Uh, guys?

[pirateseneschal]

Medical question time!

How do you tell if you have an ingrown toenail? My big toe hurts.

I hope it's something easy, that won't keep me off my feet for a day or two. I have big plans, dagnabit..

Comments

[metanomaly]

Josh gets ingrown toenails. The edge of the nail will be growing into your toe. If you can't get the pointy edge of the nail to show above the skin, you probably have an ingrown nail.

[pirateseneschal]

I think- after poking at it all day- that I should soak it in epson salts, because it's likely a VERY irritated hangnail. Thanks!<3

[suntyger]

If it just started hurting, it's probably not ingrown yet--it's just going to be if you don't do something about it. If it kind of looks like the skin is rolling over the edge of the nail, then it's probably on its way.

You can take the end of the file on a pair of nail clippers and clean really thoroughly under the nail, doing your best to gently pry the edge of the nail out from under the skin growing over it. Don't be rough--you just want to gently coax the nail to bend a different way, not force it. One thing that can sometimes help is wedging a little bit of cotton soaked in alcohol or Neosporin under the nail to get it away from the skin. Try to get some Neosporin around the edge of the nail, just in case it does break the skin, and don't wear restrictive shoes. After a day or two, if you're lucky, the pain will fade and your nail will have corrected itself. When you trim your nails next, be sure to cut straight across--a rounded shape encourages your nails to curl in on themselves.

[pirateseneschal]

I think the problem is in the nailbed on the side- I've got a pretty curly big toenail, but it doesn't seem unusually agitated. I poked at it a lot of today because I wore flip-flops, and I think it's a very irritated cuticle that got yoinked out somehow.

Gonna use some epson salts and soak later. Thanks!

[daisy1313]

Is it a sore, swollen feeling on either side of the toenail near the edge? Have you clipped your toenails low within the past week or two?

If you use the little metal piece that swings out on most nail clippers, you should be able to sweep it along the white part of the toenail underneath and it should come out cleanly on both sides. If it does not, as met said above, you might have an ingrown. Sometimes you can soak it in some hot water and force the skin back and clip the part that is growing in, but you have to be really careful to not make it worse.

Check this out : WebMD Ingrown Toenails

Of course they tell you not to dig at it and they know better than I do, even though I have used implements to relieve the pain before.

[pirateseneschal]

I actually just clipped it this morning because I thought perhaps it being overgrown had caused the irritation. Pretty sure by now that it's the cuticle being irritated over something. Might be infected (since it is swollen and red), so I'm going to soak it in epson salts- if it continues I will go to Kaiser and make vague motions at my foot until they lop it off and charge me $50. Eww.

[daisy1313]

XD

Well good luck! Sometimes a little bacatracin helps too!

[intrepid_glory]

Last time Ryan had an ingrown toe nail was before he had insurance. The NP at Planned Parenthood took care of it for a donation because he was low income. Just a thought if you can save $50.

[ophiomancer]

I have an ingrown nail, so I know how icky it feels. You really just need to have a good look at your nail -- pull back the side of your toe if you have to. If the nail curls under on the side, you've got an ingrown nail. Depending on how bad it is, you can file or cut it down like others have suggested, but it's not nearly as easy as it sounds. It'll take some time and patience and teeny tiny scissors and a gentle file that won't hurt your skin. If it's really bad you may want to see a doc about it because they sometimes require some mild surgery to fix.

[pirateseneschal]

At this point I'm scheming about using a hot needle. Ew! I'll try the tested method of tiny scissors- I think it's more of an ingrown cuticle or something, since it's way on the side.
Thanks for the help!

[vrykon]

You already had good advice... so I'll offer sympathy.
Ouch! Hope it feels better and those big plans work out!

[pirateseneschal]

Yeah, who knew that EVERYBODY's had an ingrown toenail or can easily find someone who has?

I say now is the time to move for more comfortable shoes. I'm writing my elected officials.