Symptoms of athlete's foot
Athlete's foot is a fungal infection that is usually confined to your toes and feet. In generally, blisters can lead to cracking of the skin. When blisters break, small raw areas of tissue become exposed. This may result in pain and swelling. As the infection spreads, Itching and burning may increase. Some of the symptoms of athlete's foot include the following skin problems:

• blisters
• burning skin
• cracked, scaly skin
• dry skin
• inflammation of the skin
• itching
• toenails that are thick, crumbly, ragged, discolored or pulling away from the nail bed

Complications
Athlete's foot can spread to the soles of the feet and to the toenails or other parts of the body such as the groin and underarms. This usually happens to those who scratch the infection on one place on their body and then touch themselves elsewhere. The funguses causing athlete's foot may endure and persist for long periods. Therefore, it is understandable for the infection to consequently be spread by contaminated bed sheets or contaminated clothing to other parts of the body.

• bacterial infection as a result of cracked skin
• onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail
• transmission of the fungus to other parts of the body

When to seek help
See someone sooner if you notice excessive redness, swelling, drainage or fever. In addition, if you have diabetes and suspect you have athlete's foot, see your doctor. Finally, if you have a rash on your foot that doesn't improve or worsens after you've followed home and lifestyle remedies, see your doctor.

• Diabetes and athlete's foot
• drainage of the feet
• excessive redness of the feet
• fever
• swelling of the feet

If you notice that you are experiencing symptoms that may indicate that you have athlete's foot, make an appointment to see your doctor. The sooner that you see your doctor, then the sooner you can begin treatment. By seeing your doctor, you'll be able to determine if you have athlete's foot or another condition. For information on how doctors diagnose athletes foot, read the diagnosis section that follows.