If you’re suffering from chronic jock itch, you’re probably desperate for relief. We’ll tell you what causes a jock itch infection and how to treat one. We’ll tell you how to prevent it from becoming a chronic infection and we’ll help you find the relief for which you’ve been searching.
What Is Chronic Jock Itch?
Jock itch is a fungal infection affecting the groin, buttocks, and upper thighs. It causes a red, circular rash and the skin may be scaly. It itches, sometimes quite a lot. Getting hot or sweaty can make the itching worse. In severe cases, the skin may start to break down, especially if you scratch a lot. Then you become susceptible to secondary bacterial infections.
Jock itch is most common in people that sweat a lot, like athletes, which is why the condition is referred to as jock itch. It’s also common in people that are overweight and those that work in jobs involving a lot of physical labor, especially in very warm environments (like farmworkers, construction workers, and workers in some factories).
Jock itch is usually not a chronic condition, however. It’s usually pretty easy to treat. It might become a chronic condition if you don’t get proper treatment, though, especially if you continue to get hot and sweaty in your groin area. The fungus that causes a jock itch infection thrives in warm, moist areas like that.
How Can You Prevent Jock Itch from Becoming a Chronic Condition?
As mentioned above, jock itch is usually not a chronic condition. If you have jock itch, taking the following steps can help prevent the condition from becoming chronic. These tips can also help prevent jock itch from developing in the first place.
- Keep the groin area clean and dry.
- Dry well after bathing.
- Pat yourself dry with a towel after exercising or otherwise working up a sweat.
- Use an antifungal powder (available at drugstores) on your groin area and buttocks if you frequently sweat in that area to keep things dry.
- Change your underwear daily, more often if it gets sweaty and damp.
- Wear clothing appropriate for the temperature. Don’t wear thick, heavy clothing if it’s very hot out. Avoid very tight clothing, as well, which can cause increased sweating and can also cause chaffing, which increases the risk of jock itch and can prolong a fungal infection in that area. Wearing boxer shorts instead of briefs may help.
- Don’t share personal items such as towels.
- Treat athlete’s foot or any other fungal infections elsewhere on your body to prevent them from spreading to your groin area and causing re-infection (1).
- See your doctor if you have a jock itch that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments. While the condition can usually be treated with over-the-counter medications, sometimes people need prescription antifungal pills to get rid of jock itch once and for all. In addition, if you have an infection that isn’t responding to over-the-counter treatment for jock itch, it’s possible your condition is something other than jock itch and requires a different treatment.
How Do You Treat Chronic Jock Itch?
We’ll tell you about our preferred treatment for jock itch, but first, we want to advise you to see your doctor if you have a jock itch that is not responding to treatment. Jock itch usually responds to over-the-counter antifungal medications, but if you have a severe case of jock itch or a case of jock itch that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter medication, you may need prescription-strength ointment or antifungal pills. You should also see your doctor if you have a jock itch that is causing significant distress or if you are developing skin ulcers in that area.
Remember, it is recommended that you treat athlete’s foot or any other fungal infections elsewhere on your body at the same time.
Our Top Recommended Treatment for Chronic Jock Itch
Our preferred treatment for jock itch, chronic or not, is an all-natural formula called H-Jock Itch Formula. Its combination of homeopathic medicine and essential oils like lavender oil and tea tree oil eliminates the fungus that causes jock itch while soothing irritated skin and relieving the itching that accompanies the condition. H-Jock Itch formula is made in the USA and its homeopathic ingredients are manufactured according to the exact specifications of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS). People who’ve tried it rate it 4.6 stars out of five stars. To learn more about our top recommend treatment for jock itch, just follow the link.