Podiatrist Ingrown Toenail Remedy – Is it the Best Choice?

A podiatrist is a foot doctor who specializes in giving medical diagnosis and treatment about foot problems such as heel pain, spurs, bunions, neuromas, warts, calluses, corns, hammertoes, fractures, injuries, and ingrown toenails. In order to become a podiatrist he or she has to attend a graduate school for a doctorate degree in podiatry after completing undergraduate medical school training. Commonly a podiatrist will;

  • Prescribe or fit patients with orthotics to help correct walking patterns
  • Diagnose and treat fractures, skin and nail disease, tumors and deformities
  • Perform diagnostic test and prescribe therapies
  • Consult with other doctors
  • Perform surgeries on conditions such as bunions, fractures, hammertoes, infections, tendons, ligaments, clawtoes
  • Treat conditions such as corns, cysts, calluses, ingrown toenails, bone disorders, infections and heel spurs

Onychocryptosis

Ingrown toenail is also called onychocryptosis by doctors and refers to when the nail, usually of the big toe, actually penetrates the skin of the toe. It is a painful problem and will look red and some swelling. If it becomes infected it will redden more, become more inflamed, (paronychia) get more painful and then there can be pus, an abscess, a fever.

When you are thinking about having a podiatrist ingrown toenail treatment whether you have an infection or not is key in that decision. You should not treat it yourself if there is an infection, see a podiatrist ingrown toenail expert, usually those that try and deal with an infected ingrown toenail themselves make the matter worse.

What is the podiatrist ingrown toenail remedy?

Steps a podiatrist ingrown toenail treatment takes are simple and usually done there and then in the office. If you need a tetanus shot he or she will give you one, then you will get an anesthetic to numb the toe. A portion or all of the nail will be removed as well as any overgrow skin or tissue that has grown. The pus or abscess will be drained and then an ointment is applied and it is bandaged. You are then given instructions on how to take care of the wound which involves keeping the area clean and dry, changing the bandage, using an antiseptic cream and taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

If you have a chronic or recurring problem podiatrist ingrown toenail action also involves removing a part of the nail matrix or cauterization using a chemical solution. The nail is then narrower and it stops part of the nail from growing back that causes the ingrown toenail condition. There may be some inflammation for up to a week after but it is mild. If there was an infection the chemical cannot be used and a scalpel is used.

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