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Many changes in fingernails or toenails may cause people to think they have a fungal infection of the nails, medically known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium. Fungal infection of the nails sometimes makes the condition sound contagious or related to poor hygiene.In fact, up to 10% of all adults in Western countries have fungal infection of the nails.
An ingrown toenail happens when the edges or corners of the nail grow into the skin next to the nail and break the skin.
It is a common condition, and it can be painful, causing swelling, redness, and sometimes infection. It usually affects the big toe, either on one or both sides of the toe.
Ingrown toenails can usually be treated at home, but if the pain is severe or spreading, it may be necessary to see a health care provider, to prevent complications and relieve symptoms.
People with poor circulation, such as those with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, are more likely to have complications.
Ingrown toenails should be treated as soon as symptoms appear, especially if the person has diabetes, nerve damage in the foot or leg, or poor circulation in the foot. Otherwise, complications can occur.
The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) advise seeing a doctor rather than using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, as these may mask the pain, but they will not solve the problem.
Seeing a doctor
The patient should see a doctor if:
- they have diabetes or a circulatory problem
- symptoms do not go away
- an infection develops
A healthcare professional may remove some of the nail that is pushing into the skin.
They may need to remove a portion of the nail and the underlying nail bed to prevent the problem from coming back.
As the nail grows back, the healthcare provider may place a piece of cotton wool under the nail to stop it from digging into the skin again. It is important to change the cotton wool every day.
ACFAS do not recommend putting cotton under the nail as a home remedy because it increases the risk of infection.
If the area is infected, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Surgery
If the problem remains, the doctor or podiatrist may recommend removing part of the nail through surgery. This is called a toenail avulsion.
The doctor will cut away the edges of the toenail, to make it narrower. They may also remove the folds of skin on either side of the toenail. If it is done under a local anesthetic, the patient will be awake but the area is numbed, so they will not feel anything. In some cases, a general anesthetic may be necessary.
If the nail has become very thick or distorted, the whole nail may be taken out, again under a local anesthetic.
This is not usually very painful, and most people can get back to normal activity the next day.
If the ingrown toenail keeps coming back, the cells in the nail bed may be removed so that the toenail cannot grow again.
Master of orion 4. These cells may be destroyed using a chemical called phenol, or another method, such as a laser.
Although the doctor will use a local anesthetic, the toe may feel tender when the anesthetic wears off. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for example, Tylenol, or paracetamol, may help.
For 1 to 2 weeks, the patient will have to wear either very soft and spacious footwear or open-toed sandals.
When the nail pierces the skin, bacteria can enter the wound.
This can result in infection. The area affected becomes red, swollen, warm, and painful. There may be bleeding and pus.
![Pictures of toenail infections Pictures of toenail infections](http://diseasespictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Paronychia-6.jpg)
If you suspect that you may have an ingrowing toenail, it is important to keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection.
Anyone with symptoms of infection should seek medical help, either with a primary care physician, orthopedic surgeon, or a foot care specialist known as a podiatrist.
Anyone with symptoms of infection should seek medical help, either with a primary care physician, orthopedic surgeon, or a foot care specialist known as a podiatrist.
Most healthcare providers will advise the patient to treat the nail themselves.
Here are some tips:
- Soak the foot in warm water three to four times a day, while using a cotton bud to gently push the skin away from the toenail. A doctor may advise you to add Epsom’s salt.
- Avoid repeatedly cutting the toenail, as this can make the problem worse.
- Wear footwear that leaves the toes plenty of room for movement.
The symptoms of an ingrowing toenail can be quite painful.
At first, the skin next to the nail may be tender, swollen, or hard.
The nail may feel painful in response to pressure, and there may be inflamed and overgrown skin at the tip of the toe. The ingrowing toenail may also leak blood and white or yellow pus.
Fluid may also build up in the area.
Here are some of the causes of ingrown toenails:
Footwear: Shoes and socks that crowd the toes and toenails increase the chance of an ingrown toenail. Shoes can be too tight because they are too short, too narrow at the end, or too flat at the end. Tight-fitting socks, tights, or stockings may cause ingrown toenails.
Cutting the toenails too short: Not cutting straight across or cutting the edges of the toenail can encourage the surrounding skin to fold over the nail. The nail can then push into that skin and pierce it.
Toenail injury: Dropping something on the toe, kicking something hard, and other accidents can lead to ingrown toenails.
An unusual curvature: This increases the risk that the toenail will grow into the soft tissue, causing inflammation and possible infection.
Posture: How a person walks or stands can affect the likelihood of developing ingrown toenails.
Poor foot hygiene or excessive sweating: If the skin on the toes and feet is moist and warm, there is a higher chance of developing an ingrown toenail. A fungal infection can increase the risk.
Heredity: ingrown toenails can run in families.
Genetic factors: Some people are born with larger toenails.
To prevent ingrown toenails from developing:
Cut the nails across in a straight line, not rounded at the corners, and not too short. It is easier to cut the nails after a bath or a shower.
See a podiatrist regularly for professional trimming, especially if you have circulatory problems in the feet, or cannot cut your own nails. Patients with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease need to be particularly careful.
Maintain hygiene and dryness, because an ingrown toenail is less likely if the feet are clean and dry.
Choose footwear that fits properly, including shoes, socks, tights and stockings. Shoes must be the right length and width so that the toes do not crowd. Tight shoes cause pressure, but if shoes are too loose, the toes may hit against the tip of the shoe. This, too, adds pressure and could cause an ingrown toenail.
An infected foot is often painful and can make it difficult to walk. An infection can occur after an injury to your foot. Can get into a wound, such as a cut or a skin crack, and cause an infection.Athlete’s foot and toenail fungus are also common fungal foot infections.
Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and ingrown toenails, can also increase your risk for foot infections.An infected foot needs to be treated. Treatment will depend on the type of infection. Left untreated, a bacterial infection in the foot can lead to, which is a potentially serious skin infection that can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream.We’ll cover the possible causes and treatments of an infected foot, as well as the signs to watch for. An infected foot may be painful. Swelling, discoloration, and the formation of a blister or are also possible. Symptoms of an infected foot depend on the cause. Infected blisterare pockets of clear fluid that form under your skin.
They’re very common and usually caused by friction from shoes that’re too tight.Foot blisters can become and require immediate treatment. Warmth and redness around the blister are signs of infection. Instead of clear fluid, an infected foot blister may become filled with yellow or greenish pus. In severe cases of, you may develop blisters on your foot.
Change in skin colorAn infected foot may change color. Redness is a common sign of infection. If you develop cellulitis, you may notice an expanding area of redness or streaks of redness from the affected area. White, flaky patches between toes are a common sign of athlete’s foot. WarmthThe skin around the affected area may feel warm to the touch if your foot is infected. This is a potential sign of cellulitis. SmellYou may notice a bad smell coming from your foot.
Athlete’s foot can cause a foul odor. You may also notice an odor if you have pus draining from a sore or the skin around an. SwellingInflammation is a common symptom of an infected foot. Swelling from inflammation may be limited to the area of the infection, such as a toe, or it may spread to your entire foot. Swelling may also cause your skin to appear shiny or waxy. Toenail discolorationcan cause your toenails to change color.
At first, a fungal infection can cause a white or yellow spot under the tip of a toenail. As the infection worsens, your nails will become more discolored and may become thick or jagged. FeverFever is common symptom of infection.
A fever can also make you feel lethargic and cause body aches. Pus or fluid drainageYou may notice draining of fluid or pus from your infected foot if you have an. An infected ingrown toenail can cause a pus-filled pocket to form under your skin at the side of your toenail. Foot infections usually develop after an injury or wound to the foot. Having certain medical conditions also increases your risk of foot infections.
Fungal infectionAthlete’s foot is a common fungal infection. People whose feet are damp for prolonged periods, such as sweating in a pair of tight shoes all day or working in wet conditions, commonly get athlete’s foot.It’s contagious and can be spread through contact on floors, towels, or clothing. It often begins between toes, but can spread to your toenails and other parts of your body. The most common symptom is itching, but it can also cause a reddish, scaly rash and flaking or blistering between toes. DiabetesPeople with have an increased risk for foot infections. Over time, high blood sugar can lead to damage in the skin, blood vessels, and nerves in the feet. This can make it difficult to feel minor abrasions and blisters, which can become ulcers and get infected.Reduced blood flow caused by damage to the blood vessels from diabetes slows healing and increases the risk for serious foot infections.
Foot infections due to diabetes have a higher risk for a poor prognosis and often lead to complications, sometimes requiring amputation. WoundsCuts, scrapes, and cracks in the skin on your feet can allow bacteria to enter and cause infection, including bacterial cellulitis. Ingrown nailsAn ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of a toenail grows into your skin.
This can happen when you wear tight shoes or into a curve instead of straight across. The skin around an ingrown toenail can become infected. Plantar wartare small growths that form on the weight-bearing areas of your feet, such as your heels. They’re caused when the enters your body through cracks or cuts in the skin of the bottom of your feet.A plantar wart can look like a small, rough lesion on the bottom of your foot or a callus over a spot if the wart has grown inward. You may also notice black dots on the bottom of your feet.
Foot infection after surgeryA foot infection is a rare but possible complication of surgery, such as the fix of a fractured foot or ankle. The risk for developing a foot infection after surgery is less than 1 percent in healthy people, according to the.Antibiotics are routinely given before surgery to reduce the risk for infection. Having diabetes or other condition causing a weakened immune system increases your risk for postsurgical infection. Smoking also significantly increases your risk. Most foot infections require treatment. Some minor infections can be treated at home using home or over-the-counter (OTC) treatments.
At-home treatmentMinor infections, such as athlete’s foot or plantar warts can usually be treated at home. Plantar warts sometimes clear up over time without treatment, and some may be effectively treated using OTC wart treatments.At-home treatment options include:. antifungal cream or spray for athlete’s foot.
antifungal foot powder. OTC for plantar warts. blister pads. avoiding tight shoes. keeping feet dry and coolMedical or surgical treatmentSome foot infections, such as infected diabetic ulcers and bacterial cellulitis, require medical treatment.
The type of treatment used will depend on the cause and severity of the infection.Sometimes, you may require surgery to treat an infected foot. Surgical treatments can range from a minor in-office procedure to lift or remove a portion of an ingrown toenail to amputation of a foot or leg to treat a severe diabetic infection.Available treatment options from your doctor for an infected foot can include:. oral or topical antibiotics. prescription antifungal pills or creams.
to remove plantar warts. for diabetic foot ulcers. surgery.
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