How to instantly relieve pain from a swollen toe or ingrown toenail or cuticle

If you've ever woken up with a swollen toe, you know what a pain it can be.  And, the most common cause of a swollen toe is an infection caused by an ingrown toenail.

<sub>Infected swollen toes can cause major foot pain.

Often, the infected or swollen toe throbs painfully for hours, making it almost impossible to walk without pain.

Most times, the swelling is just a natural body defense, brought on when bacteria and germs invade the body through a cut or scratch or as a result of torn cuticle or ingrown toenail.</sub>

<sub>When your body senses that an invasion is eminent, it sends white blood cells to the area to fight off intruders. As these white blood cells die off, they pile up, causing a 'swelling' in the area. In a sense, a swollen toe is a good sign, cause it means your body is busy at work trying to fight infection off to keep it from progressing further into your body.

Sometimes, you'll notice a swelling or infection in a finger or toe after clipping your nails. And, this can happen when the clippers are not properly sanitized or when the cuticle is torn exposing the body to foreign bacteria.</sub>

_{If you wake up with a swollen toe brought on by infection or ingrown toenail, you need to take fast action to prevent pain.}

Here are some valuable tips to help you get over the pain fast.

• ^{_{Start by sanitizing the area with anti-biotic cream or hydrogen peroxide. This will destroy any bacteria living on your skin that could cause further infection.}}
• ^{_{Take an anti-inflammatory medication right away, even if you're not in much pain. Though you won't feel better right away, there's a long term benefit. Just about the time your toe or finger begins to throb mercilesslly, the medicine will be kicking in.}}
• ^{_{For instant pain relief, spray the infected toe with a pain relieving throat spray like Chloraseptic. Or, apply a dab of Ambesol to the swollen toe. This will help numb the area until the pain medication starts to work}}
• ^{_{Soak your foot, depending in a tub of hot water. Mix in a cup of epsom salt to help draw out the infection and reduce pain.}}

<sub>If all this fails, try this little trick.

Firmly grasp the finger or toe between your index finger and thumb. Next, put light pressure on the area just above (not on top of), the swollen area. Keep the pressure on the area for at least twenty seconds before releasing. You may notice the area above your finger turning white. This simple little move will provide almost as much pain relief as medicine.
If you wake up with a swollen toe brought on by infection or ingrown cuticle, you need to take fast action to prevent pain.</sub>

You can cut your risk of toenail infection or swollen toes by following these simple tips.

• _{Keep your feet clean}
• _{Use clean toenail cutters when clipping your toenails}
• _{Replace your toenail clippers before they get dull or you'll end up pulling your toenails instead of cutting them}
• _{Never cut or pierce your toenail cuticle as that can allow bacteria and germs to enter your body and cause infection leading to swollen toes}
• _{Always clip your toenails across in a straight line.  Never cut too deeply as this can injure the skin, exposing your body to foreign bacteria.}
  
• _{Never cut, hold and then tear a toenail as this is likely to tear the cuticle. If you are going to cut your toenail, cut a clean straight line with a single clip. If you need to clip twice, then do so.}
• _{Toenails snags should be cut or snipped and not torn off, exposing the cuticle}
  
• _{Soak your feet in warm water until your toenails are soft. Then dry thoroughly and proceed to clip nails. This will make toenails easier to cut, lessening the chance that you will accidentally tear into the cuticle and cause toenail infection.}

<sub>The best way to prevent ingrown toenail infection in toes would be to sanitize your clippers before and after use.

Soak your feet in hot water thoroughly before attempting to cut the toenail. You may want to soak until the bottom of your feet become prune like or wrinkly. This will ensure that your toenails are soft and pliable for cutting and your skin will offer least resistance.

If you've been successful at removing the ingrown toenail, the cuticle may be ripped or torn. In that event, it will be easier for bacteria to enter the body and cause infection.</sub>

_{After removing the cuticle, be sure to properly sanitize the area.}

_{Wear flip flops or open toed sandals to allow air circulation over your toe wound. The fresh air will help keep bacteria to a minimum on your sore toe.}

<sub>Try to avoid wearing shoes while your closed toe is healing as shoes are the perfect breeding ground for toe bacteria which can reinfect your toe

Properly sanitize the cuticle regularly to keep germs out of the opening until your body has a chance to heal over the area.</sub>

_{Dealing with an ingrown toenail promptly is important to help prevent toe infections.}

_{If you cannot safely remove the ingrown toenail, you may need to visit your doctor for ingrown toenail surgery. The doctor can easily remove the infected toenail or ingrown toenail to relieve the foot pain.}

_{Removing an ingrown toenail is a relatively painless procedure since your doctor will use a local anesthetic and can be done quickly on an out-patient basis.}

<sup><sub>Tips for dealing with foot problems:

Take 'foot problems' seriously as they can go from minor to major very quickly. A ripped toenail can expose your cuticle leading to more foot problems as bacteria enters through the open sore or wound. Keep bacteria out of your body by thoroughly cleaning your toes and feet daily with alcohol. Wear clean socks and spray anti-bacterial spray into your shoes to kill toenail fungus germs.</sub></sup>