There’s a whole range of treatments available from the pharmacy, and it’s very important to be specific about the type of infection you have.

If it is a wet, soggy type, then the preparation will be quite different from that used to treat the dry kind. Similarly, if the infection is cracked, you need to be more careful about the type of application you use.

For wet, soggy infection, preparations that include aluminum acetate can help, as can those that contain aluminum chloride, although note that this latter chemical can cause irritation, and is toxic by mouth and when inhaled.

Skin irritation and hypersensitivity reactions can occur with any of the preparations; diabetics in particular should avoid any treatments that include salicyclic and benzoic acid as these can trigger circulatory problems.

Silly goose – of course you do! Try tea tree oil on the foot, suggests one, or apply a paste made from bicarbonate of soda. Alternatively, crush bulbs of garlic in a plastic bag and then put your foot into the bag ‘for a spell’. Fortunately for our reader, the bicarb remedy worked first!

Another option is aloe vera, says one reader, while Centella makes an ointment it ‘guarantees’ will cure the problem. A home-made remedy involves piercing a vitamin E capsule, and squeezing the contents onto the affected area. Regular supplementation of zinc helped one reader who constantly suffered from athlete’s foot. Simpler still, just rinse the affected foot in cold water after you’ve showered or bathed, and dry the foot with a hair dryer, using cool air.

One simple solution, suggested by several readers, was Vicks VapoRub, while another mentioned Citricidal by Higher Nature. It’s made from grapefruit seed, and one drop on the nail twice a day for several weeks should do the trick.

It could be a symptom of Candida, so it’s worth getting it checked out. Calendula ointment was another suggestion, while another thinks it should grow out by itself provided you keep socks and shoes treated with fungal powder.

One reader treated his fungal infection successfully with glyconutrients, although it took five months before it had any effect. Tea tree oil was mentioned by several readers, or you could also try lemon essential oil, or castor oil, which should be applied topically. Cider vinegar may also help. Best of all, go on holiday to somewhere warm and put your feet in the salty ocean water.

• Myrrh (Commiphora mol-mol)
  
• Ti-Tree (Melaleuca spp.)
  
• Garlic (Allium sativum). This can be both dramatically effective and dramatically smelly!

• Clean repeatedly round toenails and fingernails, as the minute fungal mycelium often lodges under the nails and causes repeated infections.
  
• Keep the feet dry, especially between the toes.
  
• Wear open-toed shoes or sandals when you have to have any footwear on at all. Avoid vinyl uppers and athletic shoes with rubber soles. Cotton socks are better than synthetics.
  
• Wash your feet and soak them in a vinegar/water solution (2-4 tablespoons/pint)for twenty minutes, three times daily. Herbal vinegar’s would be best.

Here is a list of drugs and other things you should keep at home for self-care. Store them in a handy, dry place, but out of children’s reach. Check the expiration date often. Throw away and replace ones that are outdated.

Medications	Use
Acetaminophen ex: Aspirin-Free Anacin, Tylenol	Pain relief, reduces fever
Activated charcoal (binds certain chemicals when swallowed) [NOTE: Call Poison Control Center first]	Oral Poisoning for some poisons
Antacids (liquid or tablets) ex: Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta, Amphojel	Stomach upset, heartburn
Antibiotic cream or ointment ex: Neosporin	Minor skin infection, wounds
Anti-diarrheal medicine ex: Kaopectate, Immodium A-D, Donnagel	Diarrhea
Antifungal preparations ex: Tinactin	Fungal infections such as athlete’s foot
Antihistamines ex: Dristan, Triaminic, Benadryl	Allergies, cold symptom relief
Anti-motion sickness ex: Dramamine	Motion sickness
Antiseptic preparation ex: Betadine	Abrasions, cuts
Aspirin* ex: Anacin, Bayer, Bufferin	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
Cough medicine with expectorant (look for one with Guaifenison) ex: Robitussin	Cough with mucus
Cough suppressant without expectorant(look for one with Dextromethorphan ex: Robitussin DM	Dry cough without mucus
Decongestant (tablets, nose spray, etc.) ex: Dristan Nasal Spray, Sudafed, Dimetapp	Stuffy and runny nose, post-nasal drip from colds, allergies
Ear wax dissolver ex: Debrox	Ear wax
Eye drops and artificial tears ex: Murine, Visine	Minor eye irritations
Hemorrhoid preparations ex: Hemorid	Hemorrhoids
Hydrocortisone cream ex: Cortaid, Lanacort	Minor skin irritations, itching and rashes
Ibuprofen (adult) ex: Advil	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
Laxatives ex: Ex-Lax, Correctol, Milk of Magnesia	Constipation
Moisturizer ex: Jergens Lotion	Dry skin
Naproxen Sodium (adult) ex: Aleve	Pain relief, reduces fever and swelling
Petroleum jelly ex: Vaseline	Chafing, dry skin
Rubbing alcohol	Topical antiseptic, clean thermometer
Sanitary napkins, tampons	Menstruation
Sunscreen – look for one with SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or more	Prevent sunburn, protect against skin cancer
Syrup of Ipecac (NOTE: Call Poison Control Center first)	To induce vomiting for some poisons
Throat anesthetic preparations ex: Sucret throat lozenges, Chloraseptic spray	Minor sore throat
Toothache – relief preparation ex. Anbesol	Toothache
Supplies	Use
Adhesive bandages	Minor wounds
Adhesive tape, sterile gauze pads, roll of sterile gauze and scissors	To dress minor wounds
Cotton balls, cotton tipped applicators	Minor wounds
Elastic bandages and clips	Minor strains and sprains
Heating pad/hot water bottle	Minor pains, strains, menstrual cramps
Humidifier, vaporizer (cool mist)	Add moisture to the air
Ice pack/Heat pack	Minor pain and injuries
Thermometer (mercury-containing, digital, etc.) Basal thermometer if using natural family planning method for birth control.	Fever
Tongue depressor, flashlight	Check for redness or infection in throat
Tweezers	Remove splinters

Myrtaceae

Names: Tea tree

Habitat: Swampy, low lying wetlands in New South Wales,
Australia.

Collection:

Part Used: Essential oil.

Constituents:

• Essential oil containing a range of terpenes and sesquiterpenes.

Actions: Anti-microbial

Indications: The essential oil of Ti Tree is an important anti-microbial
that has recently become available in North America. An undoubtedly
useful oil, it has attracted to itself the modern equivalent of
the old snake oil sales ‘persons’! Claims are being made that have
a kernel of truth to them but are exaggerated for promotional reasons.
Never believe advertisements about herbs, question them instead.
The claims may be true, but get the evidence and make up your own
mind. A list of conditions that Melaleuca oil has been suggested
for include: sinusitis, the common cold, sinus blockage, laryngitis,
coughs, apthous ulcers, boils, cuts, bites, sunburn, malaria,
parasites, head lice, herpes simples, herpes progenitalis, impetigo,
psoriasis, infected seborrhoeic dermatitis, ringworm of the scalp,
ringworm, athletes foot, fungal infections of the nails, thrush,
trichomona lvaginitis.

Preparations & Dosage: The oil is for external use
and in people with sensitive skin it should be diluted with a bland
fixed oil such as almond oil. There is currently a wide range of
products on the market that contain the oil. These include toothpaste,
soap, shampoo.