What is the effective treatment for fingernail ulcer?

Finger paronychia is very painful, so patients naturally want to know how to treat it effectively. Local hot compress therapy can be used. After suppuration, incision and drainage are required. There are also conservative treatments with drugs.

1. In the early stage, you can use hot compress, physical therapy, external application of ichthyol ointment or Sanhuang powder, and the application of iodine amine or antibiotics. 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.

2. Repeated application of 3% iodine tincture can often control the infection. Before pus forms, ichthyol ointment, golden powder paste, etc. can be applied locally. Short-wave ultraviolet rays, ultra-short waves, infrared rays and other treatments can also be used.

3. After pus is formed, make an incision and drain it. The digital nerve was anesthetized with lidocaine at the base of the finger and then incised. For unilateral subcutaneous abscess, a parallel incision can be made on the outside of the nail groove; bilateral subcutaneous abscess requires bilateral drainage. For abscess at the root of the nail, remove part or all of the nail after separation (but do not damage the base tissue too much to avoid losing the nail's ability to regenerate in the future) to fully drain the pus under the nail.

4. It should be noted that the two sides of the nail groove and the posterior nail fold cannot be cut at the same time, so as to avoid the retraction of the posterior nail fold, exposure of the nail root, and abnormal nail growth.

5. In the early stage of antibiotic application, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, amoxicillin, etc. can be taken orally; antibiotics can be injected after surgery.