Thursday, February 11, 2010

Im going into hospital to have my ingrown toenail removed and there goin to cut the edge away will it hurt!!?

I want to no what they do


- do they put me to sleep


-what pain will i feelIm going into hospital to have my ingrown toenail removed and there goin to cut the edge away will it hurt!!?
If they have to remove the whole toenail they will put you to sleep. And yes it really hurts, but it ends the problem of the ingrown toenail.Im going into hospital to have my ingrown toenail removed and there goin to cut the edge away will it hurt!!?
if anything they MIGHT put LOCAL anesthetic on that toe....





they won't put you too sleep (its not that important...)





you may feel some pain but nothing that won't be solved with some motrin or tylenol
ingrown toenails are yummy
What is the recommended surgical procedure for ingrown nails?





Surgical removal of an ingrown nail involves removing a small portion of the side of the nail and destroying the nail bed beneath. The toe is injected with a numbing medicine, and the toenail is cut to create a new, straight nail edge. The cells underneath the nail will try to grow a new nail, so they must be destroyed, thereby creating a permanently thinner nail. If there is heaped up (hypertrophied) tissue on the side of the toe, it must be removed. The toe is then bandaged until it completely heals (a few weeks).





How Long Will It Take?





Less than 1 hour





Will It Hurt?





Most patients report no pain during the procedure once the anesthetic has been given. But injection of the local anesthetic can be painful; this discomfort can be reduced by careful administration by your doctor. [Anesthetic injection into toes or fingers are usually quite painful due to the tight skin and many nerve endings. Spraying with a topical anesthetic spray first before the injection may help or perhaps some anesthetic preparations may be less irritating than others鈥攕o the doctor can reduce the discomfort somewhat.]





Possible Complications:





Infection


Excessive swelling or bleeding





Average Hospital Stay - None





Postoperative Care:





Do not put weight on the affected toe


If needed, take the pain medication ordered or over-the-counter pain remedy recommended by your doctor


Keep your foot elevated for the first day after the procedure


Soak your toe in warm, salt or plain water, for 10 to 20 minutes, two or three times each day for one week; soaking decreases pain and swelling


Keep a clean, dry dressing over the toe


Wash your hands before caring for the nail area or changing the dressing


Wear white, cotton socks and loose fitting shoes for about two weeks


Do not run or engage in strenuous activities until your doctor says you can, usually after about two weeks





If your toe is infected:





You'll be given an antibiotic cream or ointment to treat the infection; do not touch the antibiotic with your finger, instead put a small dab of the cream on a clean dressing or sterile applicator and use that to touch your toe.


For severe infections, you may need to take an antibiotic by mouth. If one is ordered, take all of the pills. Do not stop the medication, even if the toe looks better, unless told otherwise by your doctor.





To avoid future ingrown nails:





Do not wear high heels or shoes that fit poorly


Trim your toenails straight across and do not pick or tear at them


If you have diabetes, consider letting a podiatrist or other health professional trim your nails





Outcome


Stitches are usually removed in about 10 days. Complete healing takes about two to three weeks but does not interfere with most daily activities. (Strenuous activities are limited for about two weeks as stated above.)





If the entire nail was removed, your body will generate a hard skin in its place. After the skin has covered the sensitive area, you can resume normal activities.





Call Your Doctor If Any of the Following Occurs


Signs of infection, including fever and chills


Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site


Chalky white, bluish, or blackish appearance to skin of toes or foot (Call immediately)
You won't be put to sleep, as it's not a majour procedure, nor does it take very long. Depending on the severity of the problem, your sensitivity to pain, and the doctor's own judgement, the area may just be sprayed with some cold stuff, or you may have a local anesthetic injected. (If you have the latter, you don't really have anything to be afraid of; the shot only hurts briefly, and after that you won't feel a thing.) While it's being done, there's usually a paper curtain in place so you can't see the nail being cut out. (You may want to be prewarned that you'll hear it- it makes a sound similar to a nail clipper.) After it's done, a small, cast-looking thing will be wrapped around your toe; this has to stay on for 24 hours. Be sure to follow the doctor's instructions for after you take it off- depending on the severity of your infection, you may be given antibiotics to take, or you may just have to apply Neosporin or similar products several times a day.I'd also recommend not wearing tight shoes for a while and, if the climate where you live allows, avoid wearing socks as much as possible. It might hurt for a little while, but it also heals quickly, and you'll be much better before you know it!

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