Lately in clinic, I have been hearing a lot of concerns regarding painful nails, sometimes accompanied by red, hot and swollen surrounding skin, OUCH! The type of nails that just don’t seem to know where to grow and patients are completely bewildered as to what they have done to deserve this?! These types of nails are often referred to as involuted or if you’re experiencing the worst type, INGROWN. Ingrown vs involuted is quite simple. Involuted refers to a nail shape that as it grows, changes shape encroaching on the surrounding skin causing pain. Involuted nails can have varying degrees of pain and curvature in the plates shape. An ingrown nail is one that has surpassed this and is now cutting into the skin, commonly causing infection or the skin to hypertrophy (increase in size) and envelop the nail plate. These are incredibly painful and can stop you from doing what enjoy such as playing sport or performing the worm on the dance floor, pain free. What causes this stubborn issue?! Usually there are multiple factors contributing to your nails misbehaving in this way. Until you discuss what you and your feet have been up to with your Podiatrist, it may be hard to put your finger (or toe) on it. It is all good and well addressing symptoms of pain much like any other problem in the body, however, until you 'nail' the cause, this can stick with you for many new shoes, netball games, trail runs or whatever it's stopping you from doing. The main causes include (some more common than others)
Who experiences these pesty nails? Any one can have involuted or ingrown nails. Usually seen from the age of wearing footwear and consistent weightbearing, onwards e.g. walking and running around. Anyone that is exposed to one, many or any of the above-mentioned causes is vulnerable to involuted or ingrown toenails! How do we tame these naughty nails? Let’s talk involuted…
And of course, the nasty ingrown…
Depending on whether this is your first one or you’ve had this recurring problem for years, the main message I want you to take away from this blog, is there is hope and your toe/s will be looking and feeling great again before you know it! Image 1 - http://dubaipodiatry.com/ingrown-toenail-dubai-podiatry-centre/ Image 2 - https://www.palmettostatepodiatry.com/ways-to-prevent-smelly-feet/ Image 3 - http://www.yourpodiatrist.com.au/condition/ingrown-toenails/ Written by Anneliese Ball Podiatrist at Health Associates Working Monday and fortnightly Saturday Anneliese Ball Podiatrist Anneliese is at Health Associates as a podiatrist working Monday and fortnightly Saturday. She holds both a Bachelor of psychology and podiatry and has dedicated herself to studying full time for 7 years. As a podiatrist she combines her proficient knowledge of human mechanics and ability to connect and engage with her patients to deliver outstanding clinical outcomes and an exceptional customer experience. Anneliese loves health and fitness and enjoys encouraging her patients to maximise their health.
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