Definition Jock’s Itch

Tinea cruris is the medical term for jock itch wherein it affects the groin and thighs of the males. Derived from people who sweat a lot especially athletes, tinea cruris is commonly called jock itch these days. This is common amongst adult men and adolescents. It is also possible that women and overweight people can acquire this problem.

Athletes foot wherein the person has itchy feet, itchy toes and itchy legs sometimes accompanies this problem as well as ring worms.
Causes
A person may have jock itch because of the factors such as: heat, humidity, tight clothing, and wet skin folds to obese people. These are some of the causes of the problem:
When a person is taking a broad-spectrum antibiotics which weakens the immune system. The fungus in this condition is opportunistic which means it attacks when the immune system is weak.
Wearing tight clots or athletes wearing supporters.
Skin-to-skin or intimate contact with a person who has the infection
Fungal infections such as athletes foot which includes itchy feet, itchy toes and itchy legs

Symptoms
-Itching or burning sensation in the groin area or thighs or even in the anus
-The area may appear to look like a rash, flaking, rippling, or cracking
-If there is candidal infection, the rash will appear to be redder and wetter.

Diagnosis and Work Up
When going to the doctor, the physician will usually take a complete medical history and physical exam. In taking the medical history, the medical professional will record if the patient has fever, excessive urination, when the rash began and previous infections.

Aside from that, the doctor will also do some fungal culture and skin scrapes to exactly determine the problem and treat accordingly.

Treatment

a.Oral medication is given for severe, chronic and when topical therapy does not work. The physician may give itraconazole, fluconazole.
b.Topical medication such as lotions and creams are the first-line therapy. These are applied to the area such as Miconazole, tolnaftate, clotrimazol. Erythromycin is given when the infection is at the groin.

Prevention
It is important not to stop the medication even if the rashes fade away. The patient should continue the medication because the chance or recurrence it high.
If the jock its is totally cured, these preventions are effective:
a.Use cornstarch of powder or even anti-fungal powder such as Cruex effective to avoi moisture in the area. these can also be helpful in treating itchy feet, or itchy legs and itchy toes
b.Do not wear tightly fit clothes
c.It is best to sterilize the linens and towels that are used in hotels or inns to avoid jock itch