Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Assessing Toe Infection Status
• Method 2 of 3: Getting Medical Help
• Method 3 of 3: Home Remedies

A toe infection can be caused by a variety of conditions, from a mild infection of an ingrown toenail or nail fungus to a more severe skin infection (abscess or cellulitis). A toe infection can get worse and develop into a joint or bone infection. Although superficial infections are usually relatively easy to treat and can be treated at home, more severe infections require medical attention. Learn to distinguish between a mild infection and a severe one that should be shown to your doctor so that he or she can be sure that it does not lead to complications and does not spread further.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Assessing Toe Infection Status

1. 1 Assess the symptoms. Sometimes it is difficult to know what kind of infection you have and how serious it is.This can be a common ingrown toenail or a more severe infection that can spread to the rest of the body. To understand the difference, you need to evaluate your symptoms.
   • Signs and symptoms of mild infection include pain and / or soreness when touched, swelling, redness, and localized fever.
   • Signs and symptoms of a more severe infection include a pus, red streaks from the wound, and fever.
2. 2 Seek medical attention if you have symptoms of a severe infection. Again, these symptoms include purulent discharge, red streaks emanating from the wound, and fever. If you experience these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
   • A severe infection can spread from the finger to other areas of the body. A very bad infection can even shock your body and endanger your life. It is because of this that it is very important that a severe infection is examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
3. 3 Decide if a superficial toe infection can be treated at home. If you do not have symptoms of a severe infection, but only mild discomfort, then the infection can be treated at home. As with other minor injuries, the infection can be treated by washing the wound, applying an antibiotic, and dressing the wound for several days. If the infection is really mild, then try the above methods to treat it.
   • If you've thoroughly cleaned the wound, bandaged it, applied a good antibiotic, kept it clean, and it still hurts or the pain and inflammation get worse, then it's time for the infection to be examined by a doctor.
   • Even if the infection is mild and doesn't pose much of a risk to your health, it's best to make an appointment with your doctor for an examination. Decide for yourself, but it's better to play it safe.

Method 2 of 3: Getting Medical Help

1. 1 Follow your doctor's orders for treating a mild infection. Treatment varies depending on the cause of the infection. Your doctor may prescribe oral or topical antibiotics, but will likely simply advise you to soak your finger for 15 minutes in a solution of warm water and liquid antibacterial soap (1: 1 ratio) three to four times a day and keep the wound clean.
   • Soaking will help soften the skin so that the infection "reaches its breaking point."
   • For a fungal infection of the toe, your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication or prescription antifungal nail polish.
2. 2 Get medical attention for a severe infection. If the infection is deep and severe, your doctor may suggest treating it with a small surgical procedure. That is, rapid surgical drainage, which is usually used for abscesses.
   • The doctor will first inject lidocaine into the finger to make it numb, then open up the infection with a scalpel and allow the pus to drain out. Then, depending on the depth of penetration of the infection, a moisture-wicking material is placed in the wound to enhance drainage.
   • Then the wound is bandaged. After 24-48 hours, the dressing is removed, the wound is examined and bandaged again.
   • The patient may also be given oral antibiotics.
3. 3 Take medications to treat a superficial infection. Superficial infections of the toe can be treated in several ways. These include:
   • Soak. As with severe infections, doctors recommend soaking in a solution of water and antibacterial soap (1: 1 ratio). Soak your finger for 15 minutes once a day.
   • OTC antibacterial creams and ointments for treating bacterial infections. These include: polysporin, neosporin, bacitracin, or triple antibiotic ointment.
   • OTC antifungal creams for treating fungal infections. These include: lotrimin, derman, canesten and other antifungal drugs.

Method 3 of 3: Home Remedies

1. 1 Try tea tree oil. Apply tea tree oil directly to the area with a bacterial or fungal infection. Tea tree has antibacterial properties and will help kill infection.
   • For example, clinical studies have shown how tea tree oil has been shown to reduce foot infections in athletes.
2. 2 Soak your finger in apple cider vinegar. Soak every day for 15 minutes. The temperature of the apple cider vinegar doesn't matter. Soak at a temperature that is comfortable for you.
   • Apple cider vinegar has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, due in part to its acidity. Vinegar itself has been used as a remedy against infections for several hundred years.
3. 3 Apply garlic paste to the infection. Crush two to three cloves of garlic and add a little olive oil, castor oil, or manuka forest honey, which also has antimicrobial properties. Apply this paste to the infection site and bandage it.
   • Spread on a new layer of paste every day.
   • Garlic has natural antimicrobial properties that help fight skin infections such as staphylococcus aureus.
4. 4 Daily soak your finger in epsom salt. Pour 100 grams of salt into 750 ml of warm water. Soak your finger in the solution for 15 minutes or until the water has cooled.
   • The high salt content will help kill bacterial or fungal infections.
5. 5 Pour Listerine mouthwash into warm water and soak your finger in the solution. Mix equal parts Listerine and warm water together and soak your finger in this solution every day. Listerine will help with mild infections as it contains menthol, thymol, and eucalyptol. All of these substances are obtained from various natural antibiotic sources.
   • If you have a fungal toe infection, soaking in Listerine and water (1: 1 ratio) will help fight the infection.
6. 6 See your doctor if home remedies don't work. See your doctor for medical attention if the infection does not improve or even worsen after a few days of home treatment. Do not continue treatment if it does not work.