Treatment of a bruise under the nail

In order to relieve the pain that can occur due to the injury, it helps to cool the affected area a little at first. Cooling not only prevents swelling of the injured finger or foot, as well as the surrounding tissue, but also causes the small, injured vessels underneath the nail to contract, thus reducing blood leakage. This limits the spread of the bruise.

In the case of a small bruise, one must then be patient and wait until the discoloured nail grows out. This is only a small optical flaw and takes about 4 – 6 weeks. If the bruise occurs as a result of severe bruising or pinching, it is possible that a large amount of blood accumulates under the nail.

This will cancel out the space between the nail and the nail bed and can cause the nail to detach. In this case, a hole must be pierced or drilled into the affected nail so that the bruise can drain. However, it must be ensured that this measure is carried out by a doctor under sterile, i.e. germ-free, conditions.

It is not advisable to relieve the nail yourself. After the nail has been relieved, the finger should be protected from dirt and pathogens with a bandage and protected for a few days. Further medical checks are recommended if infections occur or the affected fingernail becomes completely detached.

A bruise that accumulates under the nail can be accompanied by severe pain. To relieve this pain quickly and with as little effort as possible, a frequently used therapy option is to pierce the nail and let the blood drain off through a small hole. The accumulated blood can escape.

This relieves the pressure under the nail and the pain is relieved quickly and effectively. In order to pierce the bruise under the nail, the doctor can use a sterile cannula with the help of which a hole can be drilled into the nail by slight rotary movements. However, it should be remembered that piercing the nail is only useful in the case of very fresh bruises that are not older than 2 – 3 days.

Only then is the blood still thin and can drain well. If the blood has already clotted, the drainage through such a small hole cannot be guaranteed. When treating bruises under the nail, ointments are often used as well.

In order to prevent swelling and relieve the pain, arnica ointment is often used. Arnica is a well-tried remedy, which on the one hand has a very calming effect on the skin and relieves the pain and on the other hand strengthens the tissue and promotes healing. Another type of ointments that can be used are zinc ointments.

They are often used in the treatment of wounds as they support the beginning healing processes and above all have a cleansing and disinfecting effect. Zinc ointments remove the fluid from the wound surface and thus prevent existing germs from multiplying. For initial treatment, disinfectant solutions and ointments should be used above all to kill existing germs and pathogens and thus prevent possible infections and inflammations.

Immediately after the injury mechanism, the affected nail should be cooled and elevated. On the one hand, the cold has a pain-relieving effect and on the other hand, when applied immediately, it reduces the swelling of the nail bed and the surrounding soft tissue enormously. Due to the cold, the blood vessels contract, so that the blood flow and thus also the blood leakage into the surrounding tissue, especially under the nail, is reduced.

Consistent cooling can ensure that a bruise under the nail is less intense and less painful. Raising the affected fingers or toes follows approximately the same principle: Raising them makes blood circulation more difficult and thus also reduces it. The bruise grows out with the old nail after a few weeks.

The nail then usually falls off. Basically you do not have to do anything. You can cool down in the first few days to relieve the pain.

After a few days, however, the pain is gone. The new nail grows back and the nail bed is protected. This process does not look nice for the person affected, but is not worrying.

In the case of a severe injury, the regrowing nail may be slightly deformed or have a dent. However, this does not have to be the case. Often after a few weeks or months, the nail looks the same as before the injury. Nourishing ointments with additives such as arnica or comfrey can be applied at the same time. Soothing nail baths are also recommended.