Ingrown Toenail Treatment
Ingorwn toenails are one of the most common foot issues that cause the side or corner of the toenail to stab into the soft toe flesh. The outcome of this is swelling, mild pain, redness and sometimes infection. Generally ingorwn toenails affect the big toe. Most of the time you can treat ingrown toes at home. Be cautious if you have weak blood flow to your feet or diabetes, you’re at a higher risk for complications.
Symptoms & Causes – Ingrown Toenail
Ingrown toenails are a very normal issue that pops up where the side or corner of the toenail digs into the thin toe skin. Once you notice the toenail in the skin you will feel swelling, pain, redness or infection. Usually, you can care for ingrown toenails at home, unless it becomes a bad infection. People with diabetes or poor blood flow to the feet will have an increased risk for this medical foot issue.
Symptoms: Common ingrown toenail symptoms may include:
- Red puffiness near your toe around the nail
- Infected tissue around your toenail
- Tenderness on your toe along the sides of the toenail.
Caution: If you have these issues seek medical help.
- If you have poor blood flow to your feet or diabetes.
- Extreme pain in your toe, redness, or pus that could be spreading.
Causes: Common causes for ingrown toenails include:
- Uniquely curved toenails
- Toenail injury
- Wearing small shoes that crowd toes
- Unevenly cutting toenails
Complications: An ingrown toenail could defiantly infect your underlying bone, which just causes a serious bone infection. If you have a medical condition that causes slow blood flow or diabetes this issue can severely damage the nerves in your feet. Common minor foot issues like a: callus, corn, cut, scrape, or ingrown toenail might not require medical attention. A hard to heal deep cut, crush or ulcer might require medication help.
Prevention: Discover helpful was stop foot pain
- Inspect your feet monthly
- Trim your toenails monthly
- Trim toenails straight across
- Wear shoes that fit properly
Diagnosis & Treatment – Ingrown Toenail
Diagnosis: Your podiatrist doctor can easily verify your symptoms and inspect the skin surrounding the nail.
Treatment: If self treatment and online DIY treatments haven’t healed your toenail, then your podiatrist might recommend:
- Removing nail and tissue: If you have recurring issues in the same area, your doctor might recommend removing a section of the underlying nail and tissue.
- Lifting the nail: If the nail is barely ingrown without pain, redness, or pus the doctor might lift the nail edge and place splint, floss, or cotton under it.
- Removing part of the nail: For ingrown toenail issues that are more critical, your acting podiatrist could remove or trim a portion of that nail.
Self Treatment: Most of the time you can treat minor ingrown toenails at home, if it becomes severe then seek a podiatrist for an experts help. Here are a few tips:
- Comfortable Footwear: Wear sandals or open-toed shoes that allow your feet more movement.
- Soak Feet: Try soaking your feet three to six times a day to reduce the swelling.
- Antibiotic Ointment: Apply as need and wrap toe to keep it clean.