Infected toe! Ridiculous I know but anything I can do?

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

My big toes gone yucky and it really hurts! Very silly to be complaining about such a minor thing, but it's getting worse not better...

Is there anything I can do at home to avoid a GP appointment? I've got some really big health problems and struggle to get to docs appointments, so would rather not go if I can make it disappear - that's the injection not disappearing the toe itself!

Liquid and pus, which I could get rid of at first by pressing the skin and swelling on the right hand side of the nail, but now it's gone under the nail. Yuck! It's red and swollen and surprisingly painful on the tip of my toe and the underneath, so not confined to the nail.

I've been splathering germoline on it, elastaplasting when I'm in bed as even the duvet hurts it, but trying to leave it open to the air when at home in the day. Can't put a shoe on.

Any advise? Stupid toe.

[SlinkyVagabond]

I hear posting photos helps lots.
Soak in hot water with salt in. Draw line round infection, if it grows,Drs.

[Couchpotato3]

Could your other health issues be contributing to the problem, making an infection harder to clear on your own? Agree hot salty water might help, and keeping the foot elevated as much as you can to minimise any swelling.

[KateLivesInEngland]

Ha, the sporner corner lot would love a picture!

[fusspot66]

Hi there, you'll get great relief from salt water soaks. Basically the 'recipe' is one teaspoon of salt, in a tumbler of warm water. You want it warm but not so much it cooks your toe. Mix it till salt dissolves. I find it easiest to pour the salt water into a cereal bowl, place that on a towel on the floor, and sit for 5-10 mins with your toe soaking in the bowl of saline. Then pat dry all the surrounding area and dress loosely with a plaster or some none stick/nonadherent gauze. You may want to brush away all the germolene so the saline can get at the infection.
If you think you bashed the nail or cut it wrong, it's a Podiatrist you need. If the infection lingers , it's the GP /antibiotics. If you're immune suppressed, then GP and antibiotics in the morning, sorry.
Hopefully this will improve it.

[MrsOllyMurs]

Tea tree oil might help

[WasDat]

I had this recently and I'm warning you now it took 5 months to clear up ---- The attached photo was before it got really bad

I halfheartedly tried to sort for a few months, soaked it in saltwater, smothered it in savlon and it got better but never disappeared. The only thing that properly cleared it up was antibiotics from GP. Took me 4 months to do it (I know!). That cleared the infection and then I made sure I wore comfy shoes and soaked it regularly until the skin healed. I think GP is your best option.

Not going to mention my toe has started throbbing again past few days as I wore some daft shoes.

[WasDat]

Cross out fail!

[lougle]

What are your really big health problems? I wouldn't want to give any advice without knowing. For example, if you have diabetes, you need to be seen urgently. Infection is infection; it doesn't matter where it starts, if it is left to spread it can make you very unwell.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Ooh thanks for quick replies!

Photo, really? On this thread or limited to sporners corner?!

I'm trying to clean germoline of it but it's proving sticky stuff.

It's a defect with connective tissue so skin a bit more fragile and takes longer to heal / heals into rubbish scars.

Also mid high blood pressure weirdness as I'm already on medication to bring down heart rate to put as little strain on circulatory system as possible.

Nothing that directly impacts on immune system except long term opiate use (prescribed, not acquired a flesh wound whilst chasing the dragon in a seeding opium den in east London!).

Bleugh. Hard to get to feet as dodgy joints and getting arthritis in quite a few. This is contributing as I can't reach very well...

[IrenetheQuaint]

Well, when I have been in this position I have sterilised a needle and opened up the infected area to let the pus out.

But given your additional issues you really should go to the doctor/practice nurse.

[smellycoat]

Get it to the GP. Antibiotics might fix it in no time. I once had a septic toe (age 20) which made me fevery and got swollen glands in groin overnight! That was warning that blood poisoning was on the way. That place on my toe is still a scar (now 57).

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I would do a salt water soak for 10 mins 3x a day for 2 days and see how it is. TCP instead of cream to dry in out.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Do you think nurse or doctor? Getting a doctor is massively hard work so I thought this might be a nurses job though must confess never seen a nurse before?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Yeah nurse is fine.

[WasDat]

I saw both and it was actually the nurse who took it more seriously. I think if a nurse is easier and quicker to get then try them

[BombadierFritz]

Do you have any antibiotic cream? I got my last lot through a phone appointment with gp so you could try that if you dont want to go in. Then i opened cleaned and soaked the toe then put ab cream on then wore sandals to let it air, with a soak in antiseptic a few times a day. Gp best bet tho tbh.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Thanks :)

I just thought, my circulation isn't great with feet -.would that actually be an advantage? Slowing the spread of injection or sommat?

[BombadierFritz]

No its a disadvantage and why diabetics end up with amputations after foot infections!! Sorry,,thats a bit blunt, i dont mean this will lead to amputation! Its just thats why people are more cautious and suggesting gp

[lougle]

Can I just suggest you get it seen very soon? I think it sounds like you've tried to deal with it at home but it's bad enough to need some proper help and your medical history is complicated enough that you don't want a systemic infection.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

I didn't manage to get an appointment, although I was just at the GP to do blood tests, I'm sure there's an irony in there somewhere.

I think it might be getting better actually, just when I was pretty sure it needed attention... The pus has gone from where it was lurking under the nail which is a good sign I think?

[Twinkie1]

Soak it warm water with hydrogen peroxide in it (60p from boots). Will oxidise the bacterium and voila infection will disappear.

[SisterKhloe]

I had the same problem last week and went (embarrassed) to Minor Injuries. The nurse took it seriously and gave me antibiotics. No one laughed - they said the medication was required to heal it.

[Mishaps]

Go to the doc initially to make sure that it does not need an antibiotic; then go to the seaside for a fortnight and paddle about barefoot in the sea! Or.....salt water soaking several times a day.

[workplacetherapies]

Yes hydrogen peroxide 3% and diluted with water. Also neat lavender oil (get a good one) dropped on works quickly. Keep en eye on it and act quick.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Ooh I have lavender oil, a good one, so good use that right now.

I'm not meaning to ignore the very good advice on here about going to the docs, it's been a struggle to do anything this last week or so, and am barely holding things together, and have no safety net for me & DS, so I'm just trying to get through it as best I can. Which I realize is all reasons to get it seen to quickly.

Hoping its on the turn anyway.