I went to the doctor and she told me that at this stage, I should just soak my foot for half hour a day and hope for the best but it hurts worse every day. What can I do??
2006-10-04 07:27:58 · 6 answers · asked by nat_00420 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ First Aid
Oh! Ingrown toenails suck!!
That's exactly what my doctor told me to do...and I did it. Didn't work.
It then worsened...and HORRIBLE fungus grew on my toe. It hurt like a ____. I had to get surgery on it, to get my toenail removed.
It grew back, and everything was okay. ...for a while.
It turned out the lady didn't do my surgery right...and it grew back on BOTH sides of my toenail!!!!
So then I had to have ANOTHER surgery, and it's been fine ever since!
I'll tell you what you need to do. You need to go to a Pediatrist..And get a minor sliver of your toenail removed before it gets infected, TRUST ME!
The surgery isn't bad at all. You are numbed up, and can't feel a thing!
2006-10-04 08:16:31 · answer #1 · answered by Rebecca 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was active duty working in the hospital we saw guys and girls with ingrown toenails a lot. Usual culprits were having shoes too small, socks too tight, and cutting the toenails too short. If you want to try to avoid surgery, I have a few suggestions.
If the nail is long enough, use a clipper to cut a v shaped notch out in the very center of the nail. This will relieve pressure on the edges of the nail. If you can stand to, use a nail file or q-tip to gently raise the ingrown side up slightly for a moment or so. Then soak the foot as your doctor directed.
Untuck your bedsheets so they do not put any pressure on your toes. Keep your foot in open air and sunlight as much as possible until the nail grows out and quits hurting. If you have to put on shoes and socks, first make sure the socks are not flush over your toes. When you put on socks, roll them up and loosely pull them over your toes. When the sock is on, reach down and give it a tug to make sure you have wiggle room and the material is not stretching over your toes.
Make sure you have at least 1/2 inch of toe clearance in your shoe in the standing position. All of your shoes should leave you with this much room in the top end, plus allow you to spread your toes slightly apart. You may actually be buying shoes that are a half size too small for you, a lot of people- women especially do this. If your foot is sliding forward and hitting the toe of the shoe when you walk, or you can actually feel the top tip- your shoes are too small.
Be very careful if you like to buy shoes with a pointed toe, to make sure your toes are not being squished up in the top portion where the toe narrows in.
In future, when you cut your toenails (and if you haven't been, I don't want to know what you do)- after cutting you should be able to put your finger on the tip of the toe and feel the edge of the nail. If your nail is not flush with the tip of your toe, it's too short. Cut the nails straight across, not curved, and don't file them into a cute curved shape either.
A pedicure at this point might not be a bad idea for you, in fact if you have a tendency towards ingrown nails, it's a really good idea to have it done on a regular basis. Let somebody else do the cutting, since they are in a better position to see and control the clippers.
Toenails are slower growing than fingernails- so it may take a few weeks to grow out completely. Increase your protein intake if you like, drinking jello helps make them grow a little faster. Good luck.
2006-10-05 01:13:38 · answer #2 · answered by The mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i got one of those a long time ago so i totally understand...it sucks! unfortuantely it also happened durng the winter season so i had to wear warms shoes all day that rubbed against it (ouch) and kept it from keeping dry for faster healing. anyway, people just tell you to soak it because there really isnt anything else you can do but wait for the nail to grow out....and never cut your toenails that low again. here's some ideas:
- make sure to keep it dry and clean as much as possible by removing any dead skin, etc. sterile tweezers, q-tips, and hydrogen peroxide are perfect for this.
- leave the nail alone because it needs to grow out or you'll just end up getting another one
- try taking asprin for the pain and/or use ice to numb the area
- don't use products like alcohol, icy/hot, creams, etc. that can cause more irritation and clog the nail which needs to stay dry to prevent further infection....again use hydrogen peroxide and a mild soap when you wash your feet like Dove
- use a bandaid and clean socks to keep it covered when you have to wear shoes, but sandals that don't touch the area are better unless you'll be walking a lot and/or mostly outdoors
hope that helps and good luck!
2006-10-04 16:04:30 · answer #3 · answered by madi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After you soak it, try to remove dead skin around the area to free the ingrown nail. Be sure to disinfect. It will probably hurt. Only time and care will make it get better. You could take some an analgesic to help with swelling/pain.
2006-10-04 14:39:48 · answer #4 · answered by Courtney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See a podiatrist (foot specialist), but soak the foot as directed until you can get an appointment.
2006-10-04 15:15:50 · answer #5 · answered by ckm1956 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HELLOOOOO
DO WHAT THE DOCTOR TOLD YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-10-04 14:29:30 · answer #6 · answered by Big R 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋