Why does my side of toenail hurts not ingrown? Ingrown will not be only the reason your toenail hurts. There are many reasons like various medical conditions and your habit can hurt your toenail and cause pain. Even wearing tight shoes or cutting nails too short can hurt your nails. Infections due to health conditions can cause toenail hurts. Problems such as decreased blood flow or diabetes can develop foot infections and can cause toenail pain.
Ingrown toenails are the common cause of toenail pain. We look into detail about an ingrown toenail and other causes.
What Is Ingrown Toenail?
Ingrown toenails are a common condition that occurs when the side of a toenail grows down into the skin. It usually develops in the big toe. Ingrown toenails grow when you cut the nail too short in the corner, or the toenail turns towards the skin and starts to grow. Usually, it does not cause serious health issues.
People with diabetes, poor blood circulation, infection around the nail, and severe nerve damage in the leg are likely to develop ingrown nails.
Ingrown Toenail Causes
- Wearing tight shoes
- Cutting nails improperly, too short or rounded
- Toe trauma
- Your foot shape, that is your nail grows larger than your toe
You may feel the pain, swelling, redness, and liquid or pus coming out of the toe. These are signs you can observe when you have an ingrown toenail.
Ingrown Toenail Treatment
With simple home treatments, you can treat an ingrown toenail.
- Warm your foot by soaking in warm water and Epsom salts. Do it twice daily
- Keep the soft cotton in between your nail and skin. Change it every day.
- Keep the foot dry always
- Use an antibiotic cream
- Wear sandals
- If required use pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
If the home remedies do not work, you can visit your doctor and take treatments.
Why Does My Side Of Toenail Hurts Not Ingrown? Other Causes
- Toenail Trauma
Toenail trauma can happen when you accidentally fall, drop a heaving object on your foot, getting your foot struck against a hard surface, or even wear wrong fitting shoes. Even running or walking for a long time can cause this condition. The minor condition may go away on its own. For example, wearing the right shoes can relieve the pain.
Symptoms
- Toenail pain
- You will feel the pressure under the nail
- You can see the nail separated from the skin
- A reddish-black contusion under the nail
Remedies
In some cases, the toenail falls off and regrows again. It can take six months to grow. During the nail fall off protect the toe tissue by wearing shoes that do not cause harm to your skin. Keep the toe clean and dry.
To get relief from the pain use the over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol or Tylenol.
Keep your foot in an elevated position so that you can avoid toe or foot swelling.
If the pain and discoloration are reducing with home care, visit your doctor and prevent it from a condition like a tumor or skin cancer.
- Paronychia
Paronychia is an infection of the tissue folds around the nails. It is more commonly developed in a fingernail than a toenail. Hangnail injury, cuticle damage, or prolonged wet hands are the causes of paronychia.
Symptoms
- Pain on the skin around the nails
- Red and swollen toe
- Pus from tissues around
- Fever
- Nausea
- Chills
Remedies
- Soak your feet in warm water to ease the pain and swelling
- Medication such as antibiotics or antifungals can help treat the condition
If it shows the signs of cellulitis which is a bacterial infection that can spread to other tissues. See your doctor immediately and take antibiotics. Cellulitis symptoms include redness, pain, and warmth of the affected skin.
- Fungal Infections
Fungal infections such as onychomycosis may affect the toenails or skin under the feet. Onychomycosis changes the appearance and color of the toenail and causes pain. You can see the thickened, brittle, or ragged nails. Sometimes a foul odor comes out from the nail.
Symptoms
- Painful toenail
- Appearance changes like thickening and discoloration
- Painful or itchy toes
- Redness
- Splitting of the nail
- Foul odor
Remedies
- You can treat with medicated nail polish or cream
- Oral anti-fungal drugs
Toenail pain is not a symptom of limited medical conditions. It can develop due to other conditions also as additional symptoms such as arthritis, bursitis, lung or liver disease, and psoriasis.
When To Go For A Doctor
Keep on monitoring the symptoms and pain, if you find symptoms getting severe or worse, call your doctor.
Observe the following symptoms and go to a doctor if:
- Your toenail pain is not relieving with at-home treatment
- It stops your day to day activities such as wearing shoes, running, exercising
- Pus coming from toenail
- There is a foul odor
- You find red streaks on your foot
- You are one with diabetes and have pain
side of toenail hurts not ingrown – If you find any of these symptoms or conditions not working for home remedies, take action to visit a doctor immediately and take treatment.
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