Painful Toenails
Information From The
American Podiatric Medical Association
In their protective role, nails bear
the brunt of daily activities. Walking, running, wearing shoes or participating
in sports are just a few of the stresses and strains the feet must endure.
All or a portion of the nail can be damaged when the feet are injured
or abused.
Nail problems are commonly caused by improper trimming, minor injuries
or repeated trauma. Some nail disorders can also be congenital.
Proper trimming (along the contour of the toe) on a regular basis can
help keep the toenails in the pink, as can wearing well-fitted, low
heeled shoes.
Ingrown
Nails
Trimming the nail too deeply into the tissue
causes most ingrown nails. Painful ingrown nails may also be caused
by an over curvature of the nail. Ingrown nails may also occur in patients
anywhere from their teens to their senior years.
Toe injuries that change the nail’s shape also can lead to an
ingrown toenail. High-heeled or narrow, pointed shoes can put pressure
between the nail and soft tissues, eventually forcing the nail to grow
into the skin.
Some common symptoms that appear along the side of the nail include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Extreme pain to the touch, in shoes, and even from
sheets
- Drainage
Fungal Infection (thick nails)
Various types of fungi are present everywhere
in the environment. The dark, moist surroundings created by shoes and
stockings make the feet especially susceptible to fungal infection.
The fungus usually attacks a small portion of the nail after injury
and spreads slowly.
Some of the symptoms of a fungus nail include:
Yellow or brownish color of the nail
Thickening of the nail
Debris collecting under the nail
Pain from the thickened nail rubbing in the shoes
Treatment for Nail Disorders
Several treatment options are available
for fungal nails. One treatment involves thinning of the thickened nail
followed by application of a topical medication. Some new prescription
oral medications are also available to stop the fungus from the inside
out.
Most ingrown nails tend to reoccur if not treated. Most nail surgeries
are performed very comfortably under local anesthesia, and require approximately
30 minutes at the podiatrist’s office. For most cases of ingrown
nails, only the portion of the nail that is growing into the skin is
removed. A medication is also applied to stop the ingrown portion of
nail from re-growing.