Prophylaxis
A simple prophylaxis against pain in the toenail is good foot care. The feet should be washed regularly in a foot bath and patients who are prone to ingrown toenails or nail bed inflammation should go to a medical foot care regularly. In addition, creams containing chamomile extracts can promote toe health and thus prevent pain in the toenail. It is also important to make sure that toenails are cut correctly so that no adhesions can occur.
Prognosis
The prognosis for pain in the toenail is usually very good, but depending on the underlying disease, it may take longer for the inflammation and thus the pain to heal completely. In addition, some patients experience recurrent adhesions due to anatomical conditions, such as a crooked toe shape, which then lead to pain in the toenail. With the right therapy and good prophylaxis, the patient’s pain can be relieved and pain can be made less frequent.
Pain in the toenail after hiking
The occurrence of pain after long walks is not uncommon. In most cases, the explanation is quite simple: wrong footwear. If the shoes are too small or too large, the toes are exposed to enormous pressure and friction during long hikes.
A continuous irritation can provoke bruising and involve the surrounding tissue in the form of inflammation and swelling. It is therefore important to choose the right shoe size and to lace up the shoes properly so that the foot has a firm hold. Otherwise the foot will be constricted or slip back and forth when shoes are too big.
Particularly when walking downhill, the tips of the toes then bump into the front of the foot and a painful bruise can form. It should be noted that on longer hikes the feet swell slightly due to the strain, so that the shoes should not be too tight at the beginning of the hike. Other factors that can provoke pain in addition to the wrong or bad shoes are too thin socks, malpositioning such as flat feet or toe deformities such as the so-called hallux valgus . This is a malpositioning in which the big toe deviates extremely towards the middle of the foot and, after a kink has formed, points from the base joint towards the remaining toes.In case of known malpositioning of the feet and/or toes, it is advisable to use special insoles for the shoes during planned, long hikes.
