Treating a whitlow (herpetic finger)

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Is there anything I can do? There is no obvious blistering or head but the throbbing is driving me mad. I have had it for about two weeks now, I am doing everything it tells me to do on the NHS page but it is refusing to budge.

I’d soak it and pop it with a sterilised needle personally then apply lots of antiseptic and keep clean and dry. If no joy then GP.

Sterile needle, hot salt water soak. Wiggle the needle around the nail bed and sides to release some pressure and give it somewhere to.come out. Soak in hot salty water to keep sterile, bring to a head.

Try magnesium sulphate paste

Unfortunately there is nothing to pop, there is absolutely no sign of anything in the nail bed. I have mag sulphate paste somewhere I think so can give that a go.

Soak a lot, cover with Savlon or similar. I would pop that in a second, I can see where to pop in the first pic.

Magnesium sulphate paste as a PP said. It'll get rid in a couple of days.

Are you saltwater soaking? I find if I do that then run an orange stick under the cuticle, freeing it from the nail, then it starts to ooze.

I’m old enough to remember using very effective bread poultice remedies. I had a google there to see if it was still recognised as an effective remedy and up popped the recipe. Here it is.
https://www.food.com/recipe/bread-poultice-271964

As a hardcore nail biter I get these regularly. I've just looked at the NHS page and it says its caused by the same herpes virus that causes cold sores.

I did not realise that at all. Everyday is a school day!

I had one for a while that was agony and finally got rid of it last week. No amount of soaking and needle sticking worked. I put savlon and a plaster on it and it disappeared overnight. Good luck OP!

They are super painful aren't they - have you tried aciclovir cream on it? You can get the little tubes used for cold sores. Sometimes it helps a bit

If no improvement or worsens, then try and get some flucloxicilin from your gp

Awww my mum was a massive fan of bread poultices for just about everything. Very little she didn’t believe couldn’t be cured by that or gargling TCP.