If you have ever suffered from an ingrown toenail you will know the pain associated with this condition. The severity of the pain will vary from patient to patient but almost all ingrown toenails result in some sort of pain. Along with the pain you may also have symptoms such as redness, swelling and discharge from the toe. Treatment for an ingrown toenail can begin at home but you must seek medical attention from a Podiatrist or Doctor if the ingrown nail becomes infected. Infection can present itself by discharging blood or pus from the toe and you may notice an unpleasant odour. If you have any of these symptoms it is essential that you seek medical attention. You will more than likely be given a course of antibiotics to remove the infection.

As well as treatment options I will also discuss prevention. There are ways in which you can reduce the chance of developing an ingrown toenail. Firstly, look at your footwear. Are you shoes tight? Do they squash your toes? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, you are at risk of developing an ingrown toenail. When purchasing new shoes, try to ensure that there is enough room in the toe box to wiggle your toes. Secondly, when trimming your toenails make sure that you trim them straight across rather than rounding the corners and make sure you do not trim them too short. Injuries to the toenail or playing sports such as football where you would continuously strike the toe can also lead to ingrown toenails. Unfortunately you may also find that if a member of your immediate family has an ingrown toenail you are more likely to develop one yourself.

If you already have an ingrown toenail that hasn’t developed an infection you may be able to treat it at home. Soaking your foot four times a day in warm water can help to soften the skin and the nail. If the nail has pierced the skin, keep the toe clean and dry and apply a dressing to ward off infection.

If an infection has developed or if the pain is unbearable you need to make an appointment to see a Podiatrist. The Podiatrist can remove the piece of nail which is digging into the skin for immediate pain relief. If the toe is too tender to touch the Podiatrist may administer a local anaesthetic to numb the area whilst he removes the shard of nail.

In severe circumstances or if you are a frequent sufferer of an ingrown toenail you may wish to consider nail surgery. Nail surgery is a minor procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. Depending on the severity and if one or both sides of the nail are affected the Podiatrist may well remove the nail partially or fully. A chemical will be applied to the nail bed to prevent re-growth and future occurrences of an ingrown toenail.

For further advice or treatment of an ingrown toenail, make an appointment with your Podiatrist today.