How to treat paronychia when it becomes purulent?

Written by Zhang Jian Bo
Dermatology
Updated on September 02, 2024
00:00
00:00

Paronychia has already become suppurative and needs timely treatment. Patients can choose to use medications to clean the affected area, which can prevent the condition from worsening. Paronychia is not a very serious disease, but improper care or worsening of the condition can lead to suppuration and cause severe symptoms. It is considered that the condition may be caused by accidentally injuring the surrounding soft tissue when trimming nails or by wearing tight shoes. If the patient's condition is severe, it is best to go to a formal hospital for timely examination and diagnosis. The suppurative area can be incised, and anti-inflammatory medications can be applied to avoid severe local infections. During the recovery period, patients should maintain a light diet and avoid spicy foods.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
49sec home-news-image

How to trim an ingrown toenail with paronychia?

If paronychia occurs with an ingrown toenail, one must not cut the nail bed too short. It is advisable to visit a professional institution where local disinfection can be carried out, followed by surgical removal or wedge resection of the nail embedded in the nail bed. This helps to reduce the risk of infection and stabilizes the condition of paronychia, avoiding local contamination, formation of paronychia, secondary abscesses, suppuration, nail bed infections, and other serious issues caused by self-trimming. Thus, if one has paronychia or an ingrown nail, it is best to visit a formal hospital and have it treated by a doctor. If necessary, a nail removal surgery can be performed to completely and effectively cure paronychia.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
44sec home-news-image

How is paronychia radically cured?

Paronychia is a purulent infectious disease caused by the repeated irritation of a nail embedding into the flesh, most commonly found on the big toe. If the purulent infection is severe, it may require incision and drainage. If the symptoms are mild, it may be treated with appropriate oral and topical anti-inflammatory medications. To completely cure this condition, surgery is necessary to remove the nail embedded in the flesh and then use sutures to forcibly correct the placement. This can prevent recurrences in future life. Regular walking habits should be maintained without jumping, and wearing shoes that are too tight should be avoided. Dietary and lifestyle habits should also be regulated.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jian Bo
Dermatology
1min 4sec home-news-image

Can paronychia heal by itself?

Paronychia cannot heal on its own; it definitely requires timely treatment at a hospital. If not treated promptly, the condition could worsen and may even necessitate surgical removal of parts of the nail bed or keratin. Upon detecting paronychia, it's important to first clean the affected area thoroughly. Applications such as iodine tincture can be used topically, and soaking in boric acid or alcohol is also possible. During recovery, it is advisable to avoid spicy and greasy foods. Additionally, it's crucial to quickly begin antimicrobial treatment. Antibiotics can be taken orally or administered via intravenous drip to treat the infection systemically, such as amoxicillin. Ichthyol ointment can be applied to the swollen areas, but any medication should be used following a doctor's prescription. During the treatment period, it is recommended to consume a diet high in protein and fiber, especially foods rich in vitamin C like kiwifruit and passion fruit.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
41sec home-news-image

How to treat paronychia?

The treatment of paronychia begins with identifying the cause, which predominantly is due to bacterial infection of the nail groove and surrounding tissues, leading to an inflammatory response. Therefore, to effectively treat paronychia, it is essential to combat the infection and apply or take some anti-inflammatory medications. Additionally, if pus formation occurs, proper drainage is necessary. After developing paronychia, it is advised against self-medicating or performing incisions to drain pus; instead, treatment should be sought from a dermatologist or a surgeon.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
54sec home-news-image

Which department should I go to for paronychia?

Paronychia is an infectious, purulent disease that occurs when a fingernail or toenail embeds into the skin. This condition can relate to one's walking posture or wearing tight shoes and falls under the domain of dermatology for treatment. Treatment can be sought by registering with the dermatology department of a formal hospital. The most common treatment methods include initial oral and topical anti-inflammatory medications. If these are ineffective, surgery may be required to clean and drain the pus. After recovery, the nail may be trimmed or removed and corrections enforced to prevent recurrence of paronychia. Additionally, proper shoe-wearing, walking, dietary, and lifestyle habits should be maintained. It is advisable to avoid wearing tight shoes, walking for prolonged periods, and consuming spicy and irritating foods.