Toenail problem -- really gross (sorry!)

[ysolde]

I woke up yesterday because my big toenail hurt so much. The area surrounding the inside of it was swollen and red. I tried cutting the nail a bit and (here's where it gets gross) puss came out from under the nail. Do I have an ingrown toenail? I am seeing a podiatrist on Monday. What can I expect? What should I do in the meantime?

[heather 8^)]

Sounds like an ingrown to me. Soak your foot in a tub of warm water with epson salts for 30 min or so and don't pick at it. My folks swear you can help it grow out by shoving some cotton under there, but that never worked for me and it HURT! Your doc may try to cut the nail so that it hurts less and so that it is encouraged to grow the right way, and he should instruct you on how to trim your nails to prevent it in the future. Worst case scenario, the doc might recommend minor surgery if you get ingrowns all the time. My brother and I both had it done to one side of one big toe after repeated ingrown toenails (apparently our family has weird toenail beds or something) and we have never gotten one there again.

[ysolde]

Thanks, heather! If I need the surgery, how painful will it be? What is involved?

[kalogrias]

My DH just had this done for the 4! time...if it's the same one that Heather is talking about...he gets ingrowns on a monthly basis (BTW, that is what yours sound like...either that, or an infected cuticle). Basically, they numb your foot, cut down the nail to the root, pull it out, and cauterize the root so it won't grow back again. I understand that it's not very pleasant, but that the relief is instantaneous.

[EmilyBronte]

I didn't have an ingrown toenail, but I did have my right big toenail removed this past July because of a fungus. Mine was not permanently removed, though. Basically, for me, the Dr. numbed me (big long needle in the muscles of the toe), then pressed a metal tool under the skin on top of the nail at the cuticle. Then he cut around the nail to remove it. This whole process was fairly quick and the pain was minimal.

Afterward for a week I had to soak my foot twice a day for 15 minutes each time in Betadyne. After soaking I had to pour peroxide on the nail bed and then dab on more betadyne. The soaking part hurt and the peroxide part was really painful.

My nail is actually growing back now and I am not having any problems with it at all. After the first week I could wear shoes and socks like normal. They say it will take 10-12 months for it to grow back. It's probably 1/4th of the way back now.

Good luck!

[ee_chick]

It sounds like an ingrown toenail. I have a chronic problem with these and have had them removed numerous times. I have now had both sides of both big toenail permanently removed. I had all of the removals done by podiatrists and it was no big deal. They'll numb you up and then cut the toenail back. My doctors always numbed my toe topically before using the needles, so it was almost completely pain free. The toe usually ached that afternoon, and I had to soak it twice daily for a week or so.

[heather 8^)]

The other gals explained it pretty well. He numbed up my toe a bit and then trimmed the side of my nail off and essentially removed/killed those few cells at my nailbed that grows the nail on one side. So you still have a toenail, and it looks perfectly normal; but the little part of the side that causes you trouble no longer grows into your skin. I also had it done after repeated troubles with that toe, and to tell you the truth I would like to get it done on the other side of that same toenail. It's not bad at all: I think I read a Babysitter's club book while I had it done (yeah, this was a looong time ago). :) FWIW, I do not remember having the entire nail removed when I had this done.

[Fluffy Bunny]

It sounds like it's not too painful to recover from getting the toenails removed. I should investigate that because I have one toenail that is always troublesome (I used to be really bad about cutting my toenails too short). Anyhow, I'm trying to train it to grow properly with a brace that is similar to a Breathe Right strip, and pulls the edges of the nail slightly up and away from the nail bed. I found it at www.nailease.com and thought I'd give it a try because I'm a wuss and didn't want anybody cutting my toenail. So far my toenail has grown out some, but the brace came off after about a month. I should be able to reapply it when I find some time.

***I'm not trying to sell this - I just think it's a neat option to try for wusses like me. And if it winds up not working, it cost less than a copay for the doctor.