Job Discussion Forums

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Ok, this is my last resort. Does anyone know how to say "anti-fungal cream" or "i have a fungal infection" in Japanese?

I can't find it in any dictionaries, my girlfriend doesn't know and my attempts to explain in pharmacies have caused me to buy an awful lot of itch cream, which for all its attempts, is essentially useless.

The sticky hot weather causes these things on me sometimes. I'm sure I'm not alone.

Thanks in advance.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Have you tried DAMARIN? The strong one is called DAMARIN E-SU (sorry can't do katakana on this PC). It's for mizu mushi.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You should really see a doctor just to be sure you get the right medicine. National health insurance will pay its usual amount. I had heat rash (prickly heat) once, and the doctor's examination included a minor scraping of the skin to be examined under the microscope for signs of fungus. Then, I was prescribed a cream which worked well.

If you insist on going to a pharmacy instead, you should tell them what you have, not tell them what medicine you want. Tell them you have heat rash (asemo) or if you are certain it is a fungal infection, then say you have kabi ni yoru kansen . Fungus or mold is kabi. You could then ask for cream by saying kureemu ga arimasu ka?.

FWIW,
My wife has not heard of any bodily infections caused by fungi, and she says she wouldn't know how to ask for an anti-fungal cream.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Thanks Glenski, you're a star. I'll have a go with that.

Its kind of like athlete's foot. I've been using cream for that but its run out. In England the stuff I used is called Canesten. Its for treating thrush in women. You can get a strong one from the doctor or a weaker one in the chemist. Its on my behind, so my friends in England lovingly referred to is as bum thrush, which was nice. A little painful to perform certain operations when if it doesn't get treated.

Next week I have time off so I'll go to the doctors then if its still here. Apologies for the graphic description, but I've had a beer!

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Glenski, your wife must have heard of fungal infections on the skin- mizu mushi, one of the Japanese national afflictions, is caused by a fungus. Another well-known one, which the OP mentioned, is thrush, or candidiasis. I won't go into details on that one, but women tend to suffer from it more than men. There are plenty of others.

I'm not sure that kabi would be the appropriate word to use here- that's more for the mould that you get in bathrooms I believe.

Cream for athlete's foot may be a bit strong for that area, OP, but it might be worth a try.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

"mizu mushi" is also the Japanese term for athlete's foot. The powder or cream for that you can find in any drugstore. FWIW, I haven't used the Japanese remedy for it, but I HAVE used athlete's foot cream for prickly heat before and it worked just fine.

SeasonedVet · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 236 Location: Japan

真菌感染症 Fungus infection (Mycosis)

I found this on the net. haven't gotten it verified yet.
You guys can get your wives to check it out see if that's it or not.
If I get someone to chect it out I'll let you know.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Yes, she has heard of both, but beyond that, nothing. Not surprising for a layman, compared to me with a background in microbiology (meaning, I know what causes these things and I know the difference between a fungus and a mold).

A good reference book if you can still get it.
A Doctor in Your Pocket, by Dr. John J. Olichney and Sue A. Kawashima
bilingual medical terms book

By the way, 真菌感染症 is indeed Fungus infection (Mycosis), but even my wife doesn't know the pronunciation of the first 2 kanji, and that's only because it's a technical word. I caution using it unless you truly know the pronunciation, because "shinkin" also means myocardium (although there is different kanji used).

Just go to the darned doctor and get checked out.

SeasonedVet · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 236 Location: Japan

I also got someone to check it. After I explained that it might mean an itch in the private area the person said "ahhhhh" kansen.

But the other kanji shinkin she could not read as others have said most likely because it's a technical term.

And I have been thinking, if we go to the doctor back home we usually wouldn't say "doctor I have come to see you because I have a fungal infection" we would most likely explain the symptoms to the doctor, eg it's itchy here etc ...
It would be the same here, you just say in Japanese it is itchy here and explain any other symptoms and the doctor ( being a doctor) would know the technocal word.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

The kanji shown here is indeed fungal infection. Trust me on that. I've had proper sources confirm it. But to go in and say you have "shinkin kansensho" is not enough. It could mean fungal infection or myocardium infection. Yeah, sure, asking for a cream would suggest to any pharmacist which one you are talking about, but why are you even considering going this route? Get a proper diagnosis and recommendation for meds. It'll probably cost you less, too.

Just to say one has an itchy area (even pointing to it with whatever embarrassment you may feel or not) is not enough for a PROPER diagnosis, and how could you expect a pharmacist to make one? That'd be like going in and saying all you have is a cough, when that one symptom could be due to a zillion things. The meds you get for that cough could be totally useless.

If you have the original container for your old cream, bring it in. A pharmacist might be able to make heads or tails out of it, given enough time. I know a couple of pharmacists personally. They don't always have the ability to figure out English ingredients, but you could give it a shot. Personally, I say get a checkup and prescription. Don't you have insurance?

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Thanks everyone for your posts, thats way more information than I was expecting. Once again, this site gets me out of a hole.

I've been using my athlete's foot cream, and its pretty much gone away, which tells me its what I thought it was. Problem is the cream is gone now, and if it isn't completely cleared it'll be back in a few days. I have holiday from Tuesday next week so if it comes back I'll go in, armed with all the terms you've all suggested, and see what the doc says.

JaredW · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:12 am Post subject:

A little variation on seasonedvet's

koushinkinyaku or Antifungal drug. Thanks wikipedia.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Hi Cornish Muppet,

I think your descriptions haven't been graphic enough. Could you please post a photo of the affected area so that the Dave's forum doctors can more accurately diagnose your problem!