Argh. Toenail?

fadingaway1986

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*sigh* it seems my toenail is definately ingrown - and is causing me the most pain ever.

My mum thinks its infected as it is bright red around the edges and quite painful to touch - and even walk.

She thinks I will have to get it taken off.

Does anyone have any experience with ingrown toenails, what to do. Will i have to have it taken off? Will that hurt? Will I get time off work :)D)

It's so painful and i cant walk. But I have heard they use a scalpel to take the nail off and that scares me. (And they dont even knock you out!!!) Argh
 
My left big toe was like it at school for what must have been at least a year. I refused to go to the doctor. The toe was swollen and bright red, the toenail near the edge was soft and yucky and it had plenty of puss which came out during the day. At the end of the day I had to pull the sock away from my toe with some force because the blood which my sock had absorbed had dried. It was like superglue.
I had this whilst I was doing my GCSE PE Studies exams. So that includes playing football, swimming, trampoline, athletics, basketball, etc. Those days it really bled.

After my exams I went to the doctors who sent me to a chiropodist. They had to do a minor operation. All that involved was injections around the toe to make it numb and then cutting and scrapping at the nail (which I could feel travel up my leg). They stuck on a bandage and told me to keep weight off of it, to keep it elevated for a week and to keep it dry. Then I went back a week later, they changed the bandage and told me to take it off again a week later. Now my toenail on my left foot is narrower than the one on my right.

A couple of years ago my right toe flared up. But that was because my sister (must have been 14 stone) decided to see if it hurt me when she stood on my foot and lifted her other leg off of the ground. Funnily enough, if didn't. The toe must have got forced into the skin though. After a while it settled down and now it's fine.
 
thanks. sounds painful. I have had ingrown toenail for a few years. it has had puss before - but not much. I did go to the doctors once and he told me to cut a V in the centre of the nail. I found this caused heaps of pain - and my nail would catch on my sock - causing the nail to rip - hence causing more problems.

I think I will probably have to get the nail off. still dont like the scalpel part. Or how you said they scrape the nail away. *shudders*

Thanks for your advice though :)
 
I was told the V nail thing to. The idea is that it releases the pressure at the edges of the nail. Doesn't do anything if the nail is embedded into the toe itself. I experienced the same as you.

Once they stab your toe with the first needle that's pretty much it. It goes numb and you don't feel the rest or any pain. I could feel that they were cutting and scrapping at my toe, but more the vibrations. It doesn't hurt at all and it's much better to have it done. They won't remove the nail, just the edges. Tell them you hate the idea of any of this being done to you and they'll understand and go easy with you.

If you're not too crept out by feet I'll take a picture of my toes so you can see what I'm on about if you want.
 
No. I'm not. sorry - have been busy with work.

I have to say feet are not particularly my fav. thing. and if your toe with the ingrown toenail is not the nicest - I really would rather not to see. (My mum's friend has had hers off many times, and quite frankly I am scared getting my nail off will make my toe look like hers) Of course - if it is the loveliest looking toe - show me. :D
 
I get minor in-grown toenails aswell but i've discovered that if you can get under the nail with a pair of plier-clippers and cut the sides of the nail off it relieves a sh!tload of pressure, then you cut a 'v' in the middle of the nail and you shouldn't have as much pain as you did before. I'd take pictures of the procedure but it'll gross everyone out. :lol:
 
So you don't keep going on about them removing the nail. They won't do it. Trust me, my left toe was really bad. There was talk of nerve damage becase towards the end it didn't hurt a lot despite is pouring with blood and puss.
 
yup thats pretty much what mine is like. Except you can see on the outside of the toe where my nail is sticking out. I have like a lump where my nail is digging into my toe.

I had a lot of trouble walking at work today because of the pain - so I think I will be seeing the doctor on monday.
 
What they'll do is cut away the part of the nail which is giving you problems. You can see that my left nail isn't as wide as my right. That's because they took away those two sides. That's how much was actually in my toe! What you see of my left nail is all there is. None goes under the skin at the sides any more like it does on fingers and toes normally.

Get it fixed. It hurts more now than it will after the aesthetic has worn off if they do to you what they did to me. It throbs a little bit, but that's all.
 
Well I went to the doctors today because I could hardly walk yesterday due to the pain. (I was walking on the side of my foot which was giving me a sore back).

He said that its infected and gave me some antibiotics. He tried to push the V thing on me again and i said it didnt work. He mentioned about getting the side cut off - but he didnt really seem to keen. So I will see how the antibiotics go and go back to him for a referral if I need to.

he drew me a picture of how they do it. and i was like ewwwwwww...

hehe.

:D thought I should give an update. lol
 
Antibiotics never worked for me. I got given a couple of bottles of pills. I think becasue of the area and it being great for bugs and other crap it doesn't always work. Hope it does for you. But, I'd personally have the nail sorted via scalpel. At least that way you know it'll never happen again.
 

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