Ingrown toenail? Diabetic? Well, those two certainly do not go together all that well! But what if you have an ingrown toenail and you are not a diabetic? Well, the good news is that you can try some things at home to find relief for your foot pain before your call your physician. Home treatments can give you quick relief from the pain, redness and swelling which are the hallmarks of an ingrown nail. It is certainly acceptable to try to help yourself before calling your physician, but remember, if you have diabetes, any other foot condition or a circulatory problem, then you must call your doctor first. You should not try and treat it yourself.

But if you have relatively good health and you feel up to trying to tackle some of the self-care for ingrown toenails, then let’s get to it. A successful home treatment of your ingrown nail may prevent the need for surgery.

Easy things first…wash your affected foot twice a day. It is very important to pay close attention to the area that is most red and painful. The area may even be a bit swollen. Wash your foot with mild soap and rinse well. Pat dry. It is also important to keep your feet clean and dry throughout the day to help prevent further infections .

Soaking your foot in warm water at least four times a day can also be beneficial. There is no need to put any type of antibacterial agent or even soap in to the water. Remember to dry your foot thoroughly when you are done.

So, you are getting ready to go to work and trying to decide what kind of shoes to wear. Make a smart choice. Do not wear shoes that fit too tightly or that have a narrow toe box. Consider putting your high heels away for now since they can put too much pressure on your toes. You may even think about wearing an open toe shoe especially if you have a lot of pain or swelling. The key is to avoid pressure on your feet.

One of the most important aspects of ingrown toenail self-care is to try to lift up the corner of the toenail that is digging its way into the skin. This may cause you some pain while you are trying to do it, but in the long run it can relieve some pain as well. Take a very tiny piece of cotton or gauze and roll it between your fingers to form a wick or small roll. Then place the roll between the toenail and the skin to keep it elevated and to keep it from digging into the delicate skin area. This home treatment can help you to avoid surgery. After every 20 minutes that you spend soaking your toe and after drying your feet thoroughly try to push the roll in a little farther each and every time.

Home care therapies for ingrown toenails may also include the use of pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

If the pain relievers and the self-care for ingrown toenails have not helped you to see improvement after 72 hours, then it will be necessary for you to contact your health care provider to get the medical assistance that you need. You do not want to ignore an ingrown toenail as it can progress into an infection.

So take a few minutes and see what you can do to help yourself with your ingrown toenail pain. It will definitely be worth your time and energy. Your foot will thank you.

For more information on sore feet be sure to visit sore-foot-remedies.com you’ll find advice on foot pain causes such as ingrown toenail, plantar fasciitis, bunions, corns and more