Most toenail infections are caused by bacteria (paronychia) or fungus; lets dive in and find out what the difference is between these two.
Paronychia, also known as a nail fold infection, is an inflammation of the skin surrounding your toenail. The culprit? Bacteria. These tiny invaders typically enter through a break in the skin, often caused by:
You may have symptoms of acute paronychia include pain, swelling, redness, discolouration or thickening of the nail, and in some cases, blisters filled with pus or pus draining from the injury. Your infected toe must be treated otherwise the infection can spread up your toe and worse case can spread up your leg.
Acute paronychia lasts less than 6 weeks and it’s usually caused by bacteria. It tends to develop after bacteria is introduced to your toe following trauma, which can be caused by tight shoes, tight socks or cutting your nails too short.
Chronic Paronychia is an irritation of the paronychium which has been there longer than 6 weeks. It could be due to a past infection or trauma that has caused the tissue to enlarge or become hard. The nail may have permanently changed shape. Typically these nails need nail surgery.
The best way to avoid infected toes is by keeping your feet dry and clean, making sure you wear comfortable shoes that don’t put excessive pressure on your toes, and trimming your nails straight across. Avoid walking barefoot in moist, common areas such as gyms, pool or gym showers, or around the pool. Read our article on home treatment for ingrown nails.
When to Call for Reinforcement:
While most paronychia cases can be managed at home, seek medical attention if:
Click here to find out how a Podiatrist will treat an ingrown toenail.
Fungal nail infections, also known as onychomycosis, are another common type of infected nail. Unlike paronychia, the culprit here is a fungus. These microscopic organisms thrive in warm, moist environments like sweaty shoes, gym showers and even some nail bars. They slowly invade the nail plate, causing a gradual transformation.
Signs of a Fungal Foot Soldier:
Unlike the more dramatic presentation of paronychia, fungal nail infections often develop slowly over months or even years. Keep an eye out for these symptoms:
Battling the Fungal Foe:
Treating a fungal nail infection takes more time and persistence compared to paronychia. Here are your weapons:
Read our article on the 5 best nail fungus treatments
Infected toes can be harder to diagnose and treat if you suffer from diabetes, since the vascular and nerve damage caused by the disease makes it harder for you to feel trauma to your toes, and it slows the healing process. If you are diabetic, or suffer from a weakened immune system, you should make sure to keep your feet dry and to check them every day looking for any minor injuries which can trigger an infected toe. Find out more about diabetic feet.
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