Have you ever had an ingrown toenail? I have and have seen this in my practice. This can be extremely painful. In some instances, this can actually be very serious if it gets infected. For instance, in a spinal cord injured patient or a patient with diabetes. I have seen patients ending up with an amputation (of a foot or what is called a below the knee amputation) simply because of an infected ingrown toenail. In a spinal cord injured patient, this can also be something to watch out for on a daily basis. So, if you can catch this early enough, no matter what your health issues are, you can try treating this yourself. My recommendation is to use something you can cleanse thoroughly, such as a metal nail file that you have washed with hot soapy water and then cleaned with hydrogen peroxide. Trim the nail carefully with clean nail clippers if needed, and then carefully lift the nail up slightly where it is ingrown and very carefully stuff a tiny bit of sterile cotton that has an antibiotic ointment such as “Triple Antibiotic Ointment” on it under the nail. Do not use any ointment that contains anything that you (if you are treating yourself) or the person you are helping is allergic to. Check this nail every day. If you do not see clear improvement in a day or two, you should have your family physician look at it. This is especially true if the person is spinal cord injured or has diabetes or any other disability that might mean the person can’t tell you his or her problem and/or can’t really feel pain in the toenail. Also, if you (if you are treating yourself) or the person you are helping has an elevated body temperature (running a fever), you should definitely get medical help as soon as possible. Just keep in mind that any infection anywhere on your body is potentially serious. If you have any reservations about any of this, you should have your physician look at it. Diabetics frequently have a Podiatrist that they see on a regular basis. I have friends that both have diabetes and he and his wife go to a nail salon twice a month for pedicures since they are well aware of how important it is for them to keep their toenails trimmed and cared for.
There is another bit of advice I have for you and that is that all humans should take care of their nails on a daily basis. Generally, we wash our hands many, many times during the day and not just after visiting the bathroom. We certainly should do that anyway. So that is one reason we do not have a problem with ingrown fingernails as we do with ingrown toenails. When you trim your toenails, you should trim them straight across with a tiny dip in the center. You should not trim them in an oval shape. I have read that this type of trimming (in an oval shape) makes you more prone to an ingrown toenail. I know it might look prettier to trim them in an oval but I’m recommending that you do not do that. At least cut them straight across even if you don’t dip them in the middle. Again, if you have any questions about the health of your nails, have your health care professional take a look. And I’ll mention again that if you see signs of infection, such as pus, in a diabetic patient or spinal cord injured patient, or a patient with peripheral vascular disease, or any other medical condition that could compromise home treatment of that area, you should get help from your medical professional. Better safe than sorry.
