Black nail- to pierce or not to pierce??
1 watcher
Apr 2018
9:43am, 11 Apr 2018
4,320 posts
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Metro_Nome
After Sunday's marathon, for the first time ever I have the runner's curse of the black toe (picture in the gallery if you really want a look, though it's a bit worse and more swollen now). Many people have said I should relieve the pressure by sticking a hot needle through the nail (including trained medics, not just Joe bloggs on FB!) but I couldn't bring myself to do that so went to see the nurse practitioner at the GP today hoping she'd help me out. She had a prod, determined it was probably infected as it's so hot and swollen, and prescribed antibiotics and told me to leave it alone and just keep doping up on painkillers and rest it. It's very painful (stopping me sleeping, walking is agony) and if the infection is because of the build up of blood, surely I should be releasing it? Anyway I always say don't go to the internet for medical advice, get it from trained medical professionals, but she didn't fill me with confidence and I trust Fetchies, so wondered if any of you had any advice?? |
Apr 2018
10:42am, 11 Apr 2018
12,522 posts
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Chrisull
Relieve the pressure - says the man who extracts his own toenails after marathons for fun! Seriously though I've treated both ways and antibiotics worked but made me feel sick for the entire duration of their course (2 weeks), and relieving the pressure has to be done a couple of times and hurts, but after that the nail dies and usually comes out quite quickly, and any sign of infection was gone in my case.
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Apr 2018
11:10am, 11 Apr 2018
38,087 posts
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Velociraptor
If you've got the stomach for trephining the nail, it's worthwhile and can relieve a lot of the pain quickly. You may find A&E more helpful than your GP's surgery if you'd rather not do it yourself or get someone at home to do it. There are good guides to the technique online. Alternatively, if you're able to separate the nail from the skin at any point around the border of the nail you may be able to help the blood to drain without using a hot needle. |
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Apr 2018
11:57am, 11 Apr 2018
4,321 posts
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Metro_Nome
Thank you. Just googled trephining and was nearly sick- am such a wuss! Gonna need to find somebody to do it for me if I want it done!
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Apr 2018
2:31pm, 11 Apr 2018
2,945 posts
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Fragile Do Not Bend
Do you have a minor injuries centre you could try, if you feel it’s not serious enough for A&E?
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Apr 2018
2:38pm, 11 Apr 2018
4,322 posts
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Metro_Nome
Not sure if there is one. but if they wouldn't do anything at my GP I'm not sure they would do anything there anyway?
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Apr 2018
2:40pm, 11 Apr 2018
3,425 posts
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Cyclops
My A&E doctor sister once asked me why I had such weird nail varnish on my thumbnail - it was purple, yellow and black - and I explained it was underneath the nail whereupon she grabbed my thumb and stuck her very sharp thumbnail underneath my nail with great vigour. Pus and blood oozed out and did feel a lot better afterwards(even if not while she was actually doing it). She says that normally the nurses get to do that but she finds it very satisfying!
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Apr 2018
6:07pm, 11 Apr 2018
17,532 posts
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Lizzie W
GP surgeries prefer not to do that sort of thing! Minor Injuries is a good suggestion. |
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Apr 2018
6:13pm, 11 Apr 2018
4,323 posts
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Metro_Nome
Thanks all. Just can’t bring myself to do it so I’ll give the antibiotics a day or two then maybe head to A&E (no separate minor injuries here). They will tell me off because I’ve already been to the GP but might still do something!
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Apr 2018
10:13pm, 11 Apr 2018
38,088 posts
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Velociraptor
They shouldn't tell you off, it's an injury and they're not just for legs hanging off and stuff like that. When I worked in A&E we used to fight over the nail haematomas because they were so satisfying to treat.
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