Help! Painful ingrown toenail

[Guest guest]

HI this is kind of embarassing in a way and a way not. I seem to get an ingrown

toenail once every year and always the same toe. This time I got the ingrown

nail out and a lot of puss came out (normal) but it is still very very painful

even after soaking it in epsom salt water and putting on medication. I have

never had one hurt so bad or for so long and was wondering if there is anything

else I could try to fix the toe. It is hard for me to walk already and when you

throw in this painful toe it makes it even harder. Any suggestions or advice

would be wonderful. (I don't have any insurance at the moment so really want to

go the home remedy route.) Maybe if I am lucky tomorrow will be better since I

got a lot of puss out of it today but normally it feels immediately better and

this time it hurts just as bad or worse than before the puss came out. thank

you so much.

hugs,

ali

-----------------

PatB moderator note: A flight surgeon (military doctor) told me to go home and

wrap the toe in a slice of raw bacon and then wrap in saran wrap. After a few

minutes the toe is all squishy and it is easy to pull the toenail loose and

clip. Don't know what to do about the pain you are having now except maybe

Benadryl. Did you wash it with peroxide?

[Guest guest]

Ali,

Anytime you are having an ingrown toenail with infection involved, you really

need to see a doctor. I know it can be a financial inconvenience without

insurance, but amputation once gangrene sets in will cost you too! Remember,

with some of the medications you are taking, you will not heal quickly, or at

all. Please check with a doctor if it is not better in the next day or so,

or if it becomes worse.

I hope you're walking better soon!

Tammy in Phila

[Guest guest]

You might need antibiotics. My podiatrist recommended tea tree oil (health

food store)when he removed part of my toenail. I use tea tree oil for most

minor skin problems as well.

Ks Di

[ ] Help! Painful ingrown toenail

HI this is kind of embarassing in a way and a way not. I seem to get an

ingrown toenail once every year and always the same toe. This time I got

the ingrown nail out and a lot of puss came out (normal) but it is still

very very painful even after soaking it in epsom salt water and putting on

medication. I have never had one hurt so bad or for so long and was

wondering if there is anything else I could try to fix the toe. It is hard

for me to walk already and when you throw in this painful toe it makes it

even harder. Any suggestions or advice would be wonderful. (I don't have

any insurance at the moment so really want to go the home remedy route.)

Maybe if I am lucky tomorrow will be better since I got a lot of puss out of

it today but normally it feels immediately better and this time it hurts

just as bad or worse than before the puss came out. thank you so much.

hugs,

ali

-----------------

PatB moderator note: A flight surgeon (military doctor) told me to go home

and wrap the toe in a slice of raw bacon and then wrap in saran wrap. After

a few minutes the toe is all squishy and it is easy to pull the toenail

loose and clip. Don't know what to do about the pain you are having now

except maybe Benadryl. Did you wash it with peroxide?

[Guest guest]

After soaking I would dry off well and put a drawing salve and large bandage

on. I still use the udder balm which you can get at Walmart and drug stores. It

says not to cover when you put it on but my parents (being farmers and having

this in stock for cattle) always used it for us and covered it. I have also done

so. I find this the best drawing salve on the market. Only thing is it comes in

a fairly decent size container and takes forever to use up but age does not seem

to affect its healing qualities. I have cleared up more than one ingrown toenail

using this salve. You have to keep it on all the time.

If that fails then I guess you will have to see a doctor.

---------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Ali - Since it seems a lot of us with PA have other autoimmune disorders, and

diabetes is one of those, if you happen to have diabetes - PLEASE, go to a

podiatrist immediately with an ingrown nail - you don't want to mess around

with it on your own.

Not bad advice if you AREN'T diabetic as well ... don't cause yourself an

infection.

Hope it's getting better by now,

[Guest guest]

Hello Ali,

I guess the best OTC treatment plan for an ingrown nail is the

following. My dad and I used to get them all the time a LONG time ago.

1) Soak nail in warm water with epsom salts for about 15-20 minutes.

2) Depending on the location of the site of infection, lance the

infected site with a STERILE razor blade. Just enough to open that

section up. You don't need to go deep.

If you're just getting the puss out, that may not be enough. Usually

my dad would cut out the part of the nail that had grown into the

skin.

3) Apply antibiotic ointment to the area and cover. Change the

bandage 2-3 times a day.

It could be that the infection has gotten much deeper, Ali. If so,

that means you do need to go to a doctor.

For maintenance, you must wear shoes with a wide toe box. Also try

and catch the nail as early as possible. Don't trim the nail square.

They always tell you to trim it square but that always made mine

worse. Don't cut it too short either.

I hope it starts getting better soon! Don't let it go too long if

it's not improving!

Hugs,

Meghan

> HI this is kind of embarassing in a way and a way not. I seem to

get an ingrown toenail once every year and always the same toe. This

time I got the ingrown nail out and a lot of puss came out (normal)

but it is still very very painful even after soaking it in epsom salt

water and putting on medication. I have never had one hurt so bad or

for so long and was wondering if there is anything else I could try

to fix the toe. It is hard for me to walk already and when you throw

in this painful toe it makes it even harder. Any suggestions or

advice would be wonderful. (I don't have any insurance at the moment

so really want to go the home remedy route.) Maybe if I am lucky

tomorrow will be better since I got a lot of puss out of it today but

normally it feels immediately better and this time it hurts just as

bad or worse than before the puss came out. thank you so much.

> hugs,

> ali

>

> -----------------

> PatB moderator note: A flight surgeon (military doctor) told me to

go home and wrap the toe in a slice of raw bacon and then wrap in

saran wrap. After a few minutes the toe is all squishy and it is easy

to pull the toenail loose and clip. Don't know what to do about the

pain you are having now except maybe Benadryl. Did you wash it with

peroxide?