Ingrown toenails are usually caused by cutting toenails too short, toenail injury, genetically curved, toenails, improper footwear, playing certain sports, or poor foot hygiene. Infections are common in people who have diabetes or other conditions that cause poor circulation or compromised immune system.
Your toenail is infected if you experience these symptoms:
- Pain when applying pressure on the toe
- Redness
- Bleeding
- Swelling or tenderness of the skin next to the nail
- Skin is growing over part of the nail
- Blister filled with pus
You may be able to relieve pain that comes with an ingrown toenail by soaking your toe in a warm foot bath with Epsom salt. It can also help draw out pus from your toe. Do this by mixing 1 or 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt into a quart of warm water. Soak your toe for about 15 minutes several times a day. Remember to dry your feet completely after soaking.
For mild cases, you may be able to treat the ingrown toenail yourself. Carefully pull skin away from your ingrown toenail with a small nail file. It should be blunt so it will not cut your toe. After that, place a small piece of cotton or dental floss between the nail and the skin to lift the skin away from your nail.
Taking over the counter pain medication like ibuprofen can also help relieve the pain. You can also apply antibiotic ointment to reduce swelling and inflammation. Wearing comfortable shoes also helps to remove pressure on the toenail, preventing it from getting worse.
If the symptoms like pain don’t go away, worsen or keep coming back, you need to see a doctor. You should see a podiatrist especially if you are diabetic. Immediate medical treatment is necessary if you have a fever and red streaks on your skin appear. This is an indication of a more severe infection.
If you have an ingrown toenail, contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our podiatrists at one of over 80 clinics nationwide.