An ingrown nail occurs when the edge of the nail grows down and into the skin. It often happens to toenails, especially the big toe. It is often caused by inappropriate nail trim. Trimming the nails straight across can prevent the problem. Over-the-counter (OTC) medication and warm salt water can be used to relieve the discomfort. If the condition does not improve, a doctor should be consulted and sometimes surgery will be necessary.
An ingrown nail describes a condition where the nail does not grow over the flesh, but instead grows into the flesh. Ingrown nails usually occur to toenails, usually the big toe is affected.
An ingrown nail is often caused by cutting the toenails too short or rounding the nail edges or by wearing ill-fitting shoes or tight hosiery that presses the nail into the toe. An ingrown nail can develop after an injury, like jamming or stubbing the toe. When the condition that causes the ingrown toenail continues, tissue overgrowth over the nail may lead to permanent changes in the tissue. This may cause an infection, swelling and pain.
In order to prevent ingrown nails, one should always trim the nail straight across. If there is slight pain and the nail starts to grow into the skin along the side, one can try soaking the affected foot in warm salt water for 20-30 minutes at a time. After soaking the nail may get freed out of the skin and with a band aid between nail and the nail wall the affected tissue can get relieved. In case the pain persists or a purulent infection occurs, one should visit a doctor for a professional medical treatment. The doctor may perform a small surgical procedure to remove the infected area and the causative part of the nail. Afterwards the nail can grow healthy again.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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