While our feet, toes, and toenails are pretty resilient, injuries and conditions can develop at any time. For such situations, you should always seek podiatric care. A podiatrist can examine your toes, diagnose you, and recommend the most effective treatments.
Here are two common toenail problems that podiatrists frequently treat.
Ingrown Toenails
A toenail should grow straight without interfering with nearby skin. However, most people will experience ingrown toenails at some point in life. An ingrown toenail refers to a toenail that grows into skin around it. This causes the toenail to irritate skin that comes in its path as it grows.
Ingrown toenails can cause a host of uncomfortable symptoms, such as pain, redness, and swelling around the toenail. In many cases, the toenail may break into the skin, creating an open wound that allows bacteria to enter and cause an infection. For this reason, ingrown toenails should be professionally taken care of immediately.
Ingrown toenails are most common among children but can develop at any age. Wearing tight fitting shoes that do not give the toes ample room can make the condition worse. The toenail will continuously pushes against nearby skin, exasperating symptoms in the process. While there are people who are genetically predisposed to ingrown toenails, it may be prevented through proper toenail trimming.
Toenail Fungus
Fungus is responsible for almost half of all toenail problems. If you use public showers or swimming pools, or if you participate in a sport that requires you to take off your shoes, you may be susceptible to foot exposure to fungi. This can result in a fungal infection that requires podiatric treatment to cure. Children, young adults, and athletes are more susceptible to developing this condition.
At a very early stage, you may not even realize you have a fungal problem. Symptoms of a toenail fungal infection include the appearance of white spots and a thickening and discoloration of the toenail. If left untreated, the fungus can spread to other toenails and cause symptoms like pain, numbness, and tingling in the toe. It is also common to have an odor if you have a toenail infection. In severe cases, the toenail could separate from the nail bed. A toenail infection is likely to get worse until you seek professional treatment. Oral medication combined with topical medication are usually very effective at treating a fungal infection in the toenail.
Podiatrist for Toenail Problems in South Texas
At The Podiatry Group of South Texas, our team of multidisciplinary podiatrists can treat a full range of podiatry issues, from trauma and fractures to diabetic foot conditions. Our goal is to provide the highest quality podiatric care to patients. We do this through state-of-the-art equipment and treatment options that can affectively alleviate any issues you may be experiencing. We also try to make podiatric care convenient for you with in-office procedures that can treat a variety of issues, such as toenail fungus infections and ingrown toenails.
To schedule a consultation with any of our podiatrists, call The Podiatry Group of South Texas clinic nearest you or request an appointment online now.
