Ingrown Toenail Treatments for Painful Toes

What You Need To Know

Understanding ingrown toenails helps you know when to treat at home and when to call us.

Care for Painful Ingrown Toenails

An ingrown toenail occurs when your nail grows into the skin around the nail bed, instead of out and away from your toe. Any of your toenails can become ingrown, but in most cases it is one of the big toes that becomes ingrown. If not treated, an ingrown toenail can lead to severe pain, infection, and even surgery.

Symptoms of ingrown toenails include redness, hardness, swelling, tenderness, pain, warmth, and draining pus. If your toenail develops an infection, it might also ooze pus. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important to address them right away. Early prevention and treatment can be done at home, but if treatment is ignored or postponed, more extensive professional care will likely be needed.

Ingrown toenails occur for various reasons, including wearing tight shoes, cutting your toenails at an angle, stubbing your toe, and having abnormally curved nails. Cutting your toenails too short, and cutting them in a way where the two corners are tapered, is the biggest culprit. The second most common cause is wearing shoes that are too short or too tight.

Almost everyone experiences an ingrown toenail at some point, but if you have diabetes or another condition that affects your circulation, it is important to meet with a qualified medical professional. Without early intervention, an ingrown nail can become infected, and for patients with diabetes or venous insufficiency, that increases the risk of gangrene or amputation. If severe pain, swelling, inflammation, or discharge persists, schedule an appointment with one of our podiatrists for a full evaluation.

Treatment Options and Prevention

At Advanced Foot and Ankle Center, our podiatrists offer complete care for ingrown toenails using methods that are safe, effective, and provide lasting relief. How your ingrown toenail is treated will depend on how early it is caught and the severity of pain and discomfort it causes. Our podiatrists will do whatever is possible to avoid surgical treatment for your ingrown toenail.

In the early stages, you can often treat an ingrown toenail at home. Soak your foot three times a day in warm water, and keep your foot as dry as possible when you are not soaking it. Wear comfortable shoes that have plenty of room for your toes, and take ibuprofen or acetaminophen if you are experiencing pain.

If your symptoms persist or get worse, we may recommend lifting the nail with a splint so it can grow out and away from your toe. If the nail is infected and oozing pus, your provider might remove part of it and apply a topical antibiotic to prevent infection and encourage healing. For a recurring ingrown toenail, your provider might recommend removing the nail altogether by numbing the toe with an anesthetic and surgically removing the nail, followed by a prescription for oral antibiotics.

There is no way to prevent an ingrown toenail entirely, but you can significantly lower your risk by inspecting your feet daily and wearing shoes that give your toes plenty of room to move around. To receive treatment for an ingrown toenail, call the nearest office or book online today.