Pain with a torn nail | Torn nail

Pain with a torn nail

A nail bed inflammation can be very painful and those affected often suffer from severe throbbing or stabbing pain. Because bacteria enter the tissue through the wound, the body reacts with a severe inflammation at the affected area and heat is generated, reddening and the finger or toe swells and can only be moved to a limited extent. The inflammatory reaction can also cause pus to form and accumulate under the nail.

Since there is little space under the nail, the pus accumulation presses directly on the surrounding tissue and causes severe pain. If a lot of pus has formed, a doctor should be consulted. He can pierce the affected area and drain the pus. This reduces the pressure on the nail bed and the pain is relieved immediately. Depending on the severity of the inflammation, the doctor may also prescribe antibiotic ointments that accelerate the healing of the wound and thereby relieve the pain.

Treatment of a torn nail

Both finger and toe nails can tear in different ways. If the crack is not very deep and only affects the free area of the nail that protrudes over the fingertip or the edge of the toe, the nail should be cut or filed short enough to remove the entire crack. As the nail continues to grow, the crack should not be visible and the nails can be filed or cut as usual.

However, there are also cracks in the nail, which reach deeper into the middle of the nail or even to the nail bed. As a rule, even if the nail is cracked deeper, a visit to the doctor is not necessary at first. However, if the symptoms cannot be controlled or if it bleeds heavily and does not stop on its own after some time, a doctor should be consulted.

If bleeding of the nail bed occurs in connection with the torn nail, it should be allowed to flush dirt out of the wound.Normally, this bleeding stops by itself after a few minutes. If this is not the case, a larger blood vessel could be damaged and this should be clarified by a doctor. Disinfecting the wound, for example with iodine ointment, is very important to prevent inflammation.

Then a plaster should be applied to the wound to protect it. At first nothing should be done with the torn nail. It should first grow out a piece and be shortened at a later time.

It is important to make sure that the nail does not tear further or even break off during all measures. Therefore, utmost caution is required when self-treating. Especially in the area of the very sensitive nail bed, which can also be injured if the nail is torn.

As an additional measure one can apply a nail repair patch to the nail. These are small, transparent adhesive pads, which are available in drugstores. They should prevent further tearing and serve to protect the nail.

A nail polish can be applied over them so that the adhesive pad is hardly visible. During the entire treatment period, i.e. as long as the tear is visible or noticeable, care should be taken to protect it sufficiently with plasters. This reduces the risk of getting caught on the torn nail and further damaging it.

If the toe nails are torn, comfortable, not too tight shoes should be worn to avoid unnecessarily increasing the pressure on the crack. A torn nail often tempts you to keep on tweaking it. This should be avoided at all costs, as the tear can not only become worse, but bacteria can also get into the wound and cause inflammation.

However, if the tear does not grow straight out but grows in like the ingrown toenail, a doctor should be consulted and the nail position may need to be corrected under local anesthesia. Some people are particularly often affected by torn nails because they are very dry and brittle. This can be an indication of a corresponding nutrient deficiency or even disease.

Likewise, incorrectly manicured hands and feet are a risk factor for nail tears. If the nails are brittle and tend to tear, care should be taken to ensure that they are always cared for appropriately by always cutting the nails appropriately short and then filing the corners smooth with a nail file. A balanced diet with enough wholemeal products and cereals is also important to ensure that the nails are sufficiently hard.

  • Wound Healing
  • Treatment of nail bed inflammation

The nail develops at the nail root (nail matrix). The matrix lies under the nail moon and is protected by the cuticle. Here the cells that make up the nails are formed anew and lead to the growth of the nail.

A torn nail can lead to an inflammation of the nail bed. If the nail bed has become very inflamed and the inflammation is treated too late or not at all, the matrix can also be damaged. As a result, the injured nail can no longer grow out or in very rare cases is completely rejected.

Normally, however, a nail bed inflammation heals quickly and only a deformation of the nail occurs, which grows out with time. On the finger the nails grow at a rate of 3-4 mm per month, so it takes up to half a year for a nail to completely renew itself. A healthy and balanced diet leads to the strengthening of the nails. In addition, the affected nail can be treated daily with a nail oil containing vitamin E. If the nail does not grow at all over several weeks or if you suspect damage to the nail root, you should always consult a doctor.