Infected Ingrown Toenail – What it Looks Like and What to Do
Onychocryptosis the medical name for an ingrown toenail refers to when the nail of the toe, usually of the big toe, actually penetrates the skin of the toe, cutting into it. It is a painful condition though severity of it varies from person to person. Some have a nail that is embedded in one side of the nail, some in both sides, and some may have the corner of the nail or a small spike of it piercing the flesh. If not dealt with correctly it can become an infected ingrown toenail at which point it should be examined by a doctor or podiatrist (foot expert).
Symptoms of an infected ingrown toenail
Before infection the symptoms of an ingrown toenail are obviously the nail cutting into the skin, pain and perhaps some redness or swelling. But symptoms of an infected ingrown toenail also called paronychia can develop to;
- Further swelling
- Increased amount of pain and discomfort
- white or pale area of skin surrounded by redness
- fever
- pus or oozing fluid
- abscess
Causes of an infected ingrown toenail
Causes of an ingrown toenail include;
- incorrect cutting – making it too short and digging in the corners to round the nail
- having a naturally more rounded nail
- family history
- tight footwear that squeezes toes together, high heels
- trauma or injury to the area
- being overweight
Once you have an ingrown toenail it just takes some bacteria to get into the wound to then cause an infected ingrown toenail.
What to do about an infected ingrown toenail
It is important with an infected ingrown toenail that you have a doctor treat it rather than doing so yourself. If there is no infection you can try some foot soaks and gently lifting the nail and using a rolled up piece of cotton to hold it up over a few days the nail may grow so it is no longer digging in. But you should not try perform home surgery, cutting a v into the nail does not work, and you should not dig in the sides, you will make it worse.
An infected ingrown toenail needs to be dealt with by a doctor because they know what they are doing and they can drain the pus, and possibly prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection. Podiatric treatment of an infected ingrown toenail involves removing part of the nail or the spike that is causing the problem after administering an anesthetic, draining and cleaning out the infection, applying antiseptic and a dressing. You will then be given instructions on how to care for it at home. Though the procedure is painless because of the anesthetic there is some pain as it heals, though usually ibuprofen or acetaminophen are enough to manage this.
Complications if an infected ingrown toenail is ignored
The infection can spread beyond just the toe area potentially into the bone and further. Diabetic patients who tend to have less blood circulation to the feet and less nerve supply can end up having open sores that are hard to treat or foot ulcers. Extreme cases can become gangrenous and may need amputation to stop it spreading.
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