An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows into the skin on one or both sides of the nail bed. It most commonly occurs in the big toe but can also affect smaller toes.
An ingrown toenail can have many symptoms, so how can you tell for sure if your sore toe is ingrown or just annoying?
Some of the main signs and symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:
- Pain and tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail. Pain will often be felt along one of the nail margins, where the nail may be growing into the skin
- Redness and warmth around your toenail
- Swelling of your toe around the nail
- Infection of the tissue around your toenail, which may be accompanied by a liquid or pus discharge
Ingrown toenails can be painful and frustrating. Fortunately, symptoms will usually resolve quickly with conservative treatment by a podiatrist and proper nail cutting. If the problem is recurring and does not respond to conservative podiatry treatment, a minor surgical procedure may be recommended.
If ingrown toenail surgery is recommended for you, you don’t need to see a doctor for this procedure. Ingrown toenail surgery can be performed with a local anaesthetic by your podiatrist. At Entire Podiatry, all our podiatrists are qualified to perform this surgery in one of our fully equipped clinics.
If you are experiencing toe pain or would like further advice regarding your symptoms, contact us on 1800-4-ENTIRE to make an appointment at your nearest clinic location in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast.
