Sore toe.

[Louis Balfour]

One of our children has a painful toe. Can anyone identify the problem? Whitlow perhaps?

Many thanks.

[Europa1]

Their toenail is appallingly cut.

Happy to help.

Oh and send the photo to your GP, not a bunch of internet randoms.

[sherman]

Get the garden shears and make to chop off the infected toe. Should put enough fear into the kid to stop them complaining until you can get them a docs appointment

[Louis Balfour]

Thanks for the helpful responses chaps.

Sadly our GP doesn't do email consultations and getting a face-to-face is like getting an audience with a world leader.

Edited by Louis Balfour on Monday 24th August 07:43

[williamp]

Looks like its infected. I bet a small needle to the area will release the pressure, and a lot of puss....not something I would do to a child, but I would take them to an nhs walk-in centre who would help.

[anonymous-user]

Treat with a warm flannel on the area for a while and some calpol and if it doesn’t go down, pop along to your local gp/ minor injuries/urgent treatment centre.

[WinstonWolf]

Try magnesium sulphate paste under a plaster for a couple of days, if it doesn't sort it it won't do any harm. Also known as 'drawing paste' as it pretty much draws anything out...

[MercedesClassic]

Poor kid, it's not nice having a sore toe. I'd never heard of Whitlow but looked it up and doubt it that.
I've had ingrowing toe nail before and that looks the same.
Only on left big toe too. For me I think it was tight shoes pressing the adjacent smaller toe into the side of the big one. Combined with warm damp skin which is easily broken.
The corner of that nail is very sharp and with weight on it will jag into the skin.

As mentioned pop to minors to get it assessed. Maybe after smooth off the sharp point with a file. Let the nail grow out and manage it accordingly.

If it gets worse it will require the side of the nail to be removed. I had this done was a bit gross but ultimately resolved it.

Let us know how it goes good luck.

[Louis Balfour]

WinstonWolf said:

Try magnesium sulphate paste under a plaster for a couple of days, if it doesn't sort it it won't do any harm. Also known as 'drawing paste' as it pretty much draws anything out...

This occurred to me. I used it to good effect once.

[popeyewhite]

Alternately run the toe under cold water until all feeling has gone (near enough anyway), then squeeze lump 'til it pops.

[BlackTails]

Infected ingrowing toenail.

have him sit his toe in a pot of warm concentrated saline solution for 30 mins twice a day. If you can find it, apply some antibiotic cream. And try to drain any cloudy pus daily (which will hurt, more than likely).

[Louis Balfour]

Bit of an update:

I put some Canesten on it last night. Today it is less red and less sore. I wonder if that indicates a fungal issue.

I ran him into the pharmacy and the pharmacist had no idea.

We'll give it a day more of Canesten and then reconsider I think.

[JapanRed]

Atypical athletes foot infection or ingrowing toe nail would be my top 2 differentials

[Louis Balfour]

JapanRed said:

Atypical athletes foot infection or ingrowing toe nail would be my top 2 differentials

If the former, it may explain why Canesten seems to have improved it perhaps?

[popeyewhite]

Louis Balfour said:

JapanRed said:

Atypical athletes foot infection or ingrowing toe nail would be my top 2 differentials

If the former, it may explain why Canesten seems to have improved it perhaps?

Doesn't look particularly like Athlete's Foot.

[knk]

Paronychia.
Bacterial infection of the lateral pulp space.
Usually needs incision and drainage under ring block (or sometimes not).
But if it is improving by itself and he remains systemically well may resolve without treatment.

[pharmvrs]

Most likely stage 1 of an ingrowing toenail.

As above soak the foot in warm salty water (saline).

Research the “cotton wool” method for ingrown toenails.

Either way get it inspected and treated as they can turn quite nasty (Infected) and painful.

[Lemming Train]

Also going with the ingrowing toenail diagnosis as I suffer from them myself and that looks like what mine do. It could be purely coincidental or completely unconnected, but I've found if I don't keep the end of my nail trimmed short it seems to cause the nail to grow sidewards into the skin, as illustrated in your pic. I keep them trimmed very short with only a slivver of white showing, but no shorter otherwise the skin gets rubbed and becomes a bit painful. That stops mine from growing sidewards.

Looks like you're cutting the nails when dry judging from the jagged edge. Cut them with nail clippers after 15 mins in the bath or same for a shower if you have the plug in to submerge your feet. The nail will be nice and soft and cut easily.

[Louis Balfour]

Lemming Train said:

Also going with the ingrowing toenail diagnosis as I suffer from them myself and that looks like what mine do. It could be purely coincidental or completely unconnected, but I've found if I don't keep the end of my nail trimmed short it seems to cause the nail to grow sidewards into the skin, as illustrated in your pic. I keep them trimmed very short with only a slivver of white showing, but no shorter otherwise the skin gets rubbed and becomes a bit painful. That stops mine from growing sidewards.

Looks like you're cutting the nails when dry judging from the jagged edge. Cut them with nail clippers after 15 mins in the bath or same for a shower if you have the plug in to submerge your feet. The nail will be nice and soft and cut easily.

His mother cuts his nails. With a spoon.

[Lemming Train]