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