How To Treat An Ingrown Toenail
If you have ever experienced the pain and discomfort of an ingrown toenail, you have most likely wondered about the best way to fix it. The condition is common enough that it helps to be aware of prevention and treatment, especially if you like to keep your nails short. Today, we will talk about what ingrown toenails are and how you can treat one.
How Are Recurring Ingrown Toenails Treated
If you have recurrent ingrown toenails and home remedies arent cutting it, your doctor may recommend removing the nail and tissue with a procedure called a chemical matricectomy with phenolization.
In healthy patients, those with no comorbidities, its one of the best and most commonly performed procedures we havestill after 50 years, Dr. Dobrusin said. You go into the section of the nail that is causing the problem and take it out and apply 90 percent phenol that causes a chemical burn and prevents the nail from regrowing.
While it cant 100 percent guarantee you wont have any toe problems in the future, it is likely your toe will be much improved.
Using Cotton Or Gauze
If soaking alone does not bring relief within a day or two, a person can try gently encouraging the nail to grow upward with cotton or gauze.
After soaking, take a tiny piece of clean gauze or cotton and insert it under the nail. This can help relieve pressure and pain, separating the nail from the skin slightly.
Replace the cotton at least once per day until the nail has grown out and healed.
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What Are Possible Complications Of Ingrown Toenails
A persisting ingrown toenail can have serious consequences. A localized infection of the nail border can progress to a deeper soft-tissue infection , which can in turn progress to a bone infection . Complications can include scarring of the surrounding skin and nail borders as well as thickened, deformed fungal toenails . Sometimes, there is an enlargement of soft tissue at the nail fold that easily bleeds and drains.
Ways To Treat Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails can be very painful and at times need the attention of a professional, but there are some things you can do on your own.
Ingrown toenails are painful, and they can be tricky to treat because they can easily become infected and are often a recurring problem.
If your ingrown toenail has become infected, you shouldn’t attempt to treat it yourself. “The first thing is, if they’re infected, they need to be seen by a podiatrist,” says Alan K. Mauser, DPM, a podiatrist in Louisville, Ky.
If the ingrown toenail is not infected, you can try some at-home remedies to keep the pain at bay and prevent the ingrown toenail from coming back. Here are some ideas:
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What Are Some Ingrown Nail Complications
If you have diabetes, vascular problems, or numbness in your toes, you need to take special care to treat and prevent ingrown toenails. And donât put off getting treatment. Ingrown nails that go untreated for a long time can make the problem more severe.
Complications that can develop include:
- Bone infection
- Gangrene . This is rare.
- Losing a limb
Approach To The Patient
Surgical Approach to the Ingrown Toenail
Obtain surgical consent after explaining to the patient the risks, benefits, and alternatives. Place the patient in a supine or seated position with the affected toe and foot hanging off the end of the table.
Prepare the affected toe with standard povidone iodine solution. Use lidocaine or bupivacaine without epinephrine for local anesthesia in a digital block fashion.
Use a tourniquet or rubber band around the toe to assist in hemostasis for only a short duration use with caution in patients with known peripheral vascular disease or diabetes .
Identify the lateral 20 to 25 percent of the ingrown nail as the site of the partial lateral nail avulsion. Use a nail elevator under the nail to separate it from the nail bed .
Use a nail splitter to cut from the distal end of the toenail straight back toward the cuticle beneath the nail fold .
Grasp the avulsed lateral nail fragment with a hemostat down to just past the cuticle. Remove it by twisting the avulsed nail outward toward the lateral nail fold while pulling in a straight direction toward the end of the toe. Ensure that the entire nail fragment and flat edge of the nail bed is retrieved to prevent formation of a nail spicule and the potential for recurrence of an ingrown nail.
After surgery, apply a dressing of antibiotic ointment , 4 X 4 gauze, tube gauze, and paper tape, ensuring a comfortable bandage .
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What Causes Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails occur in both men and women. According to the National Health Services , ingrown toenails may be more common in people with sweaty feet, such as teenagers. Older people may also be at higher risk because toenails thicken with age.
Many things can cause an ingrown toenail, including:
- cutting toenails incorrectly
- irregular, curved toenails
- footwear that places a lot of pressure on the big toes, such as socks and stockings that are too tight or shoes that are too tight, narrow, or flat for your feet
- toenail injury, including stubbing your toe, dropping something heavy on your foot, or kicking a ball repeatedly
- poor posture
- improper foot hygiene, such as not keeping your feet clean or dry
- genetic predisposition
Using your feet extensively during athletic activities can make you especially prone to getting ingrown toenails. Activities in which you repeatedly kick an object or put pressure on your feet for long periods of time can cause toenail damage and increase your risk of ingrown toenails. These activities include:
- ballet
- overgrowth of skin around the toe
Treat your ingrown toenail as soon as possible to avoid worsening symptoms.
How To Treat An Ingrown Toe Nail
The signs and symptoms with which, we can identify the occurrence of ingrown toenail, are:
- Pain along the margins of the nail
- Pain while wearing footwear, which gets worsen with time
- Redness and swelling in the toenail
- Discharge of yellow fluid
- In some cases, an unusual fever also occurs
- Watery discharge with traces of blood
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How To Treat Ingrown Toenail Infection 2022
How To Treat Ingrown Toenail Infection. If you are suffering from an ingrown toenail that has become infected, you’ll need to treat the infection to prevent the condition from worsening. In some cases, the ingrown toenail breaks through the skin and allows bacteria to enter the underlying tissues.
An infection will often start at the site where the nail cuts into the skin. After each soaking, put fresh bits of cotton or waxed dental floss under the ingrown edge.
Soak The Ingrown Toenail In Warm Water Or Apple Cider Vinegar
While you wait for your appointment with Dr. Rambacher, you can get some relief from ingrown toenail pain by soaking your foot in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. You can soak your feet up to four times a day for maximum relief.
The warm water will reduce swelling to reduce the pain you feel.
If you have apple cider vinegar around your house, you can soak your foot in it for relief. Apple cider vinegar will kill some of the bacteria in your ingrown toenail and reduce inflammation.
For the best result, fill a basin with warm water and add a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. RambacherIts a good idea to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rambacher as soon as you notice the symptoms of an ingrown toenail. The small pain that you feel today can turn into excruciating pain by tomorrow. The sooner you come to our office, the sooner you can rid yourself of this painful problem.
You canschedule an appointment with Dr. Rambacher by sending us a message through our secure website. If you prefer using your phone, dial 949-916-0077 to talk to someone in our Mission Viejo office.
Were open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9am to 5pm We stay open until 7pm on Wednesday for your convenience. Book your appointment now so Dr. Rambacher can diagnose your ingrown toenail and decide what treatment option will work best for you.
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Key Points About Ingrown Toenail
| See your doctor urgently if you experience the following: |
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When To See A Doctor
Although you can do many things to treat an infected toe at home, its important to understand when you need to seek medical care. Call your doctor or a podiatrist if:
- You are noticing redness, swelling, and/or drainage coming from your toe
- You think you may have a fungal infection and over-the-counter creams havent worked
- You have an infected or ingrown toenail and youre diabetic
- Your toenail infection symptoms dont go away, they worsen, or they keep coming back
You should seek immediate medical attention if you have a fever and notice red streaks on your skin that lead away from the infected area on your toe, as these symptoms indicate a more severe infection.
An infected toenail can impact your daily life, but it doesnt have to. Learning how to treat an infected toe and knowing when to call your doctor can get you back to doing all the activities you love. If youre concerned about an infection in your toe, you should schedule an appointment with a podiatrist before attempting to treat painful symptoms at home.
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Why Do My Toenails Hurt When I Walk A Lot
Ingrown toenail They occur when the edges or corners of your toenail grows into the skin on the side of your nail. This causes pain, swelling, and tenderness, especially when you put pressure on the toe. Ingrown toenails have many causes, including foot hygiene issues, injuries, and pressure from shoes.
What Causes An Infected Toenail
Your toenail can become infected in a number of ways, including fungal infections or even calluses caused by your shoes. One of the most common types of toenail infections is an ingrown toenail. If your toenail is ingrown, it means the edges of your toenail start to grow into the skin next to your toenail. Ingrown toenails can be red and inflamed, sore, and may even be filled with pus.
The most common causes of an ingrown toenails include:
- Cutting your toenail too short or too long
- Toenail injury
- Curved toenails
- Improper footwear that puts pressure on your big toes
- Cutting your toenail improperly
- Certain sports and activities like dance, soccer, and skiing
- Poor foot hygiene
Infections on your toes may be common if you have diabetes or similar conditions that cause poor circulation or a weakened immune system. Diabetics should check their feet often and have regular appointments with a podiatrist because they may not feel the pain of a toe infection until the problem is severe.
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What Is An Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail occurs when the side of the nail curls down and grows into the skin around the nail.
Any toe can be affected but it commonly occurs in the big toe.
An ingrown toenail can become painful and inflamed .
Sometimes, it can become infected, which, if left untreated, can spread and infect the underlying bone.
What Causes An Infected Ingrown Toenail
The warm, moist environment of the feet can be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. These commonly include Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, dermatophytes, Candida, and Trichophyton. When there is a break in the skin from the offending nail border, these organisms can invade the area and cause an infection. Treatment for these infections is essential to maintain healthy toenails and feet. The medical term for infected ingrown toenail is called paronychia. If not treated, the infected toenail can cause serious problems such as chronic pain and disfigurement, cellulitis, and bone infection.
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Do Surgical Procedures That Treat Ingrown Toenails Require Anesthesia
Simple resection and removal of the offending nail edge often does not require anesthesia. However, nail avulsion and matrixectomy does require local anesthesia. The anesthesia is injected directly into the toe and its effect lasts throughout the procedure. Because the anesthesia is administered locally, there is a minimal effect on driving or walking after the procedure.
Treatment From A Foot Specialist
A foot specialist may offer further treatments, such as:
- cutting away part of the nail
- removing the whole nail
You’ll have an injection of local anaesthetic to numb your toe when this is done.
Referral to a podiatrist on the NHS may not be available to everyone and waiting times can be long. You can pay to see a podiatrist privately.
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Get The Help You Need For Ingrown Toenail Pain
If home treatment for an ingrown toenail is not going as planned, or you have one of the above complications, we can provide the prompt help you need.
And if you are coming in during the time of COVID-19, please rest assured we are screening patients before scheduling their appointments, as well as taking many precautionary cleaning and protocol measures to provide as safe and low-risk an environment as possible for our patients and staff.
Call Waco Foot & Ankle at 776-6995 to schedule an appointment or discuss other options with us. You can also contact us electronically by filling out our online form. A member of our staff will respond to you during our standard office hours.
How Is An Ingrown Toenail Treated
You can treat an ingrown toenail at home. These steps help control the infection and prevent further pain:
- Soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts twice daily.
- Keep the foot dry the rest of the time.
- Gently lift the edge of the nail and place some cotton or dental floss between the nail and the skin. Change the pad every day.
- Use an antibiotic cream and a bandage.
- Wear roomy shoes or sandals.
- Use pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, if needed.
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How To Treat An Ingrown Nail
The shoes that look good may not be the ones that feel good, and choosing style over comfort can sometimes cause pain. Ingrown toenails are one of the most common side effects of picking footwear that doesn’t really fit your feet.
An ingrown nail curves down and into the surrounding skin as it grows, causing the skin to grow over the nail. Although fingernails can also become ingrown, toenails, especially the big toe, are more susceptible to this condition .
Ill-fitting shoes are one of the main causes of ingrown toenails. Other common causes include cutting your toenails incorrectly, injuring your toe or heredity. If you were born with nails that are too large for your toes or nails that naturally curve, you may be more at risk of developing ingrown toenails. You can work to prevent ingrown toenails by trimming your nails correctly and wearing shoes that give your toes more room. You should also trim your nails regularly, cutting them straight across the top and rounding the edges, to prevent them from growing too long .
Symptoms of ingrown nails include redness, swelling, pain and sometimes pus drainage. You can usually treat an ingrown nail on your own, but your doctor can also perform simple surgical procedures to treat recurrent ingrown nails. If an ingrown nail is left untreated for too long, it can become infected and require antibiotics, so it’s best to take steps to remedy an ingrown nail as soon as possible.
