Ingrown toenail and i think i made it worse

[garneska]

Please help. Noticed my big toe hurting, like my nail was digging into it. I looked at it and it was all sharp and long. I cut it very short and in trying to get the corner that felt like it was digging, I rounded the nail. Later I googled and think it was ingrown and proceeded to do the worst thing, cut it short and rounded. Any advice? I have been running on it but I am afraid what could happen in a month. I do think it feels better since I trimmed it.

 

[DOOM1001]

My advice would be to not do that again,I believe you might have to soak it in a salt solution and trim it in a way that keeps the edge from digging into your skin.After you get it right don't cut it too short to prevent it from happening again.I had a seriously bad one on my right big toe when I was like 13,it was so bad and infected the only solution was a minor procedure where they cut the sides of the nail with a laser all the way to the root and removed all the infection,today I don't have to worry about that nail getting ingrown again as the sides of the nail just don't grow again as the laser took the roots of the side of the nail.You can still see a bit of the two scars on the skin of both sides of the nail.

 

[bumbershoot]

This is basically what DH has done and it has cut down on the number of ingrown big-toe nails he's gotten dramatically. They used to grow down all the time. Now it's only every 6 months or so that it happens. If that often.

This paragraph is from Dr Andrew Weil's site, but we got the info elsewhere and I bet you could find it all over the place. Worked like a charm! Especially the part I bolded. Takes time for it to actually grow "together", not an instant fix.

In addition to the home remedies described above, cutting a "v" shaped notch into the top of the nail will help draw the edges of the nail together. You can also carefully file the middle top of the entire nail to make it thinner, which changes the stresses on the nail bed and encourages growth toward the middle of the toe. To prevent ingrown toenails, wear properly fitting shoes and be sure to trim nails straight across without tapering the edges.

 

[goofeygirl]

I have been there before and I advice you see a foot doctor...I think that's where I went. The whole procedure took a matter of minuets...however they inject you with something to numb to your toe ... and they they cut it out...and it may or may not hurt like hell after wards.

I have tried fixing it myself and I either made or worse or calmed it down but not enough for it to not come back again.

I had ingrown toe nails three times! The first was the worst...it was ooozzzing green..gross...I went to a doc and he took it out and it never grew back again...after the numbness wore off the pain ws there there but not as painful as it was when I had the nail.

It happened twice on the other foot...and I saw another doc (because I moved) and they removed it but it grew back again a year later...the same doc removed it again and it never grew back.

Call a foot doctor or see your primary care doctor for a referral...then explain you need an appointment asap because you have a race going on next month...I know doctors offices are full but you are willing to go in WHENEVER they have an opening...even if it means taking time off work.

That's all I can say...because they can be a ***** and can be infected.

 

[cewait]

Having lost several nails mine are rather short to begin with. I see great advice above.

I only offer up general advice.....

Make sure to cut your nails 7-10 days pre-race to assure that any rough edges are found and taken care of pre-race. One would not want to wake up on race morning(s) with that issue coming to light.

 

[Bookwood]

My MIL a nurse suggested putting a really tiny bit of cotton under the offending toenail corner and it's worked wonderfully for me. (only downside is seeing the cotton "tail" when wearing sandals)

 

[tiki23]

Watch those corners (lifting them with cotton sounds like a winner!) and be very careful when trimming. Seeing a podiatrist might be a good choice if you are training for something in the near future.

I really struggled with ingrown toenails, had one side removed twice and the other side once until I finally decided to leave my toenails a little longer and cut them straight across.

Good luck!

 

[disney_runner]

It's been awhile since you posted, so I hope all is fixed now.

Just wanted to add that you can get it fixed and still run 3 days later. I did that for the Relay Marathon in 2012. Podiatrist shot it up numb, cut out the offending nail, bandaged it up, and I got on the plane the next day. Ran the Half (Relay Half, anyway) and all was well! So it's not the end of the world regarding running.

As mentioned, don't dig out that corner anymore! Keep it flat. I still literally feel my nails growing from time to time. But I'm very careful with how I trim it and have been lucky thus far. Hope you're doing better now!

 

[garneska]

thanks disney runner, yes it is healed. I managed not to do too much damage. I think i got it just in time and tried not to round it.

Lesson learned!

Thanks