What is an ingrown toenail?
When your toenail grows and embeds itself in the surrounding skin, it’s become an ingrown toenail. This foot condition can occur in any toe but is most common in your big toe.
Several factors can lead to ingrown toenails, including:
- Incorrect nail trimming
- Sustaining an injury to the toe
- Wearing poorly fitting or tight footwear
To avoid ingrown toenails, wear comfortable shoes that provide plenty of room for the toes. You should also trim your toenails by cutting straight across, not rounded at the edges. Also be careful not to cut the nails too short.
What are the symptoms of an ingrown toenail?
The most common symptom of an ingrown toenail is pain. As your nail begins growing into the surrounding skin, swelling and tenderness occur at the area of impact. If you develop an infection, the area reddens, and pus can be present.
At the first sign of an ingrown toenail, you should begin treatment. In the early stages, ingrown toenails can sometimes be corrected at home using a variety of treatments, including:
- Giving your toes plenty of space by avoiding tight footwear
- Gently raising the edge of the ingrown nail from the surrounding tissue
- Soaking the affected foot in warm foot baths multiple times a day
Ingrown toenails can cause severe complications if you have specific health conditions.
Call Dr. Rambacher immediately if you have circulatory problems, nerve disorders, or diabetes so that he can begin caring for the wound caused by your ingrown toenail. In addition to advanced training in diabetic foot care and amputation prevention, he’s also a Fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association®.
How are ingrown toenails treated?
Dr. Rambacher understands the importance of your active lifestyle and offers the most advanced treatments to restore your foot health with as little downtime as possible.
During your appointment, Dr. Rambacher conducts a physical examination to evaluate the extent of your ingrown toenail. Depending on its severity, he might recommend a variety of treatments, including:
- Antibiotic ointment or pills
- Over-the-counter pain relievers
- Removing part of the nail
If other treatments don’t remedy your ingrown toenail, laser therapy is another option. Laser therapy offers precise treatment, so Dr. Rambacher can directly target the ingrown toenail, even removing recurring ingrown toenails at the root.
If you’re suffering from an ingrown toenail, call Podiatry Hotline Inc., or schedule an appointment online today.
