Posted: 1/18/2008 5:42:11 AM EDT
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I think i have an ingrown toe nail. Its my big toe on the right foot and its really red and sore and swolen and hurts to walk on it. The redness is on the skin right next to the nail and runs parallel to the nail on the side of the nail facing all the other toes. Can i cut the skin above the swelling and drain it as a temporary fix so I can to go to work tomorrow or do i need to see a doctor asap? Also how does the doctor handle this? Ive heard that he has to cut the nail out with a knife? Im wondering what the downtime / recovery time will be like. And will something like this be covered by my insurance? Basically, what do yall recommend? |
uh go see a doc your insurance should cover it, your just going to f it up more... |
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Soak it 3 times a day in salt water that's as hot as you can get your toe into. Do that for 3 days. If that doesn't reduce the swelling and let it work out on its own, you'll need to go to the doctor. It's normally covered by insurance. They'll numb it and slice the very edge of the toenail off, then chemically burn the base of the cuticle there so it doesn't grow back. I'd expect no more than a day of it hurting after that, then it will get better. With these types of things, the recovery pain isn't as bad as the pain was before. ETA: I'm no doc, and you're on your own if you screw yourself up using my advice. |
Thats just the kind of excellent information that i was looking for. And it sounds easy enough for me to do on the toilet with this exacto knife ive got laying around and some battery acid. Seriously though, can i go to a general family physician and have this done or do i need to see a podiatrist? |
It's really not something you can do yourself. I had it done about 10 years ago by a GP in his office. Took about 10 minutes total. |
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Get a toenail clipper and make a small cut in the top of the nail. The cut should angle toward the side of the swollen infected flesh. Pull on the side piece of nail (peel it back) until it goes all the way to the side/base of the nail. That will relieve the pressure on the side of the toe and remove the offending piece of nail. The pain will go away immediately and the swelling and redness will disappear almost immediately too. Good luck. |
Yup. The symptoms of an ingrown toenail are caused by the nail irritating the flesh around it. By monkeyfucking with knives, tweezers, etc., you're making the irritation worse and introducing bacteria. The flesh then swells up, making the irritation worse. Soaking it will soften the nail that's causing the irritation and help reduce swelling. The heat, salt, acid in vinegar, or whatever you choose to use will inhibit the growth of bacteria in the infection. If it's the tip of the nail that's causing the problem, it may eventually get long enough that it's no longer a problem. If it's the side of the nail, you'll almost surely have to see the doctor. From someone who is a big fan of self-surgery, skip it. I tried it with a Spiderco Delica and managed to slice off enough to make it better for a week or two. Without the compound that they use to burn the cuticle, it just grew back. |
umm, thanks but i think im going to call my doctors office now and schedule an appointment for some time in the beginning of next week when i have off. Loosing a toe because i wanted to be my own mob doctor doesnt sound too cool right now. Also this is just the reason that the county takes a huge chunk out of my paycheck! |
| Pocket knife, run along the edge of the nail, down the side and under the nail, then bring the nail back "up" above the skin. This will cause the ingrown part to separate a bit, and you can remove it (preferably with your teeth). Hit it with a shot of peroxide. It will likely get infected if it's not already. You can jam the pocket knife down in there as it swells to drain it, and peroxide again. Should be better in a week or so. |
Teeth? You can get your big toe in your mouth? I haven't been able to do that since I was about 6 months old. |
lol, i just tried it and apparently i can get my big toe in my own mouth with ease  unfortunately i can only get to the left side of the nail with my mouth, not the right side where the inflamation is. Looks like i will have to stick to the doctor route.
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