ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Anyone else suffers with these? I have one now and its so painful I can't touch it so not sure how I should deal with it. Its also very red and hot and I think its probably infected

Honestly its one thing after another at the mo!

DCI Gene Hunt

You're sounding like a real catch at the moment

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Thanks

carlem

Yep, I used to get these all the time on my two big toes. Ended up having them removed a number of times only for them to grown back and go back the same way. Eventually they just removed the nail bed which means only 8 nails to clip every so often!!!

The procedure is very straightforward and you can't feel a thing once you've had the injections. Nothing to worry about at all.

I believe it can be caused by a number of things but the main one is how you're cutting your nails. I'm afraid I can't remember how you're supposed to do it though. Sorry!

gallois

you need to see the doc, the nail needs to be cut and the toe allowed to heal prob a course of antibiotics too...

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Injections

RLE

iTrader: (2)

I feel like that at the moment Lou.
Had one of these a good few years back and had it for bloody months. Playing football practically every night did not help but I refused to go to the doctors as I'd been worked in to a frenzy about how they get them out etc.

In the end my nan cut a V shape in the centre of my toe nail. Thought it was an old wifes tail tbh but was happy to try anything. A few days after had to admit defeat and went to the doctors as it had clearly become infected (started pussing) and he gave me some anti biotics. He said without doubt I'd need to go in to have the nail removed.

Combination of the tablets and my nans "V" appeared to do the trick. Once the swelling had gone down a little I performed a little "home surgery" and gently messaged the skin away from the nail after a bath every night. Seemed to be alright after that.

I once tried to stick a nail file down the side hoping to push the ingrowing part of the nail out. Thought it helped at the time but on reflection I put myself through that much pain trying it the daily pain I experienced was probably just the same but far less than my surgical experience.

Hope you get it sorted.

Power Junkie

iTrader: (1)

I had all the sides of my big toes cut back, didnt take the whole nail so looks normal but without the pain, get it sorted it will be worth it.

David Lock

Just don't look down when they are digging away at the nail bed..........

RLE

iTrader: (2)

and you can wear your heels again rather than going out with one in a slipper

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

I've still been wearing my heels but not sure I can cope with that much longer, not sure slippers would look right wearing a suit

carlem

The injections aren't too bad at all to be honest. You have 2 nerves running down each toe and they basically inject into each nerve. 5 mins later you can't feel a thing. The thought of it is way worse than the actual procedure itself.

Once you're numbed they will just cut away the part of the nail that is causing the problem and allow it to grow back normally. It's only when the nail refuses to grow back normally that they remove the nail bed (or part of it) When they do this they just apply some sort of liquid/acid/something to the nail bed and it burns it away.

Honestly. I spent years suffering with these and it's no fun at all.

RLE

iTrader: (2)

Now we can see it Lou it don't look that bad.............warm bath and savlon me thinks.



On a serious note hope you get it sorted.

Removed.

Suffered a lot when I was a teenager, some time ago......
I had the nails cut back on both big toes, wasn't too bad, and apart from starting my 1st ever job, in sandals with a turban style bandage on each big toe, it was worth getting sorted. They didn't remove the nail bed, as they wanted to try the less invasive fix first. The "proper" way to cut your toe nails is straight across, not following the curve as it were.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

I used to suffer regularly and evetually I got an infected ingrowing toe-nail.

I sat and watched my toe double in size as the doc filled it with anasthetic and then once my toe was numb he cut my nail in half and pulled off the ingrowing bit.

Sounds more gruesome than it was, but the day before it happened the kids couldn't come near me in case they knocked it. I was told I would suffered for a couple of days afterwards, but because it was so sore before it was actually a relief after it happened and I was playing football after a few days. I'd have it treated straight away if it happened again as it was only a 20-30 minute procedure and the instant pain relief was great.

mykp

I used to suffer until my early 20's when I went hand had them both removed. Sat and watched the operation while the doc did it and never felt a thing. It hurt more the day after when the anaesthetic wore off but still less painful than having ingrowing tow nails.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Who thinks that Lou and Snazy should have a medical forum all to themselves?

gaz-cole

a woman on my estate had diabetes and an in growing toe nail which got infected, they operated to remove the toe nail and found it had gon gangreen and took her leg off up to her hip as it had spread, lovely!

but anyway go and see your gp he will will refer you they will take off you nail and put a bit of acid on the nail bed to stop it growing back, better than option 1

Tam the bam

lol, I think they'd make a great couple though

j4ckos mate

i had two on my big toes but they took the nail of one completey and it grew back and a slither of the nail of the other one wheni was about sixteen.


My socks were always full of gunk and they were so painful even the sheet just resting on them was two painful.

stiscooby

I use to get these quite a bit when I was at school (13+ years ago now) and still have the odd bit of nail now that every now and then manages to start growing into my big toe again.

I find the best way is to let them grow a little longer than you normally would, so the nail is that little bit longer, then when you cut them there is a little bit bigger piece of nail to cut/grab, then I normally just pull the corner of my nail off.

This might sound a bit harsh but im only talking about a small piece of nail here, not like half the nail or something, then you have no pointy bit of nail there to grow into your toe. As it's normally these little pointy bits that cause the problems.

I was always told to cut my nails straight too, but for me and my big toe's this never seemed to work as the corners would always seem to grow back into my toe.

little-ginge

I had them really badly in both big toes about 12 years back... i was told by the GP to leave them as they would grow out but they became infected and were agony!!

The Dr prescribed a cream called Fucidin (sp) which helped to draw the infection out....

My mum then remembered that there was a foot clinic 'school' in the next town over - i went there, and had the offending pieces of toenail dug out by students overseen by a tutor- i don't think the old grannies who were there having their bunions and corns sorted had ever heard so many swear words!

They were then packed with tiny pieces of gauze, which had been infused with seaweed... this really helped the wounds to heal quickly.

Now every couple of months, I find that they begin to grow back slightly, and as with STiscooby, I just nip the diggy in bit out..

Do you cut your nails down into the sides? This apparently is the primary cuase for ingrowing nails - my problem was wearing dodgy high heels for long periods

little-ginge

P.s - if you think it may be infected do NOT leave it!! Go to the Dr's or a podiatrist! It may get worse and start to ooze smelly pus - and then the flesh next to the nail edge can start to bulge and grow over the ingrown nail causing you even more problems!!

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Hmm thats how it is at the mo, I will make an appointment in the morning

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Don't cut my nails down the side but do wear dodgy high heels lol

I want to try and operate myself but to be honest its too sore!

little-ginge

You need to get it seen to then as it will only become worse - I was in a job which required me to be on my feet 100% of the time.. at the end of my shifts, my toes were bleeding badly and I was hobbling about like an old granny.. try soaking them in warm water with something like a dash of salt or TCP to help the infection...

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

Ouch, bless ya.

Good idea about the warm water I will do that now, as its throbing at the mo. The pain is nearly on par with my tooth ache last week lol.

Thanks for you advice

little-ginge

No probs - you sound like your falling to pieces.. hope you get it sorted quickly

take some paracetomal or ibuprofen that will help

ScoobLou

iTrader: (21)

lol yeah its been one thing after another lately, least I haven't broken anything like Snazy

Eddie1980

Couple of years back I walked round Disney in Florida, before I went I cut my nails too short. One corner decided to dig in, and once it got sore it started swelling which meant it dug in more, and hurt more, and etc...

Was a a fairly miserable experience! By the time I got back to the UK it was huge and pulsing. Decided to cut the nail back so it was not poking into the aggravated area, lots of will power and blood, then put lots of pressure on the big sore lump. Nothing but pain..... then it ruptured, puss everywhere, the relief was indescribable though...

Its grown back fine!

My advice, don't cut your nails any shorter then you have to, if it all goes wrong go to the doc!!!