Minor Injuries: Seeking Treatment in a Timely Manner

Ingrown toenails can cause significant pain and result in infection if not treated properly. Thankfully, there are several different treatment options available to individuals who suffer from this rather common problem. If you are one of these individuals, you can learn more about the different treatment options available below.

Home Remedies

If you are able to catch an ingrown toenail in the early stages, it is often possible to treat this condition at home. In order to accomplish this task, you will want to begin by cleaning your foot thoroughly with warm water and soap. While it may be painful to apply pressure to the affected area, it is extremely important to keep this area clean in order to prevent infection.

After the foot is clean, allow it to soak in plain warm water for several minutes before drying it thoroughly. This will help to soften the nail so that it can be easily manipulated.

Next, take a thin piece of gauze and roll it into a thin wick. Using a flossing motion, work this wick under the nail until you are able to lift the corner of the nail that is digging into your skin. You will need to leave this wick in place for the remainder of the day. If you experience pain as a result of lifting the nail, you can use over-the-counter pain killers to help manage your discomfort.

Repeat each of these steps for a few days. If you do not experience any improvement in your condition, you will need to seek out the services of a reputable podiatrist.

Medical Remedies

If you are unable to manage your condition at home, there are several medical remedies that your podiatrist may be able to offer.

In mild cases, your podiatrist will likely recommend the use of a splint to help encourage the nail to grow outward. These splints work in a similar way as the gauze wicks that are used in home remedies. By lifting the nail while it grows, the splint helps to direct the nail away from the skin and ensure that it grows flat rather than rounded.

If tissue has grown around the ingrown nail, your podiatrist may need to remove this tissue before a splint can be used.

In more serious cases, the use of surgery may be required to eliminate the ingrown toenail.  During surgery, your podiatrist will remove a portion of the nail and apply a chemical compound that prevents the nail from growing back. This approach is most commonly taken in cases where a serious infection is present. To learn more, contact a business like Advanced Foot Clinic.