Paronychia

Home care

Follow these guidelines when caring for yourself at home:

• Clean and soak the toe or finger. Do this 2 times a day for the first 3 days. To do so:

  • Soak your foot or hand in a tub of warm water for 5 minutes. Or hold your toe or finger under a faucet of warm running water for 5 minutes.

  • Clean any crust away with soap and water using a cotton swab.

  • Put antibiotic ointment on the infected area.

• Change the dressing daily or anytime it gets wet or dirty.

• If you were given antibiotics, take them as directed until they are all gone.

• If your infection is on a toe, wear comfortable shoes with a lot of toe room. You can also wear open-toed sandals while your toe heals.

• You may use over-the-counter medicine (acetaminophen or ibuprofen) to help with pain, unless another medicine was prescribed. If you have chronic liver or kidney disease, a stomach ulcer, or gastrointestinal bleeding, talk with your health care provider before using these medicines.

Prevention

To prevent paronychia:

• Don't cut, push back, or play with your cuticles. A healthy cuticle maintains a seal between your skin and nail and keeps out infection.

• Don't bite your nails.

• Don't suck on your thumbs or fingers.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your health care provider, or as advised.

When to get medical advice

Contact your health care provider or get medical care right away if you have:

• Redness, pain, or swelling of the finger or toe that gets worse.

• Trouble moving or bending the finger or toe.

• Red streaks in the skin leading away from the wound.

• Pus or fluid draining from the nail area.

• A fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as advised by your provider.