What could be more pitiful than an infant with an ingrown toenail? It’s hard enough for a grown-up to take, but babies are sometimes seen with this painful condition. Usually, when the child is that young, the ingrown toenail is due to some abnormal formation of the foot. Other causes could be tight-fitting footwear and injury.
Children and adults usually develop ingrown toenails due to footwear that does not fit properly. If shoes press against the toes, this can cause the nail plate to shift out of the usual nail groove. Sharp points develop in the nail and penetrate the skin.
The first stage of ingrown toenails produces a red, tender area with a small amount of swelling. Untreated, this leads to a sore that oozes pus. Eventually, the in-grown toenail that is not successfully treated can cause a chronic infection that can spread to the bones. The most extreme consequences are amputation and/or systemic infections.
An ingrown toenail is more than a minor pain in the toe. Proper treatment is needed to head off problems and promote healing. Most ingrown toenails can be prevented with proper footwear that fits well, but sometimes they happen despite a parent’s best efforts. Then the only option is a trip to the podiatrist for professional care.
Getting Professional Treatment
It is always our express intent to recommend that you take no chances with foot pain, ankle or knee pain, or injuries. Professional treatment to relieve the pain is available from doctors such as Delray Beach’s Dr. Ian Goldbaum of Delray Beach Podiatry, who has provided us with this blog. If the pain continues, a podiatrist with Dr. Goldbaum’s experience should be consulted. You must get proper treatment to prevent permanent damage.
Our Staff writers are freelance writers with higher education related to, or experience researching and writing for, medical blogs; with education or experience equal to under graduate and graduate degrees in the fields of medicine. photo credit: mhs72reunion via photo pin cc
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