When to See Your Podiatrist About an Ingrown Toenail

When to See Your Podiatrist About an Ingrown Toenail

Knowing the signs of a serious problem will help you seek professional treatment sooner.

If you rush through your next toenail trimming, don’t be surprised if you experience a painful little problem known as an ingrown toenail. They can develop rather quickly and are often due to trimming nails too short or rounding the edges. Tight shoes and stubbing your toeIngrown Toenail can also cause ingrown toenails to arise. Sometimes as the nail continues to grow, the ingrown toenail may go away on its own. Sometimes warm water soaks and wearing open-toed shoes can help speed the healing process along; however, there are times where infection sets in and it’s time to see podiatrists Drs. Richard Lee and Steven Lin for treatment at Alexandria Family Podiatry in Alexandria and Sterling right away.

 When to Seek Medical Attention

If you notice any drainage, increased pain and swelling, and a fever, these are signs that an infection has developed in the nail. When this happens, you need to see your podiatrist immediately.

Also, if you haven’t noticed an improvement in your ingrown toenail symptoms after three days, it’s time to schedule a visit.

Those with diabetes, poor circulation, HIV or other chronic conditions that may impede the healing process should also see their podiatrist right away for proper care.

  Your Podiatrist Visit in Sterling and Alexandria

The first thing we will do is examine your foot to properly diagnose whether you have an ingrown toenail or not. We will also discuss your medical history with you to see if you have any preexisting health conditions that could make this condition worse. Depending on the state of your ingrown toenail, we will make a decision about what course of treatment would be best for you.

Sometimes we will file down the nail to help change its shape as it grows out. If there is extra tissue around the inflamed skin, we may remove this tissue to decrease swelling and promote healing.

 If you are concerned about an ingrown toenail, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry. Call us at (703) 823-2357 in Alexandria or (703) 823-2357 in Sterling, if you notice any of the symptoms above or any new symptoms. Don’t suffer with the pain and discomfort of an ingrown nail. We can effectively treat your condition and get you back up and walking around in no time!