Very low urgency
Common-
It is an infection of the skin surrounding the nails.
It is generally caused by wounds due to biting the skin around the nail or by cutting the nails very short.
The area becomes swollen, red, with throbbing pain and sometimes pus discharge from the wound.
The diagnosis is clinical and treatment is based on local care with warm compresses and topical antiseptics.
If the pus accumulates, it may be necessary to drain it under local anesthesia and add oral antibiotics.
- Beth G Goldstein, Adam O Goldstein. Paronychia and ingrown toenails. UpToDate, Jan 21, 2016.
- Rigopoulos D, Larios G, Gregoriou S, Alevizos A. Acute and chronic paronychia. Am Fam Physician 2008; 77:339.
- Rockwell PG. Acute and chronic paronychia. Am Fam Physician 2001; 63:1113.
- Clark DC. Common acute hand infections. Am Fam Physician 2003; 68:2167.
- Heidelbaugh JJ, Lee H. Management of the ingrown toenail. Am Fam Physician 2009; 79:303.
Dr. Oscar Garcia-Esquirol
Copyright© TeckelMedical 2026
