What are Fungal Infections?
As the name suggests, Fungal Infections are infections caused by microorganisms called fungi. They are generally not considered serious unless the affected individual’s immune system is weak. Athlete’s Foot, Jock Itch, Tinea, Ringworm and Candida infections are some common yet less harmful Fungal Infections.
At times, Fungal Infections may spread to blood or internal organs of the body by penetrating deeper into the skin. Such infections are more serious in nature. Basically, Fungal Infection spreads when an individual comes in contact with fungal spores that are spread in the air.
When these fungal spores are inhaled, they cause Fungal Infections in the lungs and when they are contacted on the skin, they cause Skin Infections. They can be superficial or systematic. Superficial infections are mostly caused by dermatophytes and affect the surface of the skin.
On the other hand, systematic infections are deeper infections that can reach up to the tissues, blood or lungs. They are generally caused by fungi present in specific geographical locations. Some such infections include Blastomycosis, Cryptococcosis, Aspergillosis, Candidiasis, Histoplasmosis and other related infectious diseases. Most of the Fungal Infections are not very contagious. Though, there are some exceptions.
Conventionally, a number of medicines can be used to eliminate Fungal Infections. But excessive consumption of these medicines has been found to result in mild as well as serious side effects like anemia, kidney damage, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. To avoid such harmful side effects, holistic treatment with the help of several natural home remedies for Fungal Infections can be adopted.
Causes of Fungal Infections
Certain fungi are normally present on the skin and body. But, under certain conditions when there is a shift in the normal balance of the microorganisms, these fungi grow incessantly and result in infections. Moreover, a weak immune system almost plays host to such problems. Certain drugs like antibiotics, corticosteroids, azathioprine and the ones administered during chemotherapy suppress the immune system thereby increasing the risk of Fungal Infections.
Other factors that weaken the immune system include diseases like Diabetes, Leukemia, AIDS, lung disorders, kidney failure, lymphomas, extensive burns etc. Some systematic infections are caused by fungi present in the soil, plants and house dust. Fungal Infections that are contagious in nature are usually spread from an infected individual to an uninfected individual either by direct contact or by using infected objects.
Symptoms of Fungal Infections
Usually, the site of the infection determines the type of symptoms caused by it. Still, some common signs and symptoms of Fungal Infections include inflammation, irritation, itching, redness of the skin, peeling, etc. Besides, some kinds of Fungal Infections can trigger allergic reactions as well. When Fungal Infections occur on the fingernails or toenails, they are known as Onychomycosis. It results in brittleness, discoloration, rough edges and other such problems in nails.
On the other hand, Fungal Infections in the lungs may lead to symptoms like fever, coughing, headaches, muscle aches, rashes and so on. Certain infections take months or even years before manifesting the symptoms. They cause progressive symptoms like weight loss, night sweats, chest pain etc. Acute and chronic Fungal Infections can cause permanent lung, organ, and bone damage. If not treated I time, they can become fatal too.
Natural Home Remedies for Fungal Infections
• Lavender oil, oregano oil, and garlic oils are excellent home remedies for Fungal Infections in nails. Apply any of these oils on the under side of the nails two times in a day to heal the infection. A mixture of one teaspoon of olive oil and two drops of oregano oil can also be applied on the affected area to cure Fungal Infections.
• Prepare a paste-like mixture by mixing turmeric powder and water. Apply this paste on the affected area for sometime until it dries. Finally, wash it off with water to ease the symptoms and remove infections, especially in nails.
• Applying a light coat of pure tea tree oil on the feet is one of the most effective natural home remedies for Fungal Infection occurring on the feet. Continue this natural remedy for at least two weeks to see considerable difference.
• Soaking the affected area in a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar mixed in equal proportions is one of the most popular and effective natural home remedies for Fungal Infections.
• Applying a combination of crushed margosa (neem) leaves, basil powder and some rose water is a valuable remdy used to control Fungal Infections. A paste prepared from margosa leaves and turmeric powder can also be applied 2-3 times in a day on a regular basis to get rid of this problem. A combination of turmeric and basil is also beneficial.
• Consuming comfrey tea and echinacea tea on a regular basis are beneficial in reducing and avoiding infections.
• Having a combination of olive leaf extract and grapefruit seed extract in a glass of water is highly beneficial in the treatment of Fungal Infections.
• Application of juice extracted from fig leaves helps in dealing with Fungal Infections in the scalp. Black walnut is also useful in this regard.
• Apply aloe vera gel and the oil of castor beans in order to provide relief from symptoms and cure the disease simultaneously.
• Goldenseal herb, whether taken externally or internally serves as a therapeutic home remedy for Fungal Infection treatment.
• Taking a mixture prepared from lotus flowers and milk twice a day for at least half a month is one of the most valuable natural home remedies for Fungal Infections of the lips.
Diet for Fungal Infections
A healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals goes a long way in preventing Fungal Infections. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc are particularly useful in this regard. Fruits like orange, melon, plum, grape, pear, grapefruit, lemon, sweet lime and other citrus fruits facilitate the process of healing. Also, grains like wheat, barley, rice, millet, corn, and oats can be safely included in the diet.
Including one or two cloves of raw garlic in the diet is one of the easiest home remedies for Fungal Infections. Cloves and onions act as natural cures for such infections due to their antifungal properties. Plus, unflavored yogurt, kefir and buttermilk should constitute an integral part of the diet for fighting Fungal Infections.
Besides, drink lots of water and maintain proper hygiene to control this problem. Apart from this, restrict the consumption of processed and packaged foods as they tend to aggravate the problem. Until the infection fades away, stay away from sugar as well.
I constantly clear my throat and yellow-green phlegm comes up occasionally. Chest x-rays have not shown any problem. I have trouble swallowing and sometimes choke on food and drinks unexpectedly (kind of like a choking spasm). I think that is how my lungs have trapped food and drink. I am taking oil of oregano and n-acetyl cysteine. Are high doses required to cure lung fungi? I will start today to eat two cloves (little garlic sections) of garlic today. Any more suggestions?
I am willing to bet you have a sinus infection in your nasal passages, which drip into your throat, and need constant clearing. That’s also why your lungs tested as clear. Ocia root, when burned and inhaled, cures sinusitis. I was on antibiotics for years for recurrent sinusitis, and the ocia root cured me! you can take it as a tincture, as well.
I had a bad cold one time I’m sure it was pneumonia. Wear I did was put hydrogen peroxide in a fine midst spray like throat spray bottle with a few drops of oil of oregano and colodial silver. Spray at least 8 pumps in mouth and inhale midst in lungs multiple times a day and the infection went away. But every morning when doing this I’d cough up dark yellow mucus that’s how I knew the infection was being expelled from my body. And I also took high dose vitamin c. 8-10 grams per day spread throughout the day with lots of water was well within a week
Also, I am continually tired and fall asleep during the day. Is this due to lung fungi? Thanks for your replies.
My father has been diagnosed with leukemia (AML). He’s got lung fungus infection which caused him to suffer shortness of breath most of the time. He’s been admitted to the hospital & being treated with antibiotics. When his condition improved, he may be discharged. What kind of home remedy would help combat his lung fungal infection would you recommend, on top of the anti-fungal medications prescribed to him?
I have come into contact with a rose fungus and it has grown from the size of a pen head to the size of a toonie. I was poked by a rose thorn sometime in June and nothing the doctors have prescribed has worked yet. The skin is itchy, dry, red and cracked so I can not put much of anything on it. I bandage it with a poly sporen ointment almost daily but sometimes I let it dry out…It is painful and no one has any answers for me….the wait for a dermatologist is 8-10 months. What can I do?
My father came in contact with some serious fungus two years ago while helping a friend clean out the basement of a flooded cottage. Doctors won’t acknowledge or entertain the fact that it’s a fungus in the lungs and sinuses they keep saying and treating him like he has asthma or COPD. I have read many things and he has become his own doctor for approx.2 years now. He has been in and out of hospitals half a dozen times due to not being able to breathe. Doctors fill him up with Prednisone, Antibiotics and symbicort or Advair. He had severe allergic reactions to symbicort and advair while in hospital so Doctors finally realized these two medications could not be used to assist him in his breathing. The breathing difficulty subsides after approx.two weeks stay in the hospital because the prednisone and antibiotics are only suppressing the symptoms (which are asthma like) of the fungus. I have read many forums and all the people discussing their symptoms are exactly like my Father…sinuses fill up with mucous, nose drips clear liquid, lungs fill up with mucous, when he is able to clear his lungs, it’s clear, frothy mucous that’s being expelled occasionally with little “fungus plug like substances”. He even went as far as purchasing his own monitor to track his oxygen level and heart rate. This week, he is fighting for breath, oxygen level staying mid to low 80’s up to 90 or 91. He is petrified to go back to the hospital because they just want to fill him up with drugs to cover up the symptoms and get him home. He has limited his diet extremely, no sugars, anti fungal products galore, he is doing everything possible as I said he has researched a lot and has become his own “doctor”. I am at a loss! We don’t know what to do…my Father has asked me to type up his Will and Power of Attorney to prepare for the worst. My Father feels that if he had oxygen at home, he might be able to fight this fungus naturally, (oxygen gives him the strength to expel the mucous) but no Doctor will agree to prescribe oxygen for him to bring home. Does anyone have any suggestions??? Anyone have the same symptoms as my Father??? Signed Desperate Daughter
I have a similar condition. About two years ago I contracted mold in my lungs doing yard work. I was also treated for asthma and copd instead of for a fungal infection.
The following article on Aspergillus Fumigatus may enlighten you somewhat on the problem of fungal infection in the lungs.
Aspergillosis is a very severe condition, and the severity of it is reflected in the 1,005 mortality rate of patients suffering from this disease. A specific type of fungus, known as A fumigatus, is responsible for the severest cases of aspergillosis.
For those, whose immunity has been compromised due to any reason, tissue damage is more severe. The fungus usually attacks the nose, eyes, bones, nervous system, kidneys, heart, skin, and blood. If it attacks the central nervous system, deterioration of physical condition is pretty rapid. The treatment of this condition is usually with anti fungal drugs.
SUSPENSION OF NYSTATIN CURED two patients of ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS in less than a month. ( Dis Chest 1959;36;554-556, DOI 10.1378/chest.36.5.554—–Official Publication of the American College of Chest Physicians).
PRESENTLY, NO TREATMENT THAT CURES THE DISEASE IS AVAILABLE.
Treatment with corticosteroids leads to the relief of bronchospasm, the resolution of radiographic infiltrates, and the reduction in serum total IgE and peripheral eosinophilia.190,,191 Two weeks of daily therapy of oral prednisone (0.5?mg/kg/day), followed by gradual tapering, has been recommended for new ABPA infiltrates.192,,193
As you can see, fungal infection of the lungs, especially aspergillus fumigatus, is a serious condition. The only cure I have run across is the one mentioned above (SUSPENSION OF NYSTATIN). I’m trying to contact the Journal for more information.
Good Luck……
Have you looked into Blastomycosis?
Cindy, Sporanox (Itraconazole) might be the cure. Blastomycosis and similar conditions are rare, but perfectly treatable fungal infections that often starts by inhaling mold spores from water-damaged homes, exposure to bird feces, or mechanically stirred soil (especially in the Midwest and South USA). Extended symptoms tend to be deceivingly mild so it often gets ignored or misdiagnosed as just tiredness, flu, tuberculosis, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, etc. Fatigue, weight-loss, persistent cough, deep chest pain are common. Antibiotics and cough medicine are ineffective. Most doctors are unfamiliar so don’t waste time with bumbling tests. Chest X-rays can sometimes look like lung cancer. Best way to confirm is to grow fungus culture from a sputum sample or collection by lung scrape (invasive). Additionally helpful to consume unrefined coconut oil (externally & internally), fresh garlic and stay hydrated (more than you may naturally feel). Early and aggressive attention is essential to avoid dissemination to other organs or potential death. I am not a doctor but I know a little sumthin’ about Blasto. Hope this helps.
dont know how to treat this problem but penis has an infection in foreskin… some how itchy and the more i do sex its itchy that makes me ejaculate early and end up getting sores. which am used to go like 30 min without ejaculating but this is disturbing….any help please?
I had similar issue. Try mama nature’s salveation and smear it on, it’ll be gone in no time. If you order it from the UK youll get it in a couple of weeks at most. They are reliable and I would recommend them to anyone.
Brenda,
Not making any promises, but have you ever heard of PORTER’S Linament salve? It is great for skin issues. It is one of those OLD time remedies. Give it a try if you can find it. Should probably be no more than $10. If it works then it will be worth it, if not then you are only out $10! My hands are highly sensitive. My finger tips crack …i just put a little on a bandage and keep it covered over night. by morning most of the soreness is gone. do that for a couple of days and see if it helps. IT REALLY REALLY SMELLS BAD!!! BUT IT IS AWESOME STUFF! My daughter has health issues due to an inactive thyroid. She had a 20 lb. cancerous tumor removed and was cut from just under her breasts to the top of her panty line. She is a large girl, the doctors never thought about after they took the staples out that when she sat down the incision could burst open…well it DID and it had gotten infected. Her hospital was over 100 miles away…so I tore up an old sheet, cut it into strips used that salve on her incision and TIED her tummy with the sheet strips and within 24 hours most of the redness was gone and it had started closing! it has “drawing” properties… but i also know it kills fungas.
I’ve had an itchy scalp for months now, sufferred severe acne around my chin (I’m 50) and lsot hair on my face sideburns, moustache and parts of my eyebrows. My GP believes this to be stress related.I’m on antibiotics which have certainly helped with the acne, though it hasn’t completely cleared.My hair hasn’t grown back, though the GP believes it will and my scalp still itches. HELP.
i wanna knw how to get rid of fungal disease as its very badly affctd on my body so plz help me out to get rid of it naturally as i hve taken many trmnts bt the prblm still continues ……. plz suggest me a proper diet as well as treatment…….
#1 spread of all fungus across north America is yeast. Yeast in our bread donuts & pastries is killing your body and most of north America yeast grows and multiplies on your body and everyday you eat bread with yeast you are setting up an atmosphere for infection disease sickness &death
God for 5000 years has been telling people don’t eat leavened bread which is bread with yeast. Everybody in north America eats bread full of yeast every day and yeast is what starts disease sto yeast for 30 days if you can and you will get well & you will never eat yeast again. Try making no yeast bread like corn bread or no yeast chapati breads recipes are on the internet. It is the final answer for every bodies problems.
Hi about a year ago i noticed I had little tiny bubbles on my hand and a little on my feet i noticed it would get itchy a Times so I would scratch it and it would burst and a clear kind of sticky substance would come out. Now the palms of my handhas become very dry to where they cause deep cracks and very itchy. My skin is almost like dry fish scales. I’m about to see a doctor but now I’m applying tolnaftate. It seems to be working but slow. I would appreciate any help.
Try using an anti dandruff, medicated shampoo that contains tar. Treat the area, no matter the size, like you would any open infected wound. First, prep area. Rinse off the days dirt, warm/hot water of course. If there’s any hard, tender, or pesky scabs, dab on a little bit of hydrogen peroxide with a q-tip. As for your facial hair, its best if let it all grow out… No shaving, plucking or waxing. That’s not a realistic for everyone, so the next best options would be to either shave AT THE LEAST everyday, no exceptions, with a new or sterilized razor, or trim it. Unfortunately you will have to live with a perpetual five oclock shadow for awhile, but it has to be done. Think ingrown hair only it applies to every single strand of hair…. everywhere. Don’t trim it too short tho, it needs to be long enough as to prevent any ingrown hairs. So now that your primed for maximum absorption, lather up a good amount of anti dandruff in your hair, or coat it (unaltered, undiluted) on any affected areas…. don’t be frugal, cake that stuff on. You’d probably want to avoid areas like your eyes, that might hurt just a bit. Make sure to really work that stuff in, but try not to be to rough. Use a scalp massager for your hair, or a really wide & dull toothed combed (if you cant the other). Let it that sit for about 10-15 minutes. As a side note, this whole routine should all be done in the shower as part of your daily cleansing ritual. The constant moist heat is almost as important as the shampoo is. So with that being said, on to thé next…. rinsing this stuff out. Rinse only about half of it out, then lather it up again. Same goes for the other areas, sorta. Work the area up into a good lather, rinse a little, & repeat. Lather, Rinse, Repeat till your hearts content, as long as its at least once. This method really helps in rinsing everything out, completely & thoroughly. Now you moisterize. Conditioner, moisturizers, lotions… these are not products, they’re investments. Buy the quality you can afford. Don’t skimp on it in the shower either, your hair & skin are going to be almost painfully dry after what it’s just been thru. I find it kinda helps to wash the affected areas of skin with a bit of conditioner, rinse it of & then apply loition. Your gonna remove a bit of lotion when dry off, so make sure to apply more, as much as needed, after you’ve left the bathroom & you’re completely dried off. Youll know what needs lotion, it’ll feel tight, dry, plastic-y & most likely itch. Oh, & I forgot to mention, try to avoid any kind of oily skin products, like baby oil. It’ll keep your skin hydrated, but it’ll also clog pores (zits) & rubber cement dirt & infection into pores. They can even feed certain types of infections.
I went to make bread in a bread machine, put in the bakers yeast, shut lid, turned it on…and started to cough. I coughed, then sore throat, then sore chest, fever in waves more like hot flashes, insane itchy mouth, ears, tongue. Then in a few weeks it turned into allergies to bread, beer, other foods. Then allergies to MY HOUSE! My clothes when in my car or other small places. I had bad congestion in my chest that would subside when I stayed outside but would fast come back in my house or with food with yeast? I have never had allergies before! Numb tongue too. 5 weeks into this, I went to a doctor who put me on antibiotics. They helped but still sick. Then I went to another natural doctor this time who says I have a bacterial infection and food allegies…NO! It was the bakers yeast, I am sure it got in my respiratory tract when I turned on the machine. (from all I read and the timing) I keep saying I have something in my chest that I can feel move around. I put myself on Yeast Cleanse and probiotics which made me sicker and TONS of clear drainage! and then I coughed up a small clear blob with little yellow seed like things in it about 2 weeks ago. I instantly lost my allergic symptoms but still feel more action in my sore chest and still hoarse sounding. I still don’t feel great. I added some other things from the health food store and coughed up more stuff today. I also got a chest xray today so we will see. ?..tomorrow?.. Has anyone ever heard of this from bakers yeast? Sick of being sick!
Have any of you tried coconut oil? I’ve been researching it’s benefits and it almost sounds too miraculous to be true. It apparently has antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It can be used internally and externally (recommended is the virgin, organic type).
I’ve actually been researching in hopes of finding a way to help my mother’s little dog, Sugar. The vet said there isn’t anything more they can do (antibiotics & the cough medicine didn’t help). She is very congested, weak, and won’t eat much. They can’t figure out what it is. But I’m thinking since her life-long favorite hobbies include digging in the yard and playing in leaves, it may be fungus/mold related. I know… she’s just a dog, but we love her and she is such an awesome dog, and my mother just lost her lab so this is really hurting her.