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Diagnosis and Treatment of Painful Ingrowing Nails
Diagnosis and Treatment of Painful Ingrowing Nails
Swelling on the side of your toe can indicate an ingrowing nail or even an infection. It is important to get this evaluated if the pain persists or gets worse over a few days. The sooner you are evaluated, the easier ingrown toenails are to treat.
Ingrown toenails, a common yet painful condition, occur when the edge of the toenail grows into the surrounding skin. This can cause redness, swelling, and even infection if left untreated. At Dynamic Foot and Ankle, we help patients find relief from this frustrating problem.
What Causes Ingrown Toenails?
Several factors can lead to ingrown toenails, including:
Improper Nail Trimming: Cutting toenails too short or rounding the edges can encourage nails to grow into the skin.
Tight Footwear: Shoes that squeeze the toes can force nails to grow abnormally.
Injury: Trauma to the toenail, such as stubbing your toe or dropping something heavy on it.
Genetics: Some people naturally have curved nails that are more prone to becoming ingrown.
How to Prevent Them:
Trim your nails straight across and avoid cutting them too short.
Wear shoes with a wide toe box so there is enough room for your toes.
Keep your feet clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection.
Consider moisturizing corners of nails so skin does not become callused, which can make ingrown nails worse
Treatment
Treatment
At Dynamic Foot and Ankle, we offer effective treatment options tailored to your needs:
Conservative Care: Gently lifting/ cutting the nail and to relieve pressure.
Medical Removal: If severe, we may perform a minor in-office procedure to remove part or all of the affected nail.
Prevention Advice: We provide guidance to reduce recurrence.
Don’t let an ingrown toenail interfere with your daily life. Contact Dynamic Foot and Ankle today to schedule an appointment and get back on your feet—pain-free!
These procedures can be done in the office and you will be able to drive home and resume work after. We recommend waiting to return to sports until the next day.
After treatment, leave the bandage on until the next day. For the next 2 weeks:
Soak your foot in Epsom salt and warm water for 15 min once a day (1/4 cup of Epsom salt per gallon)
Apply antibiotic cream and bandage
Remove bandage while you sleep
Be sure to speak to your doctor to see if this treatment is right for you.
Recommended Products
Recommended Products
Dynamic Foot & Ankle Recommends the following products that have been successful in the management of ingrown nails.
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