Podiatrists in Sandy Springs, GA provide various treatments for a wide variety of foot ailments, however Ingrown Toenails are among the most common. People from all walks of life suffer from them and the foot pain they cause.
Although they can start off as just an annoyance with minimal pain, this condition can grow into a much larger issue. While ingrown toenails usually reside in the hallux (big toe) and can occur for numerous reasons, the most common of which are: the manner of how you trim your toenails: either too short or at a curved angle, wearing shoes that are too tight, or having curved toenails as a result of a genetic predisposition.
Some symptoms you may notice in the beginning stages include: mild pain at the borders of your nail, tenderness and swelling when wearing shoes or walking, or even noticing the nail growing into the skin. While the issue is not severe at this stage, you are still able to implement at-home treatments to abruptly interrupt or halt the overall progression.
If you are a patient in Sandy Springs, Georgia seeking relief of these mild symptoms, try soaking your toe in a warm, Epsom salt bath. It is recommended to do this 3-4 times a day, in 15-minute intervals each time. This will help alleviate pain and pressure from your toe. It is important that you make sure your toe is completely dry after soaking to avoid the growth of any bacteria. Wearing comfortable shoes that have a wider toe box is another great way to treat mild, ingrown toenails. This way, you are avoiding narrow, tight-fitting shoes that will squeeze your toes together, essentially making the issue much worse. As the wrong type of shoe gear could have caused the problem in the first place, transferring into the right shoe gear could help to solve it. Taking NSAID’s are another way to help ease some of the pain.
For further prevention, make sure to wash your feet every day, wear clean socks and continue the use of proper shoe gear.
If the ingrown toenail develops into a more severe issue and symptoms get worse, then it is time to see a foot doctor in Sandy Springs. These symptoms include: redness and inflammation causing warm to the touch sensation, yellow or white pus leaking from the affected area, or discoloration of the nail. While not always the case, most of these symptoms indicate infection of the toenail. Once the issue has reached this stage, at-home treatments are not an option and you must seek medical help from a podiatrist.
We are accepting new patients.
Please call 470-648-7851 for an appointment.
Our clinics at Ankle & Foot Centers of America regularly treat this common issue, so give us a call today at (470) 648-7851 or schedule an appointment online by clicking here!
