One of the most common reasons people avoid going to a doctor is fear! .
People resist making appointments out of fear. The anxiety about needles, medical procedures and painful surgeries are some of the common causes which make us reluctant to get immediate care.
Seeking health care is important no matter how big or small a problem is. Some people think of ingrown toenails as a minor issue and prefer treating them with at-home remedies. Unfortunately, delaying expert care can sometimes make the problem worse and surgery becomes the last resort for ingrown toenail treatment.
When an ingrown toenail is inflamed, swollen or infected, surgical intervention is required. However, the usual thoughts associated with surgery are pain, troublesome downtime and hard recovery.
Every surgery is not necessarily,going to be painful or traumatic.
In today’s post, we address all those anxiety provoking thoughts about ingrown toenail surgery. Keep on reading to understand how long the surgical procedure is, whether it is going to be painful and everything about the recovery process.
What happens during an ingrown toenail surgery?
Below is a step by step discussion of the surgical procedure performed by a foot doctor for ingrown toenail surgery:
Anaesthesia: To prepare you for the surgery, a fast acting anaesthetic shot is given. This will numb the toe so that you don’t feel anything.Drape: The anaesthetic injections block all the pain sensations, then an elastic strip is applied around the toe to be used as a tourniquet.Removal: When the nail is lifted, removal of the infected part is easy. No stitching is required. The nail matrix is cleaned with a special chemicalto avoid regrowth or curled toenails.Dressing: A dressing is applied after partial nail avulsion and removal of the tourniquet. After that the patient can leave the foot and nail clinic.
Things you need to know about the surgery
Partial nail avulsion is a simple surgical procedure that takes less than an hour.Patients can leave the foot and nail clinic immediately after the surgery.People can walk easily after the surgery and don’t usually require crutches.The toenail is covered with a dressing after the surgery, so open toed shoes are recommended for the appointment.Re-dressing of the toenail is recommended after two days of the surgery.The surgical procedure is not at all painful, although a little discomfort can be experienced for a couple of weeks.
How difficult is the recovery process?
The surgical procedure is pretty straightforward, and so is the recovery process.
You can walk and return to normal activity levels with ease. The speed of recovery depends on an individual’s healing ability. On average, the wound of partial nail avulsion surgery completely heals within 2-4 weeks.
A slight discomfort after the surgery is expected. However, it is totally manageable with painkiller medications which your foot doctor will recommend. Anti-inflammatory pills or paracetamolare the only sore feet treatment you may need after the surgery. In addition to this, you need to wear open toed shoes to limit the amount of pressure on the toenails during the recovery period.
There is no downtime after ingrown toenail surgery. Even if someone has the surgery on both feet, they can walk or return to normal activity levels with relative ease.
Is ingrown toenail surgery worth it?
Avoid applying petroleum jelly on your ingrown toenail, you may make the situation worse. To put it simply, resist the urge to find remedies on the internet and seek prompt medical advice from a podiatrist. The longer you wait, the worse your condition will be.
Wait for a couple of days; if the problem still persists, it is best to leave it to the specialists. Seek immediate medical care and book an appointment with a podiatrist. You must consult a foot doctor when:
Your toenail is soreIt starts looking redIt has become swollenYou see signs of infection
In some cases, ingrown toenails can heal on their own. However, if you keep delaying the treatment or try to treat it with at-home remedies, the risk of infection increases.
Surgery at the early stage is fairly simple with faster recovery. On the other hand, if you keep waiting and make the situation worse, the ingrown toenail can grow beneath the nail matrix and increase the risk of infecting the bone. Further, delayed treatment is also linked with an increased risk of developing gangrene in some cases, especiallyin diabetics.
To put it simply, timely intervention is essentialin minimising the risk of complications. No need to be afraid of the surgery. Firstly, it is performed with the help of anaesthesia and secondly, a short term discomfort protects you from severe complications.
Therefore, it is best to get your sore toenails checked right now. Visit the link given below to speak to the board-certified podiatrists at the most recognised foot and nail clinic on the Sunshine Coast.
