|
Ingrown Toenails
Known to physicians as onychocryptosis,
ingrown toe nails are a common, painful condition that occurs when skin on
one or both sides of a nail grows over the edges of the nail, or when the
nail itself grows into the skin. This condition is usually very painful
and can be associated with infection of the toe. Some ingrown toenails are
chronic, with repeated episodes of pain and infection. Irritation,
redness, uncomfortable sensation of warmth, as well as swelling can result
from an ingrown toenail.
CAUSE
Ingrown toenails can develop for many reasons. In some cases the condition
is congenital, such as toenails that simply are too large. Persons whose
toes curl, either congenitally or from diseases like arthritis, are prone
to ingrown toenails. Often, trauma, like stubbing a toe or having a toe
stepped on, can cause a piece of the nail to be jammed into the skin.
Repeated trauma, such as the pounding to which runners typically subject
their feet, also can cause ingrown nails.
The most common cause is cutting your toenails incorrectly, causing them
to re-grow into the skin. Tight hosiery or shoes with narrow toe boxes can
only make matters worse. If the skin is red, painful or swollen on the
sides of the nail, an infection may be present. This occurs because the
ingrown nail is often in a warm, moist and bacteria-rich environment. When
the nail penetrates the skin, it provides a convenient entry for germs
that can cause infection. Untreated, the nail can go under the skin,
causing a more severe infection. In either case, the infection needs to be
cured with sterile instruments and antibiotics.
TREATMENT & PREVENTION
Ingrown toenails should be treated as soon as it is recognized. In many
cases, people with uninfected ingrown toenails can obtain relief with the
following simple regimen:
Soak the feet in warm salt water
Dry them thoroughly with a clean towel
Apply a mild antiseptic solution to the area
Bandage the toe
If excessive inflammation, swelling, pain or discharge is present, the
toenail probably is infected and should be treated by a physician. A
podiatrist can trim or remove the infected nail with a minor in-office
surgical procedure. He or she can remove the offending portion of the nail
or overgrown skin with a scalpel and treat the infection. Unless, the
problem is congenital, the best way to prevent ingrown toenails is to
protect the feet from trauma and wear shoes with adequate room for the
toes.
Cuting toe nails properly goes a long way toward the prevention of ingrown
toenails. Using a safety nail clipper, cut the nails straight across, so
that the nail corner is visible. If you cut the nail too short, you are
inviting the nail corner to grow into the skin. It is the natural
tendency, when the edge of the nail starts to grow in, to cut down at an
angle at the nail edge, to relieve the pain. This does relieve the pain
temporarily, but it also can start a downward spiral, training the nail to
become more and more ingrown.
|
