Sometimes in life, a small annoyance develops into a major pain. Think walking with a sharp pebble in your shoe: A few minutes of discomfort isn’t that bad, but an hour might really pose a painful challenge. Or that nuisance of a splinter may be easily removed, but if it isn’t, an infection can lead to blood poisoning.
One podiatric version of this is the ingrown toenail. This condition arises when the outer edges or sides of your toenail grow into the surrounding flesh, causing pain, sensitivity, and swelling — all of which can make it hard to move normally. If the wound it creates gets infected, you have a more serious problem.
Is it realistic to think that an ingrown toenail will mend itself, though? That depends.
At our four locations at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers, we’ve helped scores of patients get relief from the pain and potential danger of an ingrown toenail.
Our exceptionally talented and caring podiatry provider team is devoted to treating whatever condition you’re coping with, and educating you about avoiding a recurrence.
An ingrown toenail is one of the most common foot problems that podiatrists tackle, yet you can often avoid it by doing one simple thing: trimming your toenails properly.
You set yourself up for an ingrown toenail if you cut your toenails very short or at the wrong angle, allowing nail curves on the ends. This causes your nail to either intrude into your adjacent skin or for the skin to grow around your nail. Either way, the nail cuts into your skin quite painfully.
Some people are genetically predisposed to developing an ingrown toenail, or they have nails that are shaped unusually, but most often the condition is caused by improper foot care, injury, or wearing ill-fitting shoes.
If you’ve just started experiencing symptoms and have no signs of infection, you can try some home treatments to mitigate the problem.
One involves soaking your foot in warm water for about 20 minutes, several times a day. Then you gently push the skin away from the nail edge with an olive oil-soaked cotton ball each day for a few weeks as the nail grows.
You can also place a small piece of cotton or dental floss under the edges of your toenail. This may encourage the skin to grow over the nail, but remember to change the floss or cotton every time you soak your foot.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications can also help with ingrown toenail discomfort, and applying a topical antibiotic, like Neosporin®, on the painful area can also offer relief and help prevent infection.
However, if you notice any signs of infection, such your ingrown toenail oozing pus, the redness spreading, you’re feeling feverish, or if that warm sensation intensifies, you need to seek treatment from your South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers podiatrist to prevent any serious infection from developing.
A special note to people living with diabetes: You should never take a wait-and-see attitude with any foot injury or problem. Often, neuropathy prevents you from feeling foot injuries, so a daily foot inspection is necessary. Diabetes may cause an infection spiral that can turn dangerous quickly and even lead to amputation.
Depending on your individual symptoms and situation, your podiatrist may:
If you need your nail removed, your podiatrist offers advice about how to protect and care for your toe while your new nail grows in.
Preventive care is also important, because after you get your ingrown toenail treated, you want to do all you can to prevent a recurrence. This means smart nail trimming (straight across and not too short), only wearing shoes with ample toe boxes that fit well, and cleaning and thoroughly drying your feet each day.
Protecting your feet from traumatic injury is also smart. This means wearing the right shoe for whatever task you’re performing or sport you’re playing: In other words, no flip-flops when you rearrange that furniture!
We’re here to treat your ingrown toenail so you can move without pain again and help you avoid another one.
Call our Belle Glade, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, or Lake Worth, Florida, office to schedule an appointment, or book with us online.
