Is a painful toenail making walking, wearing shoes or getting through your day uncomfortable?
An ingrown toenail can be surprisingly painful. What may start as a small area of tenderness around the edge of the nail can become increasingly sore, particularly when pressure is placed on the toe or when wearing certain footwear.
If an ingrown toenail is causing ongoing discomfort or is becoming difficult to manage yourself, professional chiropody may be able to help.
At Arco Healthcare Clinic, we provide professional Widnes chiropody for a range of common foot and toenail concerns.
What Is an Ingrown Toenail?
An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of the toenail grows into or presses against the surrounding skin.
It most commonly affects the big toe and can cause discomfort around one or both sides of the nail.
You may notice:
- Pain or tenderness around the toenail
- Redness around the edge of the nail
- Swelling around the toe
- Discomfort when wearing shoes
- Pain when walking or putting pressure on the toe
- Skin that feels irritated around the nail
- A toenail that appears to be pressing into the surrounding skin
The earlier an uncomfortable toenail is assessed, the sooner you can understand what may be causing the problem and what care may be appropriate.
What Can Cause an Ingrown Toenail?
There are several factors that can contribute to an ingrown toenail.
Cutting toenails incorrectly, wearing footwear that puts pressure on the toes, or having naturally curved or unusually shaped nails can all play a role.
Injuring the toenail can also sometimes affect the way it grows.
If you regularly experience problems with ingrown toenails, it is worth considering what may be contributing to the issue rather than repeatedly trying to manage the symptoms yourself.
When Should You See a Chiropodist?
You do not necessarily need to wait until an ingrown toenail becomes extremely painful before booking an appointment.
Professional Widnes footcare may be appropriate if your toenail is:
- Causing persistent pain
- Making walking uncomfortable
- Becoming difficult to manage at home
- Red or swollen around the nail
- Regularly causing problems in footwear
- Repeatedly becoming ingrown
- Affecting your normal activities
A chiropody assessment can help determine the most appropriate way to manage the problem.
Can Chiropody Help With an Ingrown Toenail?
Professional Widnes chiropody can provide appropriate care for troublesome toenails.
Your feet and toenail can be assessed, and suitable treatment and advice can be provided based on your individual circumstances.
Your chiropodist may also discuss footwear, nail-care habits and other factors that could be contributing to repeated problems.
The aim is to help manage your symptoms and support better foot and toenail care.
Should You Cut an Ingrown Toenail Yourself?
When a toenail is painful, it can be tempting to try to cut away the affected section yourself.
However, attempting to dig into or cut around an ingrown toenail can cause further irritation or injury to the surrounding skin.
If you are struggling with a painful toenail or are unsure how to manage it safely, professional advice is preferable.
Don’t Ignore a Painful Toenail
It is easy to put a painful toenail down to something minor and hope that it settles.
However, if the discomfort is affecting the way you walk, the shoes you can wear or the activities you enjoy, it is worth having the problem assessed.
Your feet are important to your everyday mobility, and looking after them can help you remain comfortable and active.
When Should You Seek Urgent Advice?
If the area around an ingrown toenail becomes increasingly swollen, very painful, hot or produces discharge, it may indicate an infection and should be assessed promptly.
People with certain health conditions that affect circulation, sensation or healing should seek professional advice before attempting to treat foot problems themselves.
Professional Widnes Chiropody at Arco Healthcare Clinic
At Arco Healthcare Clinic, we provide professional Widnes chiropody, Widnes podiatry and Widnes footcare for a range of common foot and toenail concerns.
If you are struggling with an ingrown toenail or another painful foot problem, our team can assess your feet and provide appropriate professional care.
If you have been searching for Widnes chiropody, Widnes podiatry, Widnes footcare, a chiropodist Widnes or a podiatrist Widnes, Arco Healthcare Clinic can help.
Don’t let an ingrown toenail continue to make every step uncomfortable. If your toenail is causing pain, booking a professional chiropody appointment could be the first step towards getting your feet feeling more comfortable.
For further information contact our experienced reception team or alternatively click here to book your appointment. To use your healthcare policy and claim back treatment cost check the podiatrist register with the following link.