Ingrown toenails can be very painful, as anyone who has had one can attest to this fact.
One of the main reasons is that the toes are used for sensation and hence there are millions of nerve endings in the toes. Any irritation in this region can be very painful.
Causes – There are many causes of ingrown toenails, including poor cutting technique or even picking the toenails:
during cutting or picking, a small edge of the nail known as a spicule can be left down the side of the nail, which can then dig in and pierce the skin – this is often the cause of ingrown toenails in children.
trauma can also have a similar impact – sporting injuries or tight shoes can be the culprit here.
involuted nail, which is one of the more common causes of ingrown toenails. This is where the actual nail curls excessively as can be seen in the image above. This can be passed down via genetics and is the reason why some people get ingrown toenails again and again.
Ideally, the nail should grow along the side of the skin and sit flush with its edge. This region of skin is called the sulcus. If there is excessive curvature, the edge of the skin will catch on the skin and dig into the sulcus.
Progression – Whatever the reason, once the nail pierces the skin, two things happen:
The body will react to the nail as if a foreign object has entered the body, and the toe will become red, painful and inflamed. This is in itself painful.
A secondary infection. Bacteria that are always living on the skin can enter the body via the hole created by the nail and lead to infection. This will mean more swelling, redness and pain.
Solutions – There are basically two options for ingrown toenails:
To see a podiatrist, who can identify the nail spicule and gently remove this section. This will provide relief, but, if it is carved, as in the image above, it may return as the nail starts to grow. You can see a podiatrist regularly to have the nail trimmed and prevent a recurrence. If an infection is present, we at Bio Allied Health are endorsed to prescribe antibiotics, enabling the ingrown nail to be released and the infection to be dealt with.
A minor procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. The ingrown toenail procedure has markedly improved over the years, to the point where it should be pain-free during, pain-free after and never occur again.
A major improvement with this newer procedure is the ability to permanently relieve the pain without removing excessive nail. This allows for a quicker recovery, better outcome and cosmetic results.
If you are having problems with ingrown toenails, Sydney’s Bio Allied Health podiatrists can assess the problem and guide you to a final resolution. Make your appointment today.
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