayurvedic medicines which are detox premium powder, itch care tablet, twak tailam, twak churna, skin care tablets and neem capsules. The medicines are completely ayurvedic formulations and have no side-effects.
1. Detox Premium Powder :
Detox premium powder is a very effective ayurvedic medicine to cure blemishes as it purifies the whole body by removing excess toxins from the body. The powder is composed of shukta pishti, giloy satv, gandhak rasayan, moti pishti, akik pishti, shankh bhasma, etc. The ingredient reduces all the signs and symptoms associated with the blemishes.
Recommended Dosage – Take 1 sachet twice daily with normal water.
2. Twak Churana:
This herbal powder is prepared from two herbs Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia) & Chopchini (Smilax malabarica) that in combination reduces uneven pigmentation. Manjishtha mainly helps in deep detoxification and blood purification. It can also be used for hand lotion to treat dry, cracked hands, or feet. This herbal powder is good for dry skin, rashes, acne. It has been used in psoriasis. Skin Glow powder removes toxins and impurities of blood. This powder helps to rejuvenate and promote the longevity. It helps to open the blocked sweat pores. This powder is used in infectious conditions like, eczema, pimples, and chronic skin disorders.
Recommended Dosage– Take 1 teaspoonful twice a day with normal water.
3. Twak Tailam:
Twak tailam is very effective for the skin as it deeply nourishes the tissues and improves the skin luster. The tailam is composed of yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), manjistha (Rubia cordifolia), etc. The tailam supports skin health, helps in reducing uneven pigments, improves complexion, and helps in deep detoxification and blood purification without any side effects.
Method of Application – Apply over the affected area of the skin.
4. Skin care tablet:
Skin care tablet is a pure ayurvedic formulation. It help to maintain the texture of your skin depending on the type of skin you have. It contains various herbs like Haridra khand, Panchnimb churna, Khadir chahal, Chirayta, Mulethi, Chopchini, Gandhak, Ajmoda that work very effectively on all skin types. Skin care is a blood purifying tablet. It cools and detoxifies the blood, increase blood circulation of the skin. It minimizes the blemishes, lighten sun tan, delay ageing of skin and heal skin problems.
Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice daily.
5. Itch Care Tablet :
It is pure herbal combination which is purely natural. Skin primarily protect our body from toxins present in environment. Itching is related to various skin problems like dermatitis or irritates such as nickel in jewelry, infected cut. Chronic skin condition like psoriasis, acne and due to internal conditions like blood, lungs, and liver. Mainly toxins in skin arises due to excess rakta dhatu and rasa or plasma nourishes the skin.
Recommended Dosage – Take 1 tablet twice daily.
6. Handmade Neem Soap:
NEEM capsules 100% Safe and purely Ayurvedic preparation. CAC NEEM CAPSULES is natural and herbal product prepared from the standard extract of herb Neem (Azadirachta indica). Neem herb is widely used to cure acute to chronic Skin problems such as Pimples, Itching, Dryness, Blemishes, Dark spots, Pigmentation, Scars etc. Neem leaves are rich in Vitamin-E, Fatty acids & emollients. It is such a wonderful herb that is easily available and shows Anti-bacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Anti-microbial, Antifungal, Antiseptic properties. Neem cleanses the pores and protects the skin from various infections, Psoriasis, Eczema, Leprosy, Skin ulcers.
Dosage: 1 cap twice daily after meal with plain water
