Nagkakaroon ng ingrown nails (o toenails) kapag ang sulok o ang gilid ng kuko ay tumutubo paloob ng laman o balat sa paa, kaysa tumubo ito sa ibabaw lamang. Nagdudulot ito ng pananakit, pamumula at pamamaga ng daliri sa paa at maaari din naman maimpeksiyon ang apektadong daliri. Kadalasang nangyayari ang karamdamang ito sa hinlalaki ng paa. Kahit sino pwedeng magkaroon ng ingrown toenail, ngunit mas prone ang mga taong may makurba at makapal na kuko. Kapag lumalala ang sakit ng ingrown toenail, maaaring magpatulong sa doktor para agapan ito nang maiwasan ang iba pang komplikasyon. Mas mataas ang risk magkakomplikasyon mula sa ingrown toenail ng mga taong may diabetes o iba pang karamdaman na nagdudulot ng mahinang sirkulasyon sa paa.
Sintomas ng Ingrown Toenail
Ito ang mga sumusunod na sintomas ng ingrown toenail:
· Pananakit ng apektadong daliri ng paa
· Namumulang daliri ng paa
· Pamamaga sa paligid ng kuko sa daliri ng paa
· Impeksiyon sa paligid ng kuko
Kailangan nang magpatingin sa doktor kapag ikaw ay may diabetes o kaya may circulation impairment sa mababang bahagi ng katawan. Kailangan na rin magpatingin kapag nakakaranas ng matinding pananakit sa daliri ng paa, o kapag ang nana o pus at pamumula ay kumakalat at lumalala.
An ingrown, also known as onychocryptosis or unguis incarnates, is an abnormal growth of the toenails in the surrounding skin. The symptoms of ingrown vary in severity. Mild symptoms include inflammation of the skin at the end of the toe, pain when pressure is applied on the affected toe, red skin in the affected area and a build-up of fluid (edema) in the area surrounding the toe. On the other hand, once these mild symptoms become aggravated by various factors, increased inflammation of the toe, formation of white or yellow colored pus coming from the affected area, bleeding and infection of the toe may occur. Lastly, in severe cases, pain, swelling and infection may become even worse.
Several factors can lead to the development of ingrown toenails. Wearing ill-fitting shoes is one good example. Shoes that are too short, too narrow at the end, or too flat at the end or too tight can affect the growth of the toenails. Tight-fitting socks or tights (stockings) may also cause ingrown toenails. Aside from this, improper cutting of toenails, injury, unusual curvature, posture and poor foot hygiene and excessive sweating can also contribute to the development of ingrown toenails.
In most cases, ingrown is managed at home. Discomfort, pain an swelling can be relieved by following some home remedies. One good example is soaking your feet in warm water to reduce swelling and relieve tenderness. This should be done for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day. On the other hand, you can also place cotton or dental floss under your toenails to help the nail grow above the skin edge. Pain can also be relieved by taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Moreover, in order to treat the infection, topical antibiotic creams or ointments can also be applied to the affected toe before bandaging. Lastly, choosing sensible footwear such as open-toed shoes or sandals can prevent the discomfort.
