A 20-year-old member asked:
is there anything i can do for a painful ingrown toenail?
4 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

Dr. Kenneth Cheng answered
Family Medicine 31 years experience
Possibly: Home remedies for ingrown toenails include soaking in a solution of warm water and epsom salt. Some have also found benefit to putting a small wad of cotton between the nail and the nail fold (skin). Unfortunately, home remedies for ingrown toenails are not very effective. Lack of improvement or pus warrants a visit to your doctor or podiatrist.
6094 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. David Miller answered
Family Medicine 10 years experience
Cut it out: A painful ingrown toenail can get infected and lead to serious problems if not treated carefully and properly. It is usually just a minor surgical procedure to remove the ingrown edge. Sometimes the bed can be cauterized to prevent that edge from growing back. Often, just proper trimming can prevent it from coming back.
6094 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Ellen Wenzel answered
Podiatry 14 years experience
In office procedure: Ingrown toenails are easily resolved via an in office procedure where the toe is numbed and the offending border(s) removed. In some cases a permanent correction can be performed.
5754 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Payam Rafat answered
Podiatry 22 years experience
Nail care: An ingrown toenail can feel like you have a thorn stuck in your skin. All the soaks, antibiotics and anything else in the world will not be able to get rid of this completely. You need to get that little piece of nail out to completely in order to resolve the issue. Get it taken care of by a professional to avoid preventable complications.
4317 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 43-year-old member asked:
How painful is an ingrown toenail?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Arnold Beresh answered
Podiatry 41 years experience
Varies: An ingrown toenail can be very painful and create infection if not treated by removing the piece of nail.
5710 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Terribly painful ingrown toenail. What can I do to fix it?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Robert Breiner answered
Podiatry 34 years experience
Soaking cana help: You can try to soak the foot in some warm water and epsom salt. This may relieve the pain until you can have the offending part of the nail removed from your skin.
See your local podiatrist soon before the toe gets infected as once the nail pierces the skin it will become infected. It is a simple office procedure which will get you back to a non painful toe.
5334 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
How painful is it when getting an ingrown toenail taken care of at the doctor's?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Todd Skiles answered
Podiatry 31 years experience
Not bad. : The worst part is the injections to numb the toe. A podiatrist does these type of injections daily and should be very good at giving them with the least amount of pain possible. Use of Ethyl Chloride spray at the time of the injection is very helpful in easing the injection pain.
5316 viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Scott Koppel commented
Podiatry 28 years experience
Typically the worst part is anticipating the shot. Obviously patients handle pain differently. Mention to the doctor your concerns and most physicians would take extra time to minimize your discomfort.
Feb 11, 2013
A 35-year-old member asked:
What to do if I have an ingrown toenail, how do I numb the pain to fix it?
4 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jeffrey Kass answered
Podiatry 28 years experience
You don't: The podiatrist does.
5152 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Brazil
A 20-year-old male asked:
I have a ingrown toenail and there isn't an appointment available until August 15th. I was wondering what can I do to ease the pain?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Peter Ihle answered
Orthopedic Surgery 54 years experience
Ice, elevate, pain -: -Rx. Not much else 2 do. Sometimes warm soapy soaks help. U can also tell the office that U will take a spot if there is a cancellation.
1113 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Apr 19, 2014
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