If a toenail isn’t cut correctly, if it snags and tears, or if your footwear compresses your toes too much, you can develop an ingrown toenail. When this happens, your nail starts to grow sideways, penetrating the tender skin of the surrounding nail bed and causing ongoing pain and a risk of infection.
This common podiatry condition may resolve on its own or develop into a more serious problem without the right care. How do you know when it’s time to see a podiatrist and have your painful ingrown toenail taken care of by an expert?
Experienced podiatrist Dr. Leonard Greenwald, practicing in San Jose, California, has many years of experience supporting patients with ingrown toenails. In this blog, he advises you on five warning signs to watch for. These signs indicate that your ingrown toenail needs evaluation and attention.
You can try to address an ingrown toenail at home, giving yourself some time to see if you can recover on your own. Don’t try to remove the offending nail, as this may worsen the issue.
Use warm-water soaks and padded bandaging to help your toe heal. However, if you don’t start to see improvement within a few days to a week, you may need specialized care to successfully address the problem.
Ingrown toenails can be very painful, as the sharp edge of your nail continuously presses into and cuts open the skin beside it. If you find yourself debilitated by pain from a nail problem, there’s no reason to continue to suffer alone.
Dr. Greenwald can safely trim your nail or use a splint or separator to keep the nail edge from causing additional damage. He can also recommend pain-relieving medications for your comfort while your foot heals.
The irritation of an ingrown nail often produces swelling around your nail bed. Watch out for this indicator, and monitor it carefully.
If the swelling continues, you may need prescription anti-inflammatory medications available to you through Dr. Greenwald.
Redness around the tender skin of an ingrown toenail indicates that your body may be struggling to fight off infection. Red streaks leading away from your nail are a sign of infection spreading.
To combat infection, Dr. Greenwald prescribes antibiotics in addition to resolving the nail problem that’s creating the opportunity for infection.
Pus indicates the presence of worsening infection. If you notice pus oozing or draining from under or around your impacted nail, or a bad odor coming from the affected area, reach out to Dr. Greenwald without delay. Infection can affect the bones in your feet without professional care.
It’s especially important to watch for signs of infection if you have diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or another circulatory condition, as these issues can make complications more likely.
For support with an ingrown toenail that isn’t getting better on its own, reach out to schedule an appointment with Dr. Greenwald today. Call or book through our easy-to-use online tool.
