Avisail Garcia is referred to as a “monster” by his teammates. In 2013 he had a .304 batting average and 21 RBIs. And recently he played a baseball game only one day after having surgery to remove an ingrown toenail.

Robin Ventura, manager for the White Sox, thought Garcia would need a day or two to recover, but the player was on the field hitting and throwing balls without any issues. “I want to be consistent and get better,’’ he said. “Put up better numbers and help my teammates.”

If you have an ingrown toenail, you might need to have it surgically removed. For a professional opinion, visit podiatrist Dr. Michael Wynn, DPM of Foot Care Associates of Texas, P.A. Dr. Wynn can examine your condition and explore all the possible treatment options that are available for you.

Ingrown Toenails Causes

Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows sideways into the bed of the nail, causing pain, swelling, and possibly infection.

There are a number of risk factors for ingrown toenails. Some include cutting your nails too short, participating in strenuous sports, diabetes, obesity, and fungal infection. Some are genetically predisposed to ingrown nails, although wearing ill-fitting or damp shoes can exacerbate the problem.

Treatment

There are a number of steps you can take to treat ingrown nails:

-Let your toenails grow out
-Soak the toes in hot water with antibiotic soap or Epsom salts
-Placing a piece of cotton under the affected nail may allow the toe to grow up instead of into the nail bed
-Rest with your feet up

If however, your pain is severe, or you see red streaks running up your leg, you should see a podiatrist. Your podiatrist may make a small incision and remove part of the toe nail to relieve the pressure. A local anesthetic may be used to lessen the discomfort of the operation.  Topical medication may also be prescribed to prevent the regrowth of the problem nail. You will probably have to stay off your feet for a day or so, but should be able to carry on normal activities quickly.

If you have any questions, please contact one of our offices in Kingwood, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about Ingrown Toenails.