Silver and Gold Magazine Summer 2018 | Page 3

Senior-Focused Foot Care Available Causes of foot pain: Ingrown toenails Ingrown nails – the most common nail impairment – are nails in which corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling. Usually, toenails grow straight out, however sometimes one or both corners or sides curve and grow into the flesh. Ingrown toenails may be caused by improperly trimmed nails, heredity, shoe pressure/crowding of toes, or repeated trauma to the feet from normal activities. Home Treatment – If you suspect an infection due to an ingrown toenail, soak the foot in a warm salt water bath, or a basin of soapy water, then apply any antiseptic and bandage the area. Other “do-it-yourself” treatments, including any attempt to remove any part of an infected nail should be avoided. Nail problems should be evaluated and treated by your Chiropodist, who can diagnose the ailment and prescribe medication or another proper treatment. When to see a Chiropodist – You should see a Chiropodist immediately if any drainage or excessive redness is present around the toenail, and if a short trial of home treatment has not resulted in improvement of the condition. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or peripheral vascular disease, you should seek immediate treatment at the first signs of an ingrown toenail, as it can lead to more severe complications. A Chiropodist will remove the ingrown portion of the nail and may prescribe a topical or oral medication to treat the infection. If ingrown nails are a chronic problem, a procedure can be performed to permanently prevent ingrown nails. This is done by removing the part of the nail that is ingrown, along with the matrix or root of that piece of nail, and a chemical is then applied to prevent reoccurrence. Prevention • Trim toenails properly: cut them straight across, not longer than the tip of the toes. Do not dig into corners and only gently round off corners with a nail file. Use toenail clippers. • Avoid shoes with pointy or narrow toe boxes. • Never rip or tear edges of nails. BURLINGTON FOOT CLINIC Burlington Professional Centre 3155 Harvester Rd., Suite 103 905-333-8555 As always, no doctor referral is necessary - call us! Foot Care & Orthotic Centre Physiotherapy Chiropractic Relieve joint and muscle pain Restore and maintain functional movement and pain relief Sports Injury Rehabilitation One-on-one water based, assisted by our professionals BURLINGTON REHAB CENTRE Inside Cedar Springs Health Club 960 Cumberland Avenue 905-635-5711 www.omnifoot.com Acupuncture Relieve pain, improve sleep, digestion and more Aqua-Therapy MILTON OMNI Health and Rehab Centre 310 Main Street E., Suite 108 905-876-8885 www.omniclinic.ca