Question: I seem to have an
infection in the fingernail of my left ring finger. The nail itself
is not sore or discolored at all, but the skin along only the left
side of the nail is very sore and tender and is red and slight swollen,
especially out near the finger tip, at the corner of the nail. Neither
the right side of the finger, nor any other part of it are affected
whatsoever and the symptoms are not present in any other part of my
fingers or hands. Is this a common nail infection of some kind? And
if so are there any truly effective home remedies or treatments I
can use to clear it up and prevent a recurrence? Steve
Answer: Dear Steve,
The symptoms you mention are common
of Paronychia, an inflammation of the tissue that surrounds the fingernail
that can be bacterial or fungal.
The symptoms of the bacterial
form are:
- Pain/tenderness
- Redness
- Warmth and swelling of surroinding tissue
- White area produced by pus
The symptoms of the fungal form
are:
- Redness/swelling around the
fingernail
- No pain, warmrth, itching or pus
The bacterial infection can be
caused due to an injury to the fingernail and a fungus or yeast cause
the fungal infection. Treatment is usually based on topical antibiotic.
Soaking hands in hot water 2-3 times a day can reduce the inflammation.
Prevention tips include:
- Protect hands from wetness
- Leave hangnails alone
- Avoid fingertip injury
A common ingrown nail can also
create swelling, redness and a little bit of discomfort in the affected
area.
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