What to do if toenails are oozing pus

Pus discharge from toenails is caused by infection. There are many reasons for infection. The most common one is paronychia. Paronychia can cause toenails to embed into the flesh and cause inflammation. In addition, if you are not careful in daily life and some heavy objects hit your feet, it may also cause problems with the nails and cause pus discharge and inflammation. At this time, you should use regular methods to treat it in time.

What to do if toenails are oozing pus

【diagnosis】

1. The proximal end of the nail groove on one or both sides of the nail becomes red, swollen, and painful, followed by the appearance of pus spots, and granulation tissue can be seen after pus discharge. 2. When the infection spreads to the nail bed, local pus accumulation can cause the entire nail to float and fall off.

In the early stages, hot compresses, physical therapy, external application of ichthyol ointment or Sanhuang powder, and the use of iodineamine or antibiotics can be used. If there is pus, a longitudinal incision can be made at the nail groove for drainage. When the infection has spread to the subcutaneous area around the nail base, a longitudinal incision can be made in the nail grooves on both sides, the epithelial sheet on the nail root can be turned up, the root of the nail can be removed, and a small piece of vaseline gauze or latex sheet can be placed for drainage. If pus has accumulated under the nail bed, the nail should be removed or the nail above the abscess cavity should be trimmed. When removing nails, be careful to avoid damaging the nail bed to prevent deformities of the new nails in the future.

【Clinical manifestations】

At the beginning, the subcutaneous tissue on one side of the nail becomes red, swollen and painful. Some of these symptoms may subside on their own, while others may quickly become festered. Pus spreads from one side of the nail groove to the subcutaneous tissue at the root of the nail and the nail groove on the opposite side, forming a semicircular abscess. Paronychia usually has no systemic symptoms. If it is not drained by incision, the abscess may spread under the nail and become a subungual abscess. Yellow-white pus can be seen under the nail, separating the nail from the nail bed.

Subungual abscess can be caused by direct nail puncture by foreign objects or traumatic hematoma infection under the nail. If not treated in time, it may become chronic paronychia or chronic phalangeal osteomyelitis. In chronic paronychia, there is a small pus sinus opening next to the nail groove, with granulation tissue protruding outward. Chronic paronychia may sometimes be followed by fungal infection.