Ingrown toenails can be unsightly as well as painful, so it is important to know how to take care of this common problem, especially before it becomes infected. If you are experiencing pain, swelling, or redness, then contact a knowledgeable foot doctor in Los Angeles like Dr. Jamshidinia to get a diagnosis and treatment options.
Why do you get ingrown toenails?
An ingrown toenail is when your nail curves and begins growing into your skin, and most usually affects the big toe. Because of the nails continual growth, it will exponentially affect the surrounding skin until it is taken care of. Ingrown toenails can happen for multiple reasons, but the one constant is that trauma causes the problem. Stubbing your toe, wearing tight shoes, or incorrectly cutting your toenails are all things that can attribute to it. To learn more about ingrown toenail treatment, get in touch with Jamfeet today.
Soak your foot
Because trying to play doctor and fix your toe may end up causing more trauma than the ingrown toenail already has, the best remedy to test first is creating an environment for the toe to heal itself. Soaking your foot in warm, soapy water two to three times a day may help alleviate some of the pain, and it helps keep the infected area clean to avoid further infection. Adding Epsom salt is thought to bring additional relief for those particularly bad cases of an ingrown toenail. It is also recommended that you can use apple cider vinegar instead of soap or salt because of its additional healing abilities. Use one-fourth cup apple cider vinegar in warm water once a day to see if it helps.
Apply ointment
Because an ingrown toenail is susceptible to infection, as any other open wound, keeping the area clean is very important. Using over the counter antiseptic ointments and creams meant to heal cuts and scrapes are a great option to keep the problem from getting any worse.
Keep your feet comfortable
One of the causes of ingrown toenails is trauma due to small or constraining shoes, so the best way to allow your toe to heal is to get rid of that trauma. Although wearing tight shoes may be impossible because of the pain it will create in your toe, it is important to wear comfortable shoes that are well ventilated. Not only will this keep your symptoms from becoming unbearable, but foot perspiration can also promote fungal and bacterial growth resulting in infection. Wear sandals or loose-fitting shoes if possible, and always make sure that your foot is kept dry.
When to see your doctor
Do not wait until it’s too late to get your doctor on board with what you are experiencing. If the pain becomes worse or persists for a long time, you may want to see what oral antibacterial medications a doctor might prescribe for the pain and possible infection. If you are experiencing pus or discharge of any kind, you should immediately contact your foot doctor in Los Angeles because you may require further treatment. Jamfeet can tell you exactly what is causing your toe pain and how to fix the problem. In some severe cases, your best bet may be for a professional foot surgeon to remove part, or most, of the nail that is causing the infection. Although this is a last resort, if none of the remedies are curing the problem, it is important to extract the problem causing the infection before further damage is done. Contact Jamfeet today for a diagnosis by clicking here.