Toenails (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Symptoms include:
• Pain along one or both sides or corners of your nail
• Redness and swelling
• Infection alongside the nail
Ingrown toenails can be caused by:
• Shoes that are poorly shaped and crowd the toes
• An injury to the toe
• Poorly trimmed nails or nails that are trimmed too short
• Toenails that grow in an unusual manner
If caught in the early stages, treatment of an ingrown toenail may be able to be done at home. However, repeated cutting of the nail can compound the situation. If there is a sign of infection, you are better off to have your doctor treat it, especially if you have any additional medical concerns like diabetes that make your feet more vulnerable.
Beneficial home remedies for ingrown toenails include room temperature soaks with Epsom salts added to the water. After the soak gently rub the area around the nail. This may help to alleviate swelling. Wedging cotton under the nail is not recommended as this provides an area for bacteria to grow, which can lead to infection. Over the counter medications are not beneficial because they may disguise the pain, but they do not improve the situation. If pain continues for more than a couple of days, it’s time to see your doctor.
Sometimes after treatment an ingrown toenail can return. If this is the case, Dr. Blaakman may recommend a slight in office surgical procedure to remove the side of the nail, or in more serious cases the root of the nail. Once the offending nail is gone, so is the pain.
If you have an ingrown toenail that is still aggravating you, call for an appointment today (877) 941-3338. For more information visit our website.
References:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ingrown-toenails/DS00111/DSECTION=complications
http://www.foothealthfacts.org/footankleinfo/ingrown-toenail.htm
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