One of the first things people do when an ingrown toenail starts to hurt is to cut off the painful edge of the nail themselves.
Especially if the edge of the big toenail feels painful as if it is pricking the skin, you can round off that part or dig it out a little deeper with nippers.
“The edge of the toenail has completely dug into the flesh and is not visible.” This is a sight that is surprisingly common when treating patients with ingrown toenails.
From the outside, one side of the toenail may appear unusually narrow, or it may look as if it has no edge at all.
In such cases, the toenails are often not small to begin with, but rather the edges have been repeatedly cut deeply whenever pain occurs.
“It’s not just my toenail that hurts, but my entire big toe is swollen.” Among patients with chronic ingrown toenails, there are cases where not only is the edge of the toenail red, but the entire toe is swollen to the point where it looks thick.
Looking at this, I wonder if a single toenail can cause the entire toe to swell like this, and if the swelling can go away if the toenail is treated.
If the cause is repetitive irritation and inflammation due to an ingrown toenail, the swelling and inflammation of the surrounding skin may also improve as the ingrown toenail is treated.
“I have toenail fungus, so can I start with the ingrown toenail correction?” “Should I treat the ingrown toenail after the fungus treatment is finished?” Patients who have both toenail fungus and ingrown toenails are actually frequently seen in clinical practice.
Since the two conditions are different problems, you do not necessarily have to wait until one treatment is finished before starting the other.
The patient introduced in this post also had both toenail fungus and ingrown toenails, and we proceeded with both treatments simultaneously.
“I think I have an ingrown toenail, but it doesn’t hurt much yet.” “At this level, do you think I need to go to clinic?” This is the biggest concern when you suspect you have an ingrown toenail.
If your toenail is slightly bent or only causes occasional discomfort, it is difficult to determine whether immediate treatment is necessary.
To start with the conclusion, just because your toenails are bent does not mean they all need treatment.
“If I dig out the painful part down to the root, it will be okay this time.” Among those who have suffered from ingrown toenails for a long time, there are some who think this way and cut the edges of their toenails very deeply.
Now that the toenail that was digging into the flesh is gone, the pain disappears as well.
However, after just a few days, the toenail starts to grow back, and the same spot starts to hurt again.
Articles on Clinote are general medical information and do not replace diagnosis or treatment. Symptoms and treatments differ from person to person, so always consult a doctor. Clinic information is based on public data and details provided by the clinics; please check with the clinic before visiting.