As the summer and spring training months come upon us, my patients are continually tempted to keep running through their painful and swollen feet to meet their fitness goals. All too often I see patients coming into my office with a red swollen toenail saying, “Dr. Toll – you’ve got to cut it off, it just hurts too much!". But before you get to this level of pain as a result of an ingrown toenail, let’s look at the causes and ways to prevent this common runner’s plight.
Ingrown toenails become painful when the side of the nail pushes into the skin. This irritates the skin, and can cause significant redness, swelling, and breakdown. If left untreated, ingrown toenails can break through the skin causing a passageway for bacteria into the body. Athletes are more prone to ingrown toenails because of their increased activity, heightened pressures inside the toe box, and as a result of wearing sport specific shoes. However, more often than not, the culprit I see the most often is from ill-fitting shoes (something we’ve talked about in previous blogs).
Attempts to heal ingrown toenails at home can be dangerous. Many people will suggest remedies that may simply prolong the symptoms, or increase the ability of bacteria to enter the broken skin. Taking leftover antibiotics are not only dangerous, but are also not likely to resolve the infected toenail. Additionally, it will continue to push into the skin unless removed by someone with the proper training. Most importantly – I suggest to my patients to not to attempt to remove the offending nail portion themselves. This can cause serious trauma to the nail and nail bed if not done properly, increasing the potential for infection.
If you’ve been training to run through the pain, or have just started to notice new swelling, and redness in any of your toes, call us at Crofton Podiatry today at (410) 721-4505 for prompt resolution. From simple taping procedures, to more permanent nail removal techniques, we will talk about your options and help you find what’s best to get you back on the courts, tracks and fields.
By Brad Toll.