Ingrown Nails...OUCH!!!

 Tips on Tuesday :)

You will notice this is a fairly lengthy post....so if you are not currently suffering the pain of an ingrown nail, just read through “Cause 1 & 2” so that you can be proactive about avoiding this kind of pain. If you are in the midst of an ingrown nail situation, I hope you will find this post helpful in knowing what to do and what to expect.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, try and avoid ingrown nails in the first place. Not only do they hurt like a @$^}#%*!..but they also make for a very grumpy you. You are not going to like learning this lesson the hard way...I know some folks only learn through experience, but please trust me on this one.

Ingrown nails are mainly caused by 2 things; one of which you have total control over and the other very little control.

Cause #1: Wearing your shoes too short and/or pointy consistently over time. Stop it!!!

Cause #2: The shape/direction in which your toenails grow(genetics).Avoid cutting your nails really short.

If you happen to be in a situation where you already have a painful ingrown nail(s) I strongly recommend the following:

1. Make an appointment with your podiatrist now! It often takes at least 1-2 weeks to get on the schedule.

2. Until your visit with the doctor wear open-toed footwear and soak your foot for 40 minutes 3-5x a day in warm Epsom salt water. This helps minimize pain and infection. If you arrive at the doctors office with an infection you will end up with more total visits to get it all resolved. A podiatrist can't do everything possible while an infection is present and will also likely prescribe antibiotics and more Epsom salt baths.

3. Your podiatrist should be able to help you figure out which of the two main causes is responsible for your predicament.

4. If you have an ingrown nail because of Cause #1, the podiatrist will likely numb the affected area with a shot...often with Lidocaine...and get to work on cutting the nail properly and relieving your pain. After the numbness wears off, your toe may be a little sore but the intense pain of the ingrown nail will be gone...HURRAY! Make sure to follow all care instructions and attend your follow-up appointment.

5. Buy longer shoes!!!!! Go to a shoe store that still actually measures feet and avoid suffering from ingrown nails again.

6. If Cause #2 is the issue, the podiatrist will likely numb the affected area with a shot...often with Lidocaine...and get to work on cutting the nail properly and relieving your pain. After the numbness wears off, your toe may be a little sore but the intense pain of the ingrown nail will be gone...HURRAY! Make sure to follow all care instructions and attend your follow-up appointment. Thus, in the short run your issue is resolved, but you must consider the long run if you don't want to become a regular at the podiatrist's office. During your follow up visit you will learn if your nail shape is likely to cause this situation again. In which case, having the edge of the nail permanently removed would be recommended (and not as bad as it sounds). Be sure to attend all of your follow-up visits. If this is not the case, have the podiatrist show you how to properly trim and shape your nail to avoid future recurrences. AND of course make sure your shoes are long enough.

May you live long and without foot pain,

abigail dagmar