Therapy
Depending on the cause of the inflammation in the toe, various treatment options are available. In case of an inflammation of the nail bed, a first measure is to spare the toe and to take care to relieve the nail. Foot baths, e.g. with chamomile, and anti-inflammatory ointments can be used as a support, so that the simple inflammation on the toe should heal after a few days.
If this is not the case, the toe should be shown to a doctor, who can then initiate a specific therapy against a certain pathogen with antibiotics or anti-viral or fungal agents. Purulent accumulations under the toenail may be drained through a small hole in the nail, which in some cases must be removed as well. Rarely does the inflammation on the toe last for a long time and reach the bone.
An operation may be necessary here. The therapy of an ingrown toenail is usually reserved for chiropodists/pediatrists or dermatologists. In this case, conservative treatment is initially attempted to prevent the nail from growing into the tissue and to relieve the inflammation.
Foot baths soften the nail before treatment with anti-inflammatory ointments and subsequent bandaging. A podiatrist may use a special bandage technique to slightly lift the nail and thus provide immediate relief. The next step is a kind of nail brace, which is worn for up to a year and is intended to correct the malpositioning of the nail on the toe.
If these measures are not sufficient, the nail can be surgically removed under local anesthesia, if necessary the nail bed can be reduced as well. If gout has been diagnosed as the cause of the inflammation on the toe, certain schemes are used to treat this condition with medication. In acute attacks of gout, symptomatic anti-inflammatory and painkilling drugs such as ibuprofen are used.
In addition, colchicine is given, which prevents the storage of uric acid in the joints, as well as cortisone. This also has very good anti-inflammatory effects. After the attack, allopurinol is used in the chronic form, which directly inhibits the formation of uric acid.
Also a certain, purine-poor nutrition should be paid attention to. If the diagnosis should be rheumatism, likewise a combination of different medicines is used as basis therapy, as well as modified in the thrust. In addition, a targeted physiotherapy or heat-cold therapy has a positive effect on the course of the disease.
