Nail Ingrown and Inflamed

The ingrown toenail, call onychocryptosis medicine is an inflammation caused by the growth of the nail toward the skin, causing damage to the same. The ingrown toenail usually arise in the first finger, known as the big toe.

Nail ingrown
Nail ingrown
 


How comes the ingrown toenail


The onychocryptosis arises every time the nail does not grow properly, allowing the side edge grow toward the skin, causing wounds, inflammation, and eventually, finger infection.

The normal nail should grow vertically in relation to the finger. The nail with normally should not brush, hurt or push the skin around them.

Some factors facilitate the emergence of ingrown toenail, among the most common include:
  • Use of tight shoes, causing the toes become squeezing.
  • Cut nails wrong. The most common mistake is to leave the rounded side edges.
  • Cut the excess nail, keeping the very small to the point of hurting the skin.
  • Anatomical nail variations, as in the case of curved nails.
  • Traumatic nail injury.
  • Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis).

Fingernail symptoms ingrown


In most cases, the ingrown toenail occurs in the first toe, called the thumb. The initial symptoms of ingrown toenail are mild pain, redness and swelling in the finger corner. As the nail grows, the skin around it expands and can completely cover the nail corner is hurting her. Over time, the wound caused becomes more intense, with worsening of symptoms and drain pus. The presence of purulent discharge does not necessarily indicate an active infection, it may just be a reaction of the body against the aggression of the nail on the skin. However, if not properly treated, the longer the ingrown nail remains injuring the skin, the greater the risk of infection arises in place.

The ingrown toenail usually does not cause major problems besides the discomfort and pain. However, in some individuals it may be the trigger for more serious infections, such as in cases of patients with diabetes, circulatory problems or immunosuppressed. These patients have impaired wound healing and have a weaker immune system than usual. In them, the ingrown toenail can cause ulcers, cellulitis or erysipelas, gangrene and osteomyelitis (infection of the bones).

Ingrown nail treatment


The treatment of ingrown toenail depends on the severity of the injury. The ideal is to treat before a big inflammation arises because no pain is easier to handle the nail. In mild cases, treatment can be done at home by the patient himself, being easy to cure the ingrown nail without the need for medicines, ointments or surgery.

A simple option is to use a thin cotton swab, tweezers or dental floss to try to carefully lift the side of the nail in order to remove it under the skin, desencravando it. To prevent the nail back the jam, try putting a small ball of cotton under the nail corner to help it grow in the right direction. Such treatment is done early in the frame, as there is not important inflammation around, the process is virtually painless.

If the nail inflammation is being very uncomfortable, another option is to soak the foot in warm water for 10 minutes while trying to pull gently with your fingers wet, softened skin on the big toe of the corner, in order to free the nail. This process must be done three times a day for at least 1 week. Similarly, after drying the finger, place a small piece of cotton under the nail to help drive their growth. Replace the cotton every time he gets wet.

In both treatments, the nail usually clearing after 1 or 2 weeks, managing to grow without causing injury to the skin. In the meantime, if there is no big inflammation, do not cut the nail, allow it to grow enough to exceed the area of the skin that was being wound. On the other hand, if you already have some inflammation and pain after lifting the tip of the nail, you can cut it, to stop the process of skin lesion. Days later, when the skin is no longer inflamed, use the tips above to prevent the nail grow again toward the skin, turning the jam.

In more severe cases with intense inflammation and purulent discharge, pain is usually very strong, difficult manipulation of skin and nail. If you can not stand the pain, this process can be done in the doctor's office with local anesthesia. If infection is suspected or if the patient has risk factors for complications, the ideal is to surgically remove the side of the nail that is stuck. Surgery for ingrown nail is very simple and can be done in a few minutes in the office. Postoperatively, the patient is advised to use ointments with antibiotics, usually to mupirocin base.

If the nail is jammed with some frequency, surgical treatment may be a little more comprehensive, removing all the side of the nail, in order to force it to grow vertically without touching the skin side. In more severe cases, chemical destruction is indicated, by laser or cautery of the nail and its bed to prevent it from growing back.

General keywords

User discussion


Site indexMedicines onlineInteresting to readCommentaries
TabletsManual.com © 2012