Content

• Steps

This article will teach you many ways to relieve pain caused by ingrown toenails. On the other hand, you should seek medical attention if your symptoms do not improve after 2-3 weeks.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Try home remedies

1. 

   Soak your feet in warm water. Use a large bowl or bath to soak your feet. This will help reduce swelling and pain. Foot soak 15 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times per day.
   • Add Epsom salt to the water. Epsom salt is well known for its ability to reduce pain and reduce swelling. Salt also helps to soften the toenails. Add 1 cup of Epsom salt to a few centimeters of water in a bath or foot bath.
   • If Epsom salt is not available, you can use regular salt. Salt water helps to reduce bacterial growth where ingrown nails are located.
   • Gently massage your toes. This will allow water to penetrate deeper into the ingrown toenail to remove bacteria and reduce swelling and pain.

2. 

   
   
   Use cotton or floss to gently lift the edge of the nail. After soaking, the toenails will be softer.At this point, you can gently use a clean floss to lift the edge of the nail. Care should be taken to avoid getting the nail digging deeper into the skin.
   • Try this method every time you soak your feet. Floss clean every time.
   • Depending on how much an ingrown toenail is, this can be a bit painful. You can take pain relievers to ease the discomfort.
   • Do not insert the thread too deeply. This will increase the infection of the nail and require medical intervention.

3. 

   
   
   Take a pain reliever. Over the counter pain relievers can help reduce discomfort. You can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. NSAIDs can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
   • If you cannot take NSADI, you can take acetaminophen.

4. 

   
   
   Try a topical antibiotic cream. Antibiotic creams help fight infections. This cream is available in pharmacies.
   • Antibiotic creams may contain a local anesthetic like Lidocaine. This medication provides temporary pain relief.
   • Follow the instructions on the product packaging

5. 

   Bandages for toe protection. To protect your toe from further infection or get caught in socks (socks), wrap your toe with bandages or gauze.

6. 

   Wear open-toed sandals or loose shoes. Wear shoes, open-toed sandals, or loose shoes to give extra foot room.
   • Wearing shoes that are too tight can cause ingrown toenails or make the condition worse.

7. 

   Try homeopathic therapy. Homeopathy is an alternative remedy from herbs and other natural ingredients to treat many health problems. To relieve pain from ingrown toenails, you can try one or more of the following homeopathic remedies:
   • Herbaceous plant, silicea terra, nitric acid, phosphorus-ric acid, aluminum, potassium-carb, Graphites, Magnetis Polus Australis, Thuja, Causticum, Natrum Mur.
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Method 2 of 5: Help the toenails heal

1. 

   Soak your feet for 15 minutes. Use warm water mixed with Epsom salt to soak your ingrown toenails for 15 minutes. This will help soften the nail and make it easier to pull the nail out of the skin.

2. 

   Lift the toenail out of the skin. Gently pull apart the skin around the toenail so that the edge of the nail can be seen. Use a floss or file to lift the nail edge away from the skin. You may need to start from one side of the nail that is not ingrown. Push the floss or file towards the edge of the nail.
   • Disinfect nail files with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide before use.

3. 

   Antiseptic your toe. While the toe is removed from the skin, you can place a small amount of clean water, rubbing alcohol or disinfectant under the nail. This will help prevent bacteria from accumulating under the nail.

4. 

   Tuck the gauze under the edge of the nail. Use a clean, small gauze pad and tuck it underneath the lifted nail. The goal is to prevent the edge of the nail from touching the skin. From there, the nail can grow without piercing the skin, avoiding ingrowns.

5. 

   Apply an antibiotic cream around the nail. After inserting the gauze under the nail, you should apply antibiotic cream around. You can choose an ointment containing Lidocaine that has a mild local anesthetic effect.

6. 

   Toe bandages. Wrap a bandage around the toenail. Or, you can use a gauze pad or a sock designed to cover and separate the ingrown toe from the other.

7. 

   Repeat the process daily. Use this method to heal ingrown toenails. As the toe heals, the pain and swelling caused by ingrown nails will ease.
   • It is advisable to change the gauze daily so that the bacteria cannot enter the toenails.
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Method 3 of 5: Seeking medical help

1. 

   Get medical attention after 2-3 days. If the home remedies aren't helping your toenails grow back after 2-3 days, you should see your doctor. Patients with diabetes or other problems that cause nerve damage should seek immediate medical attention and consider seeing a podiatrist.
   • If you notice red streaks appearing from ingrown nails, you should seek immediate medical attention. It is a sign of a serious infection.
   • You should also see your doctor immediately if pus develops near ingrown nails.

2. 

   Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor will ask you when the nail started growing backwards, and when it started swelling, redness, or pain. In addition, your doctor may also ask if you have other symptoms, such as a fever. You should provide complete symptom information to your doctor.
   • Your doctor can help you treat ingrown toenails. However, for serious complications or recurrent complications, you should see a podiatrist.

3. 

   Apply for an antibiotic prescription. If your toenail becomes infected, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic or topical medication. Antibiotics help prevent infection and keep new bacteria from getting under the nail.

4. 

   Let your doctor try thin scraping. Your doctor may want to try the least invasive procedure of removing the nail from the skin. If it is possible to break the nail, the doctor will put a gauze or cotton ball under the nail.
   • Your doctor will teach you how to change the gauze each day. Always follow your doctor's instructions to make sure the nail heals quickly.

5. 

   Ask your doctor about removing part of the nail. If the nail has ingrown an infection or has penetrated the skin, your doctor may choose to remove part of the nail. Your doctor will inject a local anesthetic and cut it along the edge of the nail to remove the ingrown nail from the skin.
   • Toenails will regrow after 2-4 months. Some patients often worry about the shape of the nail after removal. However, you can rest assured that ingrown nails will grow more neatly and more visible after a part is removed.
   • Removing a part of the nail may sound big, but in fact this process helps reduce pressure, irritation and pain from ingrown nails.

6. 

   Consider having a permanent part of the nail removed. In the event of a recurring ingrown nail, you may want to permanently remove part of the nail. During this procedure, the doctor removes part of the nail along with the underlying nail bed. This will help prevent ingrown nails from recurring.
   • This procedure is performed using lasers, chemicals, electric current and other surgeries.
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Method 4 of 5: Prevent ingrown toenails

1. 

   Cut your nails properly. Many ingrown toenails are caused by improper nail trim. You should cut nails straight, neatly, and not around corners.
   • Use sterile nail clippers.
   • Don't cut your nails too short. You can also keep the nail a bit longer so that the nail won't grow back up and pierce the skin.

2. 

   Visit a medical facility that specializes in pedicure. If you are unable to cut your own nails, you can go to a specialist medical facility for help. Try to find a hospital or health center that offers regular pedicure.

3. 

   Avoid wearing shoes that are too tight. Tight toe shoes increase the risk of ingrown toenails. The sides of the shoe can put pressure on the nail and cause the nail to grow incorrectly.

4. 

   Protect your feet. Wear protective shoes when participating in activities that pose a risk of foot or toe injury. For example, wear specialized shoes on site.

5. 

   Seek help with ingrown nails for diabetics. People with diabetes often have numb feet. If you cut your toenails yourself, you may accidentally cut the toe without even realizing it. So, go to the clinic or ask someone else to cut your toenails for you.
   • In addition, you should see a podiatrist regularly if you have diabetes or problems that can cause nerve damage.
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Method 5 of 5: Diagnose ingrown toenails

1. 

   Watch for signs of swelling in your toe. Ingrown toenails often cause small bumps near the nail. Compare the toe with the same toe on the other leg for a bigger swelling than usual.

2. 

   Touch for pain or sensitivity. The skin around the nail will be softer or more painful when touched or pressed. You can use your finger to gently press the area where the discomfort occurs, or use a nail clipper.
   • Ingrown toenails may contain some pus.

3. 

   Check where the swollen nail is. When the toenail grows backwards, the skin around the hook edge grows over the nail. Or the nail appears to be growing under the surrounding skin. It can also be difficult to locate the upper corner of the nail.

4. 

   Pay attention to health problems. In most cases, ingrown nails can be cured at home. But if you have diabetes or other health problems that are causing your neuropathy, you shouldn't treat ingrown nails yourself, but seek immediate medical attention.
   • If you have nerve damage or poor blood circulation in your legs or feet, you need to see a doctor for an ingrown toenail immediately.

5. 

   Talk to your doctor. If you are not sure if you have an ingrown toenail, it's best to see your doctor. The doctor will diagnose and advise on treatment.
   • If the situation gets too bad, your doctor may refer you to a foot doctor.

6. 

   Do not get the toe problem worse. If you suspect an ingrown toenail, you should begin treatment immediately. If left untreated, the toenail may have more serious problems such as an infection.
   • See a doctor if symptoms persist for more than 2-3 days.
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