Dealing with an Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenail keeping you down? Don’t put up with the pain any more. There are several ways to treat an ingrown toenail and become pain-free again. Don’t trust just anyone – see a


 licensed Chiropodist (foot specialist)


 for a proper assessment and diagnosis to help you treat it effectively.

What Is an Ingrown Toenail?





An ingrown toenail is when a small piece of nail digs into the side of your toe and causes an infection and pain. There are several reasons why this may happen:





  • Cutting the nail improperly.

  • Picking hang nails.

  • Trauma: dropping something on your toenail, breaking the nail, sports, etc.

  • Genetics: your toenail grows in a way that is prone to digging into the skin.

Symptoms of an Ingrown Toenail


If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be dealing with an ingrown toenail:





  • Redness and swelling at the side of my nail.

  • Pus or blood at the edge of the nail.

  • Smelly discharge.

  • Pain – you can’t wear closed in shoes, touch the toe, or squeeze the nail.

Treatment Options





In some cases, all you need to do is cut the nail properly and remove the little piece of nail from the skin to fix the problem. A Chiropodist can provide education on how to cut your nail and what not to do.



Antibiotics may be prescribed to decrease the infection and swelling. Chiropodists are able to prescribe some antibiotics, so there is no need to see a family doctor first.


Minor nail surgery (Partial Nail Avulsion Surgery) is another option for more serious ingrown toenails. In some cases the problem may be bad enough that it’s necessary to remove a small piece of the nail to relieve the pain. This is a minor procedure with high success rates!


The piece of the nail that has been causing all the trouble will be removed permanently. This will leave your toe pain-free, and get you back to wearing closed shoes, playing sports, and living a better quality of life.



Book an appointmen


t



 with a



Chiropodist



and stop ingrown toenail pain once and for all.