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Ingrown toenail surgery

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Skivt2, Nov 18, 2008.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    I have been experiencing ingrown toenails for about 6 years now. Starting developing these in high school where I was pretty active and sports. I contributed the ingrown toenails to being in physical sports. However, have had all four sides of my big toe done. I seem to keep getting recurring ingrown toenails. I do not have a problem with the procedure, but feel that when my podiatrist has "killed the nailbed" to prevent the problem from recurring, this does not work. My nail regrows and I keep having the same problem months after the appointment. I am getting a little frustrated about the situation when ingrown toenails keep developing. The ingrown section develops halfway down the nail, so I don't contribute it to the way I cut my toenails, straight across for as long as I can remember. I got my foot sized to see if I needed bigger shoes, however this doesn't seem to be the problem either. Any suggestions?
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS-ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************************
    I'm sure you meant all four sides of your big toeS done, and not your big toe as stated, and I'm sure you meant "killed the nailed MATRIX," and not the nailbed. As with any surgical or medical treatment, results are not always 100 percent. My general advice for those experiencing less than complete success is to have the procedure repeated or one of the many other ingrown nail procedures tried.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hello, besides all the back and forth going on which I am not responding to, I would also like to state my perm surgery I had 4 weeks ago. My toe is still not healed - it is very uncomfortable. It has interfered with my exercising and I am still wearing open toe shoes to work. The other night I clipped my toe on a rough surface and it pulled off the "crusty" part of the skin that was trying to heal. I have never felt so much pain in my 32 years of living. I had to take two prescribed pain killers to fall asleep from the pain. I had frosbite when I was 10 - is this interfering with my healing process?? Or do you think it was overuse of the chemical? Thank you for any help.
     
  4. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS-ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************************
    Four weeks is not an unusually long time for complete healing after a chemical matrixectomy, but certainly any concerns or complaints should be brought to the attention of the attending doctor for his/her consideration rather than someone who has no intimate knowledge of your case. I can have no way of knowing what residual effect, if any, you might have from your previous frostbite, but again, this is something that needs to be addressed by your own doctor and should have been considered prior to surgery.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Last weekend, if I thought I didn't have enough medical issues, my left big toe kind of hurt. I took the clippers, and clipped the nail. If you think you know pain, you may not know the pain that can come from one stupid toe or nail. It woke me up throughout the night and next day, tingling and throbbing. I looked online, and realized I had an infected ingrown toe nail, although I thought I clipped that part off. It looked funny, I soaked it, I called the foot doctor who said to call him back only if I developed a high fever and did I have any pus? I didn't know what he was talking about and we hung up.

    I put on my glasses, I saw some white stuff coming out from under the nail, and that pain was not killed by any narcotics, and then the white stuff, began coming out yellowish. I finally took a leviquin, but it was only until the second one did the pain subside. By Monday, it looked better by the time I went to the covering doctor's associate.

    However, the podiatrist took one look at it, brought his nurse in, put a fabric screen in front of my face, and I began screaming as he injected the anesthetic in three different places. I am not sure what happened next, but when I left, I was given instructions, and it hurt a lot when the everything wore off the next day, but the third day, I couldn't get up the whole day. Anybody who called found I didn't know what day it was, and I was in tons of pain, despite my foot being elevated.

    My podiatrist said that post-op recovery could take a week when I called him that day, thinking I needed another or different antibiotic. Yes, it is getting better and hurting less at times, but it is taking time to clear up. It was a beautiful day. I could wear a sandal, and yes, I went grocery shopping. It's throbbing tonight.

    I saw another doctor today who asked if the infection was cultured, but I don't know, because I was too traumatized from the procedure to ask. I was told sometimes, one antibiotic can take longer to work. I seem to be developing some allergy to leviquin, so I was given Bactrim.

    I felt around tonight, and the big toe hurts around the knuckle, too. I assume that pain is attributable to those injections. Who knows, he could have put those big needles into the joint?

    I have a stomach condition, and can't take anything non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (like Advil, etc.)

    Several years ago, I had plantar fasciitis. I couldn't put any weight on my foot, so I agreed to trigger point cortisone injection treatment (p.s., they didn't work after a few weeks)

    I've had trigger point injections in my back, etc., but never in my life was the pain worse to have anything injected into my feet or toe!

    I've decided that these feet of ours are very, very sensitive, and it can be tough to discern what may be infection right now, versus soft tissue trauma from the procedure. I hope I won't have another problem, now I know about ingrown toenails, but I certainly don't think I would relish anything like this toe thing ever again.

    Don't know how the original posteur of the website, who had multiple long-term infections ever went anywhere like that for so long.

    So, the people who are posting here, it is now Friday, I had the surgery Monday, and I still feel it. I can't say I feel or want any of your pain, but I do acknowledge -- IT CAN BE HORRIBLE.

    Keep soaking it, I guess. My doctor said to soak it in warm water with Betadine to resemble the color of tea. Someone here, I think, said they used aloe vera gel. I can try that. I have had good luck for other boo-boos with calendula ointment. I may turn to that soon. Good luck!
     
  6. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I finally had my bug left toe nail completely removed yesterday (01-06-2010)

    A little backround on the bad boy.
    I kicked a pressure testing bay door which is about a inch and a half think solid steel.
    My boss dropped a heavey piece of equipment on my finger and I was not having a good day so instead of taking him out I kicked the door. I had steel toed work boots on and I felt the big toe either break or the nail lift or something.
    After the kick I felt very stupid because now I had a sore foot and finger.
    (not my brightest moment I will admit.)
    I hobbled away and remoeved my boot expecting to see a broken toe or lots of blood.
    Instead I saw the I had a massive blood pool underneath my big toe nail. (The same effect you get when you slam you finger in a door or something.)

    I also saw that the nail was broken and I should have removed it but I did not.
    The new nail grew in underneath the old broken one and since then I've had a ingrown toenail.
    I'd been to have the sides removed twice with the nail growing back every time.
    I then decided that I would let the nail grow out.
    BIG MISTAKE!!!

    I've had this ingrown nail for about 2 - 2.5 years now with it clearing up every now and then but always returning, bigger and badder than before.
    It got to the point where it's now affeted my whole life, from work, to play. As a result I've picked up weight and am unhappy.
    So the decision to totally remove the nail permanantly was a easy one.
    I went to my GP and he said he could do the removal.
    He gave me a few injections and made sure the toe was numb.
    As soon as he started trying to remove the nail I felt everything.
    He then gave me a few more injections and tried again. The pain was unbearable so the decidion was made that I would be knocked out to have the nail removed.
    That happend yesterday and the block has worn off and I'm feeling everything now.
    The pain is excrusiating, I was up all night howling with pain to the point where I called a emergency helpline to see what I could do.
    They were not very helpfull and the pain is still throbbing in my toe.
    I was bleeding badly yesterday and my toe was wrapped up pretty good.
    But it's so painfull.
    All I want to do is remove the banages and see whats going on.
    I'm scared that the stiches have torn or something as I can hardly walk.
    I dont know what to do.
     
  7. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS-ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***************************************************
    Although pain is an individual thing, ingrown toenail surgery is generally rather innocuous. In my opinion, unless the GP had some specialized training, and from just the fact that he couldn't achieve local anesthesia, I would guess he hadn't, your choice of medical practitioner would seem to me to be inappropriate, though I suspect from the date format, you are not in the U.S. (in any event, seems you indicated yesterday was June 1, so check your calendar). Requiring general anesthesia for ingrown nail surgery is ridiculous, so I can make some assumptions from there. I trust you wouldn't have let your GP pull, fill or even clean your teeth. Why would you have a GP perform this surgery? At this point, I have no idea as to what your problem might be, but as your GP is now responsible for your care, I would recommend that you call HIM for instructions.
     
  8. I had ingrown toenail surgery yesterday. The procedure itself was not painful because of the local anesthesia. However, after that wore off, it was very painful. Today is my second day post-surgery, and I am still experiencing pain. I am taking over the counter ibuprofen for the pain. It seems to make the pain tolerable. From my own personal experience, I can assert that recovery from a partial matrixectomy is a painful experience. I completely empathize with the original poster. I wish you a speedy recovery.
     
  9. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    I don't dispute your personal experience, but having performed what I would judge to be thousands of such procedures, I can tell you that, at least in my hands, your experience is not typical.
     
  10. OlgaShtain

    OlgaShtain New Member

    While in the Marines I had a bad ingrown toenail... I hate shots so I didnt go to medical for a long time...I finally went when ater PT for a few days straight I bled through the top toe area of my running shoe...it freakin hurt.

    alamed411 is right...the shots they give you in the toe to numb it really hurt, but hey, your toe already hurts but its such a relief to get it taken care of.

    I wish I had a how remedy for ya but I dont- Good luck...
     
  11. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    That depends on the skill of the doctor administering the shot and the tolerance of the patient to discomfort. What is excruciating to one person may be only an annoyance to another. In any event, anesthesia is a necessary part of performing or having surgery, both from the doctor's and the patient's aspect. Not all good medicine tastes good.
     
  12. FootDoc, the pain I described in my earlier post was not reported to the podiatrist. As I stated earlier, I managed my pain with over the counter ibuprofen. It is completely plausible that patients are not reporting their pain to you.
     
  13. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    I don't cut and run. I see a corrective ingrown nail surgery patient at least 3 or 4 times after the procedure before I discharge them. It is not conceivable that a patient would be so stupid as to not tell me that they were having pain when I see them and each time ask about their progress. You should have applied your ostensibly "academic" sense to make your pain known to him/her. The purpose of aftercare is to assess the patient's status and make adjustments as necessary. Apparently, you had chosen a doctor who simply doesn't care and released you to your own recognizance. That's not how I and other caring and competent doctors do things and not how competent patients act.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2010
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hey Dr. Know-it-all! Why do you even bother wasting your time "answering" these posts?? It seems to me you get pleasure in making others who came here looking for help, feel stupid. I have a really painful ingrown and was looking for some info on the surgery, but I didn't pick up a thing from you...only from the questioneers! If you have so much time on your hands, why not actually try giving a real answer instead of be-littling people!
     
  15. mfranklin

    mfranklin Guest

    First, I want to say I respect all doctors and their responses on this board. I have a few questions regarding an ingrown toenail that has caused minor pain and trouble over the past few years to me.

    I've always been able to temporarily fix my nail, but have finally decided to have a doctor permanently fix the issue. I have an ingrown nail on both sides of my big toe. Just by comparing the way my toe looks to videos and pictures I've seen recenlty on the internet, mine doesn't appear to be that severe. However, it does need to be worked on.

    I'm not concerned with the needles and numbing process or the pain associated with post-op. These do not bother me. I just want to know how effective the "numbing medicine" (for lack of medical term) is. Is it possible to feel any kind of pain during the operation? I want to be 100% certain I won't feel anything during the process.

    Also, is there anything I can do before the operation to help make it a smooth process? I've heard of Dr. Scholl's ingrown toenail pain reliever (1% sodium sulfide) that helps soften the nail. I thought it may help the "cutting" process during surgery. Is this a bad idea?

    I appreciate any comments.
     
  16. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    There is no 100 percent assurances in medicine. The degree of effectiveness of local anesthesia has much to do with the skill and experience of the doctor administering it. I really don't think that you should have concerns if it is perform by the average podiatrist. I would not recommend your doing anything special to the nail unless the surgeon advises it for you.
     
  17. Milan

    Milan Guest

    I had an ingrown toenail surgery on Friday morning. It was done on one side of my big toe. I got two shots to locally put the toe to sleep. I felt no pain during the procedure. After the meds wore off and the toe came to life I started to feel a sharp, intense pain on the operated side of my toe. I took Tylenol 3 with absolutely no effect. I started taking ibuprofen as well with no effect. It has been hurting like crazy...it is now Saturday night. Sharp, needle like pain. I keep my foot elevated and that helps sometimes a little bit. When I put it down I sense a deep throbbing in my toe.

    Is there anything else I could do to help bring the pain level down?

    Thank you, Milan.
     
  18. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Don't you think you should call the doctor who did the surgery and ask for advice? Please don't tell me that you can't reach the doctor because it is a weekend and/or you don't want to "bother" him/her. Any doctor who does surgery has a responsibility to the patient to be available or have a substitute doctor who is available to handle such problems, and not just during office hours.
     
  19. Milan

    Milan Guest

    The doc said that because it's the weekend he will not be available and prescribed me Tylenol 3 in case the toe hurts. I know I could go to the after hours clinic but I'd rather not have to pay a $50 copay for that visit. If there was something I could do to help the pain I would love to know otherwise I'll just tough it till monday. Thanks!
     
  20. Foot Doc

    Foot Doc Guest

    Once again, I'm telling you that that is NOT acceptable. Surgeons have a responsibility to their patients not to "cut and run." Surgery has a propensity for being problematic, and the doctor has both a moral and legal responsibility have effective coverage available which can deal with such episodes. Week-ends are no excuse, and you should tell him that. If he wanted a week-end off to be unavailable, surgery should not have been performed unless coverage was assured. But don't expect someone on the Internet who has no ability to assess your situation to bail out a doctor who, in my mind, has acted so irresponsibly. Speak up for yourself.

    FOOT DOC
     
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