Woke up with swollen/inflamed big toe. nail is very sensitive. no trauma, or injury. seems infected. what could this be?

Ingrown Toenail: An ingrown toenail is a common condition in which the corner or side of one of your toenails grows into the soft flesh of that toe. The result is pain, redness, swelling and, sometimes, an infection. An ingrown toenail usually affects your big toe. Often you can take care of ingrown toenails on your own. If the pain is severe or spreading, i recommend seeing a doctor so they can prescribe you meds.

Ingrown nail?: If the nail is sore along a border, it could be an inflammed or infected ingrown nail. If it is closer to the knuckle of the toe, it might represent arthritis (such as gout). See a podiatrist for a prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Good luck.

Swollen /inflamed: When an area is swollen and inflamed , this indicates infection. Don't fool around with this at home . See you podiatrist for help

Infected: Ingrown nail. I'll fitting shoe could cause of ingrown nail or improper trimming of nail. See podiatrist.

Probably ingrown....: There is a small piece of nail still embedded in the corner. You need to get that out. Soak to soften the area and try to get it free. If you can't get it out on your own, a podiatrist can. Sometimes this can be done without numbing the toe, but often, anesthesia is necessary. If it is a chronic condition, there is a very successful surgery that can be done to permanently correct the problem.