1. Welcome to the Foot Health Forum community where you can ask about foot problems and get help, as well as be up-to-date with the latest foot health information. Only registered members can ask a question, but you do not need to register to respond and give help. Please become part of the community (here) and check out the shop.

Big toenail stopped growing, mild pain

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Feb 8, 2012.

  1. Anon

    Anon Guest


    Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
     
  2. Frank Li

    Frank Li Guest

    I actually read every story above.
    My wife had exactly the same symptoms. It affects both of the big toes.
    Main symptoms are: mild tenderness at the cuticle , cessation of nail growth, yellowish discoloring of anterior portion of the nail plate.
    We only noticed this symptoms withing a month.
    PS. She is breastfeeding.
     
  3. Random girl

    Random girl Guest

    My right big toe has stopped growing and has a blackish tint to it towards the edge of the toe. Theres also pain when pressure is applied to cuticle area. Bit of swelling around cuticle too... What do i do? What is this? Is it infected..? Also when i scratch the edges of the nail, it kind of crumbles. Especially in the blackish areas. My whole toe nail is rough..
    Im 16 and looking for answers..
     
  4. Pedicurist

    Pedicurist Guest

    It's sounds like most everyone has paronychia. It is an infection caused when your skin separated from the nail and creates an opening where bacteria can get in. This can happen with trauma, pressure from shoes, ingrown nails, or from a poorly done pedicure. Even with immediate use if antibiotics, it will take many months to a year to see the nail return to normal.

    If you're dealing with this you should start with a doctors visit and a round of antibiotics. Follow that with salt soaks and neosporin until the redness/puffiness/pus subsides. You'll likely start to feel growing pains weeks or months later.

    If you aren't sure how you created the original separation of skin it is possible that you will continue to injure that nail and experience this over and over. It might not even hurt to do it. Tiny amounts of pressure can create micro-openings where bacteria can get in. Pair that with sweaty socks in closetoed shoes and infections are bound to happen.

    I'm experiencing this with everyone else right now. It first hurt in January and I took antibiotics but then left it alone, the redness and pain went away but it didn't grow. I kept wearing the same shoes. In March it flared up again so I started soaking and using some neosporin. The redness again went away again and I started wearing open toed shoes almost exclusively. In May I could tell the nail was pushing outward but it looked like my nail was ending. Now in the last week of June the nail is coming out farther quickly. I still can't actually tell if there is a new nail or not because, as many have described, the edge of the old nail is thick. I think this is because even though the nail doesn't seem to grow outward for a few months, the matrix is actually still creating new nail cells but the infected nail bed does not push that new nail outward. I had a serious fungal infection in the nail next to the one that had the bacterial infection so I'm not sure how my recovery will continue but so far it sounds like everyone's experience.

    So if you've actually read this far into this thread I know you're worried but if you follow these instructions it will get better it will just take a very long time.
     
  5. gene

    gene Guest

     
  6. Ominous

    Ominous Guest

    Similar story. Had a friend get bored and paint my toe nails (Male, 26) and I just left them one. After a month or so I noticed my big toe still had nail polish cover 95% of my nail while the others had all basically grown out. After another month I discovered a brand new nail growing, slowly pushing the old nail forward, there was a distinct, perfect line where it had stopped growing and the new one came in. It's been about 6 months and the old nail is almost all gone and the new one is quite fantastic looking.

    Mostly, I am just curious if there is a medical name for this.
     
  7. Jennifer

    Jennifer Guest

    My toenail has not grown in 5 months. I too had mine painted which is how I noticed. I do recall my shovel handle falling on my toe a long time ago...6 months I suppose. Toe hurt like the devil and then felt fine weeks later. I'm lazy so just removed polish. Right toe has the moon and cuticle. Left does not but seems to have areas that look like the nail is lifting? 2 stripes lighter in color that look transparent. Is swollen on the outside away from 2nd toe and all along the back edge where skin is now raised. Hurts only on the corner seemingly away from where nail bed is...thought only when I push on it..I do landscaping every day and perhaps my activity and always wearing boots hasn't helped but other toe is happy? I am trying nail fungus stuff and soaking in vinegar water starting today. Will try the tea tree oil too. Somehow I feel like the nail is trying to grow backwards into the corner where I hit it. I really think it may fall off ? Hopefully soaking three times a day alternating between epsom and vinegar water will free up some movement
     
  8. CV49

    CV49 Guest

    I had swelling around the base of my right big toe nail. The nail stopped growing. It was painful. Doctor said probably fungal infection but I was not going to take any prescription meds. So I tried treating naturally - tea tree oil, soaking in vinegar, etc. No real change. Several months later I found a research article online - "Management of Chronic Paronychia" indicating these symptoms are often not fungal but actually eczema.
    My husband had the cream (tacrolimus) for eczema. After 3 weeks of twice daily application the redness and swelling was 95% gone. I applied the ointment a few more times and my toe appeared to have healed. Months later a new nail is growing in while pushing out the old one. There is random pressure/discomfort as this process continues. Take this article to your doctor!
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3884921/
     
  9. DebInVegas

    DebInVegas Guest

    What was the diagnosis? I'm having this issue right now!
     
  10. Moomin

    Moomin Guest

     
  11. Molly

    Molly Guest

    what medication did you use?
     
  12. Sona

    Sona Guest

    Well, it is now April 2017, and if anyone is still paying attention to Toe Club here, I am going to second the theory about the cause being the crease of the shoe constantly hitting directly over the base of the toenail.

    People above have put forth theories of diet and bunyons. I have no bunyons, and the person who suggested diet was vegan. Die hard carnivore here. Also I breathe tea, so not dehydrated either.

    I have, however noticed that the pain only really occurs when I walk around in shoes that the crease hits the base of the nail. Which actually happens with quite a few different pairs I own.

    Now since I would never notice the contact if my toe didn't slightly hurt RIGHT THERE, it is very likely that most of my shoes have constantly been smacking that spot repeatedly day after day.
    That has got to wear down the poor toe eventually.

    Next poster please assess their shoes to confirm/refute?
     
  13. BarbaraB

    BarbaraB Guest

    Very interesting to read all of your stories. Same problem .About 3 months ago, my right big toe started hurting and looked red. Doctor said infection; later podiatrist said no infection, but probably result of ingrown toenail/injury. I went through a round of antibiotics, have been soaking my foot in epsom salt for 3 months, was using antibiotic cream but stopped lately (bandaids over cream were irritating bottom skin on toe). There is redness and some raised area near the base of the toe and sensitivity to pressure at the bottom of the cuticle. I noticed that the toe nail is not growing, which is how I found this link. The description several of you wrote that the nail looks like its growing in the wrong direction really struck home. I have started wearing only open sandals, and it felt better, but went rowing this week and must have irritated it again in some way because the toe is really hurting. My left big toe has a new nail growing under the original one, as several of you described, so I think my shoes (which are all not tight, with wide foot bed) might have creased on that area; or I went cross-country skiing last February, and maybe those boots put pressure on the wrong place. I am discouraged that this isn't getting better and don't know whether to have the nail removed. It is painful and limits my activities. Will try tea tree oil, and appreciate hearing others are dealing with this.
     
  14. mary merth

    mary merth Guest

    I have same symptoms. I have also suffered from hyperparathyroidism (one of the parathyroid glands was removed. This probably doesn't help much, but I have had this, although should not be a problem now.
     
  15. Sammi

    Sammi Guest

    Been following this thread with same issue. Mine started in April after a pedicure. Left big toe. Definitely some sort of nail bed/cuticle damage. Toe nail not growing and sensitive to touch. All the research I've done so far says a new nail will grow back but can take 9 to 18 months (crazyness). If by the end of the summer i have no progress I'm going to do what some of the other ppl on this thread did and have a dr just remove the nail. Tea tree oil is def helping with the swelling but not a cure (for me at least). Good luck to anyone else out there suffering, you are not alone. Be careful of pedicure places and shoes that irritate your feet. Had no idea how sensitive a nail bed could be.

    "When you truly have a toenail not growing, it could be that the root of the nail is damaged. The root is hidden under the flesh at the base of the nail, between the cuticle and the knuckle. Specialized cells here pack together dead skin cells into dense layers to form the nail. As the cells in the root pack together more and more skin cells, the ones that are already packed are pushed outwards. If, for any reason, the packing of cells stops, the nail will stop growing. There could be various reasons for this, ranging from physical damage to the root, to drug side effects, or disease processes. When there is no obvious history of finger or nail injury to explain a toenail not growing, a doctor should be consulted."
     
  16. Momma bear

    Momma bear Guest

    I am so relieved to know I am not the only one with this! I had a pedicure at the end of January towards the very end of my pregnancy , which I believe is when or how this started. Both big toes are effected . However left is worse than right. I went to the podiatrist at the end of May with pain, slight redness and swelling at the base of toenail, and my two big toenails hadn't grown since my pedicure polish had been applied in late January. The podiatrist was stumped. Said my toenails may appear to be slightly loose. That normally this only happens when there is trauma or someone has a systemic illness and/or is imunocompromised(sp?). I had no recollection of any injuries. His thought was that even though as far as I know I am "healthy" that my body was putting everything into growing this baby...not my toes. Also makes me think that with me nursing and my body being so focused on producing breast milk that my toes are the lease of its concerns. I finally called the podiatrist back this week because my one toes has gotten worse and he really gave me no direction as to what I could do to help this other than he could remove my toenails which would just trade one pain for another. Basically the phone call left us in the same place. The pain is quite uncomfortable at times but still not sure it's worth having the nails removed. I just wish I knew what could help get the ball rolling on healing and getting these nails to grow... I think it is just the oddest thing! I also read something while researching this that sometimes this can happen from the extra weight gained in pregnancy. I also had the thought that maybe from my feet relaxing and essentially growing as well as swelling in my legs that this could have contributed to my toes being squished in my shoes or hitting the end of my shoes more than normal. I work as a CNA so I was wearing closed toe shoes for twelve hour shifts on my feet. It was also winter so I was always wearing close ties shoes. I was thinking of getting a second opinion but maybe I will wait it out a little longer. I have been trying to wear open toed shoes as much as possible now that it's summer but I am also back to work so I still have to wear close toed shoes on my long 12+ hour on my feet shifts. Only other thing I have thought of is a do have acid reflux especially in pregnancy so I take a lot of tums and Pepcid complete! I was and am taking a multivitamin. I was taking a magnesium supplement during my pregnancy. Now I added 6000 iu of vitamin d to pass to my baby in my breast milk. Not sure if any lack of vitamins/ minerals or taking too many could contribute to this?! Any of the rest of you taking mess or supplements? Carrying extra weight due to pregnancy or otherwise?
     
  17. Lynnietank

    Lynnietank Guest

    This is really something! My left foot, big toe trouble began in early February of 2017. I went to my primary care doctor 2 times. She prescribed an anti-biotic the first time since she thought it may be an infection. This didn't work so she prescribed an anti-fungal cream which also did not work. I went to a podiatrist and she too was confused but thought maybe surgery was in order. She thought maybe a bone spur or the like was the problem. I scheduled the surgery for 1 month later and when she examined my toe she thought it looked better so she is taking a wait and see approach. My symptoms are similar to everyone else's on this post: tenderness upon shoe pressure; swelling; my cuticle is gone (but I think since the swelling in going done, it may come back); toe nail loosened from the top (not bottom); also, no nail growth. It is disappointing that no doctor knows what the problem is. I am a 67 year old female and have never had a problem with my feet prior to this current trouble.
     
  18. Gabrielle

    Gabrielle Guest

     
  19. Katie8817

    Katie8817 Guest

    I have the same problem everyone else has listed, toenails not growing, big toenail died and new one growing under it. I attributed this to the two surgeries I had this year in my knee. I just saw my surgeon for a check up this week and he said there is no reason why a surgery would cause toenail death. As for the not growing part, that was due to my body being stressed and focusing on healing my knee. He said toenail death is extremely common, if you barely stub your toe it can happen. Most people claiming there was no reason for theirs probably stubbed their toe, kicked something, or it has to do with their shoes. I am so thankful to the person who recommended tea tree oil, it has been a life saver! I saw a difference in appearance and tenderness after one day!
     
  20. Biancapia

    Biancapia Guest

    I am so glad I found this thread!

    Around the middle of September ‘17 I got a new job which required me to walk 6 to 7 miles per shift. I had purchased new shoes and wore them for my first day on the job... BIG MISTAKE. The entire day I was in excruciating pain because the crease of the shoe was practically digging and rubbing into my left big toe. I threw out the shoes that night but the damage was already done. Within a week my toenail was bruised on the base and left side. I’d say about 25 to 30% of the nail is purplish black. About a month after the initial injury, I noticed the rest of the nail (the non purple/black part) has turned slightly yellow in color. The top left of my nail looks like it’s starting to lift from my toe a bit which I find quite odd because the bruise/injury is at the base! I have noticed about a few weeks ago that this toe nail has not been growing AT ALL since the injury! I have had some slight pain and discomfort up until now, but not recently in the past two weeks or so but I am getting a little worried about my toe nail not growing at all. It’s been almost 4 months since the initial injury and I fear I have damaged my nail bed. I’m really trying to avoid having to go to the doctor because I really don’t want my nail to have to be taken off but it looks like that’s going to have to be the case. I haven’t really tried and treatments because I’m afraid that I will make it worse!

    I’m just glad I found this thread because I have been googling every few weeks about this and couldn’t really find any information at all!
     
Loading...

Share This Page