My son has a ingrown toenail which is infected. we have no medical insurance until january. is cipro (ciprofloxacin) effective for this kind if infection?

It can: But i would caution against giving him this without consulting a physician. Depends on his age and medical history as well as any other medications or allergies. Try soaking in epsom salts and see podiatrist. If ingrown nail is not cut away from skin, infection will not resolve: even with antibiotics.

Absolutely not: Toenail infections are mainly caused by staph aureus a gram positive organism. Cipro (ciprofloxacin) has no gram positive coverage at all and could lead to resistance and worsening of infection. The best treatment is removal of the offending toenail. Do not wait until january to take care of this problem.

Ingrown nail: For a toe infection, Cipro (ciprofloxacin) would be over kill; usually a drug called Keflex or Duricef is taken if you don't have an allergy to this class of drugs. If you have cipro, (ciprofloxacin) make sure it's not passed its shelf life.

No: The source of the infection is the nail embedded in the skin. An oral or topical antibiotic with reduce the infection but not clear it up. The nail needs to be adressed. A partial nail removal is not an expensive procedure at a podiatrists office. Call first and get a price. Many doctors with give people a break on price by not charging for the office visit, just charging for the procedure.

No: Ciprofloxacin is not only ineffective but also has potential side effect, e.g., tendon rupture, in children. Cephalexin or Clindamycin would be appropriate. There should be charitable organizations to help you out. In the mean time, have his foot soaked in warm water with epsom salt.

No: A couple of concerns with this: 1) sounds like you have left over antibiotics at home & plan to use them. This likely means you have an inadequate supply & this is never wise! 2) Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is not the first choice of antibiotic for paronychia (the redness & infection associated with the ingrown nail). Antibiotics may temporarily relieve the redness but not the offending border. See a doc!