An ingrown toenail can be very painful and will have an impact of your ability to exercise and even walk. An ingrown toenail occurs when the edges of a toenail, usually the big toe, grows into the soft tissue that is surrounding the toe. The nail winds up piercing the soft tissue causing redness, pain, irritation and potentially infection. While painful, there is no need to be concerned that this ailment is going to have a long-term effect on your health.
3 treatment options for an ingrown toenailMost cases of ingrown toenails can be self-treated, however, under certain conditions seeing a doctor and having the toenail removed may be necessary. Below are three treatment options for an ingrown toenail that can help to provide relief to the symptoms.
Ingrown Toenail Treatment Options
Wear loose footwear – Eliminating tight footwear can help to relieve the pressure on your foot that may be contributing to the ingrown toenail. When you do need to be on your feet for long periods of time, make sure that you wear footwear that gives plenty of space for your toes to wiggle or spread out.
Soak your foot in warm water – By soaking your foot in warm water, not only will this help to relieve some of the pain that you are experiencing, but you can then use a cotton swab or Q-tip to push the soft skin away from the toenail.
See a Doctor – Schedule an appointment with a podiatrist like Dr. Pedram Aslmand to can accurately diagnose the condition and determine a course of action to treat the pain. During an evaluation with a doctor, he or she may remove some of the nail to ensure that the pressure of the nail against the soft skin is alleviated.
Finally, once your ingrown toenail condition has been resolved, it is important to practice proper prevention to ensure that it does not happen again. Make sure to cut your nails properly, cutting them in a straight line, not rounded, wear loose, comfortable footwear and practice proper hygiene such as cleaning and drying your feet to reduce this from happening again.
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