Ingrown toenails… ouch

Ingrown toenails are simply put, not fun. Onychocrptosis is Greek for “hidden nail” and it occurs when the side or corner of the nail grows into the soft flesh of the toe. Tender stuff! Who gets them? All ages, but it can be quite common in children.

The big toe is often the culprit, but that’s not an absolute. This painful condition can result in infection and in extreme cases can land you on an operating table. 

There are a few non-invasive procedures worth trying: Using nail clippers, cut a little “v” along the white part of the nail (the part you would trim), in the middle. This doesn’t have to be too deep, just enough to relieve the pressure from the painful sides. This technique forces the nail to grow inward and I have seen good results with this simple trick.

A quick look at Pub-Med shows a proposed method of using kinesiology tape which sounds promising. The kinesiology tape is placed in a way to help keep the skin pulled out of the way to relieve the pressure.

Ooooorrrr… you could try homeopathy! Hepar sulph has been referred to as the homeopathic “antibiotic.” Now homeopathy has no such thing as an antibiotic, per se, but Hepar sulph can act in that regard. It is an incredibly helpful remedy for painful “infected” things, like dental abscesses, acne, cysts and boils and in this case, ingrown toenails.

Hepar sulph is known for having great sensitiveness to the affected area when touched. This tender condition may involve inflammation and even pus; throbbing localized pain and the person may even be exhibiting an over sensitiveness that spills into their mood — being irritated at the slightest cause.
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For ingrown toenails, Hepar sulph 30c every 6 hours or so for the first day and as the pain subsides, taper the usage back to twice a day until it has resolved. In a more severe case, Hepar sulph alone may not be quite enough and Belladonna 30c could be employed until the redness and pain subsides. 
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If you find yourself or your child with a sudden, painful condition, book an “acute appointment” now.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classicallypractical.com

#homeopathycanhelp

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash