Therapy of nail bed inflammation on the finger

Depending on the extent of the inflammation, an acute nail bed inflammation can be treated by the patient before consulting a doctor. First of all it is helpful to bathe the affected finger once a day. You can use warm water and add substances such as tea tree oil, chamomile or onion extract.

After a 10-minute bath, the skin of the infected finger becomes soft and any calluses that may be present can dissolve better, providing a better opportunity for the pus to drain. The substances added to the water, such as chamomile, soothe the inflammation and positively support the healing process. In many cases it can help to bandage and immobilize the finger after the daily bath.

In the pharmacy you can ask for disinfectant solutions. Povidone – iodine is often used in the form of creams or ointments. It soothes itching and prevents further spread of germs due to its disinfecting properties.

Ammonium bituminosulfonate can be tried for the treatment of heavily suppurating areas. In the vernacular this is also known as “Zugsalbe”. This ointment also has an anti-inflammatory effect and softens the surrounding skin so that the pus can drain off by itself.

If the nail bed inflammation does not improve after three to four days, you should consult a doctor. This can still prescribe some prescription drugs. If there is a fever and a general feeling of illness or if you have a large inflamed area that is spreading, the doctor can prescribe an antibiotic.

This is usually a substance that belongs to the group of penicillins, as they are mainly effective against the most common pathogens (staphylococci). If it is an inflammation caused by viruses, an ointment containing a virustatic agent is needed. If a nail fungus is the cause, an antimycotic ointment must be used.

If the nail bed inflammation on the finger does not recede after several days to weeks, an x-ray of the finger can be taken to see how far the inflammation has spread and whether deeper tissue or the bone is affected. If the accumulation of pus under the nail plate cannot empty itself, a minor surgical procedure may be necessary. In this case, the doctor makes a small incision under local anesthesia of the finger, so that the pus can drain off to the side of the nail plate.

Sometimes it is also necessary to remove the whole nail plate, but the nail then grows back completely after a few months. Then the finger is fixed with a bandage and immobilized to support the healing process. It is important never to open a suppurating abscess yourself, because there is always the risk of spreading the inflammatory germs. In the case of a chronically persistent nail bed inflammation, a possible cause should be investigated. Since these inflammations often develop at the bottom of a chronic disease, the existing basic disease should be well treated.