Ingrown Toenails - A Real Pain in the Foot!

One of the most common problems webrdeal with in our feet are ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails can be a verybrpainful condition, and they are most commonly seen in the big toes. Any kind ofbrpressure, whether from shoes or even just a bed sheet, can cause tremendousbrpain. The toe can also become infected due to the nail digging into the nailbrfold. Common symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:

·      brPain

·      brSwelling

·      brRedness

·      brDrainage

·      brIncrease in warmth

·      brPain with palpation to the toe

·      brInability to wear shoes due to discomfort

Generally, this condition is seenbrat the corner of the nail. The nail grows into the flesh of the toe whichbrcauses the pain and infection.  Causes ofbringrown toenails include:

·      brTrauma, like stubbing your toe

·      brImproper trimming of the nail

·      brShoes that are too tight in the toes

·      brHereditary ingrown toenails

The best way to avoid thisbrcondition is to cut your nails straight across and avoid wearing shoes or socksbrthat are too tight.

Treatment for ingrown toenails canbrbe conservative, but a procedure is usually necessary to deal with the problem.brConservative treatment for an ingrown toe nail includes:

·      brSoaking the affected foot in Epson salt

·      brWearing proper fitting shoes

·      brNSAID’s

·      brKeeping the toe dry

·      brPossible antibiotics

In most cases, conservativebrtreatment may improve the toenail, but the ingrown toenail will likely comebrback. The number one treatment for this condition is am in-office procedure tobrremove the nail border and treat it with a medication, called phenol, tobrprevent regrowth of that border. In the procedure, about 10% of the affectedbrnail border is removed. This will alleviate the pressure on the toe and willbrimmediately help with the pain. In cases where the toe is badly infected, thebrprocedure may be completed without the application of phenol. Any infection orbrdiscomfort will resolve after the affected nail border is removed. Many peoplebrtry to perform “bathroom surgery” to remove their own nail. This is not doctor approved! This will oftenbrmake the infection worse, and the nail will not be fully removed, causing yourbrpain to continue. If you deal with chronic ingrown toe nails or have an acute ingrownbrtoenail call your doctor immediately so you can be pain free!

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