While you may not receive a “Get Well” card from friends and family when you have an ingrown toenail, you do have our sympathies. As foot health experts, our team at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle knows how this seemingly small issue can lead to big pain.
About 20% of visits to the doctor for foot issues are for stubborn ingrown toenails, which can make even the slightest pressure on a toe excruciating.
In this blog post, we discuss at-home care for ingrown toenails and when you should seek our help for this pesky but hobbling condition.
Let’s first discuss who should treat an ingrown toenail at home and who shouldn't.
If you’re among the more than 38 million Americans who have diabetes or the 8-12 million people in the United States who have peripheral artery disease (PAD), please don’t treat any foot issue on your own. These groups are at far greater risk for slow-healing wounds that can lead to limb-threatening infections. So, if you have diabetes or PAD, please come see us when there’s a problem with your feet.
If you don’t have nerve damage or circulatory issues in your lower legs, it’s probably okay to try to treat your ingrown toenail at home.
Now let’s get into the steps to alleviate a painful ingrown toenail:
This step is very important as it makes your nail and surrounding skin softer and easier to work with. It also soothes the pain.
Fill a tub with warm water and add Epsom salts. Soak your foot for about 10-20 minutes. Repeat this step several times a day, even if you’re not going to work on the toenail afterward.
After soaking your foot, you can lift the edge of the nail growing into the flesh around your big toe. Once you lift the edge, place a piece of cotton or a length of dental floss under the corner to lift it up and leave it there. This little lift can help your toenail to grow up and over the flesh. Replace the floss or cotton once a day.
If lifting the edge of your nail isn't sufficient, try trimming away the bit of nail pressing into your flesh. Again, please do this after you soak your foot first.
Once you complete these steps, wear roomy shoes that provide space for your big toe to heal. Also, an antibiotic ointment should be applied to the area to reduce the risk of infection.
If you have a painful ingrown toenail, the odds are that there is infection and inflammation, which can make working on your toe difficult.
In these cases, we suggest scheduling an appointment with us. We can apply a topical anesthetic to treat your toenail in relative comfort.
Outside of comfort, working on your toenail can be challenging, and you might not have the best angle, which is where a second set of hands — ours — can make all the difference.
Ultimately, it’s always best to err on the side of caution regarding foot problems and schedule an appointment with our team. Not only can we quickly treat your ingrown toenail, but we can also help you avoid them in the future with a few preventive practices that we’re happy to share.
If you’d like more guidance on your ingrown toenail and which steps to take, please contact one of our 18 locations in Tennessee to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced foot specialists.
