What to do if your finger breaks out near the nail?
Children and adults experience abscesses on the fingers near the nail . Hands come into contact with water and different things every day. The skin on the hands is thickened, and the fingers on the outer phalanges are protected by dense nail plates. But it is very difficult to completely eliminate injury to the skin of the hands.
Pathogenic microbes easily enter the skin through small, unnoticeable scratches. After some time, a certain area becomes inflamed and suppuration appears.
You should not ignore such a problem as an abscess on your finger near the nail; folk remedies will tell you what to do.
There are many proven recipes that will help you quickly eliminate this disease at home..
Causes and symptoms of an abscess on the finger near the nail
An acute inflammatory process on the finger near the nail is medically called paronychia.
If a person has a weak immune system, then when the skin is damaged, staphylococci, fungi, and streptococci enter the tissues of the fingers. They cause a purulent inflammatory process.
- fungal diseases on the fingernails;
- unsuccessful manicure;
- cuts near the nail fold;
- poor circulation inside the veins;
- ingrown nail;
- consequences of diabetes.
Whatever the cause of paronychia, it will be characterized by the following symptoms:
Redness of the skin on the problem finger.
Unexpressed pain during the formation of edema.
Detection of pus in the affected area.
Gradual increase in edema and phalanx.
Increasing pain of a pulsating nature.
Limitation of finger movement, sensation of warmth around it.
Deterioration in health: fatigue, headache, increased body temperature.
Diagnosing paronychia is not difficult at all, even for those who do not have deep knowledge in the field of medicine . Signs of an abscess on the phalanx appear quite clearly. And it’s difficult to confuse an abscess with something else; it matures intensively.
In some cases, when contacting a specialist, an x-ray of the limb may be prescribed. This will make it possible to identify the severity of the disease and the possibility of complications.
An abscess in its advanced form is very dangerous . The finger may completely or partially lose its function if the purulent inflammatory process spreads to the tendons, bone tissue, or joint of the finger. In severe cases, the hand and forearm may be affected.
If you have diabetes, the following complications may occur:
Sepsis is a very dangerous condition; without qualified timely assistance it can lead to death.
Phlegmon of the hand is an acute purulent inflammation of the cellular tissue of the hand.
Tenosynovitis is a purulent inflammatory process in the tendons. This condition causes long-term loss of movement in the affected finger.
Osteomyelitis - this complication causes damage to bone tissue by pus. If surgical intervention is not done in a timely manner, complete amputation of the finger may be necessary.
Paronychia. Inflammation of the skin around the nail
Types of abscess on the finger
Abscesses at the nail plate are of the following types:
- Subungual . Appears as a consequence of a splinter or the habit of biting nails. Pus appears directly under the nail plate and is visible right through. This is accompanied by redness of the phalanx and throbbing pain. After a few days, a breakthrough of pus occurs, after which the nail may peel off.
- Near the nail . Most often it appears if a hangnail is torn off or due to other mechanical damage near the nail fold. The infection can penetrate deeply, causing inflammation of the nail plate and the fold around it. In this case, serious complications are possible. In mild forms of paronychia, the nail plate is not affected. Only the epidermis is affected by the abscess. This type of disease is accompanied by pain, redness, and the formation of purulent balls under the skin, which are visually noticeable.
First aid for an abscess near the nail
To avoid complications, you need to know if your finger breaks out, what you can do at home, and what is strictly prohibited. This will help normalize the situation.
First aid rules are as follows:
- You cannot puncture a purulent bladder . Most likely, it will not be possible to completely get rid of pus and there will be no positive effect. In addition, this procedure is quite dangerous. If the needle penetrates deeply, it can cause blood poisoning, which will spread the infection throughout the body.
- Warm baths will have a positive effect . This is the first thing you should do at home. For the procedure you need to use substances that have anti-inflammatory properties. Among them are salt, soap or chamomile decoction. You need to dip your finger in this bath several times a day. This will reduce the risk of complications and alleviate the condition. After using the bath, pat the limb dry with a towel.
- At the second stage, it is recommended to make a compress from onion or aloe . If after three days self-treatment does not produce results, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. In this case, purulent inflammation can spread to deeper tissues.
How to get rid of paronychia at home
The method of treating paronychia directly depends on the period of development of the disease . Traditional medicine has many effective recipes that can help prevent the development of the disease.
But such treatments are used for general cases of the disease and may not be suitable for individual manifestations. Experts recommend their use only in the initial stages of development.
The most popular traditional medicine recipes if a hangnail breaks out on your finger:
- Baked onions and laundry soap . This remedy is affordable and works well to draw out pus from an abscess. To prepare, you need to bake one onion, then mash it. Grate the laundry soap and mix the ingredients in equal proportions. Place the mixture on gauze and wrap around the sore spot. Change the dressing every 4 hours.
- Vegetable mush . Grate carrots, beets and onions in equal quantities and mix. Add a few drops of aloe to this mixture, place on gauze and make a compress. The product relieves pain well, eliminates swelling and suppuration.
- Bath with iodine and salt . It should be used immediately after the first symptoms are detected. To prepare, add 10 drops of iodine, a tablespoon of soda and a tablespoon of salt to a glass of warm water. Keep the affected finger in this composition for at least 20 minutes. This will soften the skin, which helps the pus to quickly drain out.
- Coltsfoot or plantain leaf plants . They are quite easy to find in nature. They provide emergency assistance for inflammation of the skin around the nail. You can simply wrap a plant leaf around the affected area or make a paste, apply it to gauze and bandage it.
- Agave . To use, cut a thick leaf of the plant and wrap it around the swollen area. Perfectly draws out pus, relieves inflammation and prevents the spread of infection.
- Baby soap . You need to soap a piece of cotton wool with baby soap and apply it to the affected area, cover it with a band-aid and leave it overnight. By morning the pain will subside and pus will begin to come out. Several procedures will relieve all symptoms of an unadvanced disease.
- Flour and honey . Use the ingredients to make a flatbread. You will need 50 grams of honey and 50 grams of grated laundry soap, put in a bowl and put in a water bath. Heat and stir until smooth, then add flour. The result will be dough, from which you need to make a flat cake and apply it to the site of the abscess. Honey has the ability to quickly deliver healing substances to the source of the disease.
- Ointment based on onions, honey, soap and pine resin . To prepare, you will need 50 grams of grated laundry soap, a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a tablespoon of honey. Add 150 grams of boiling water to this mixture, stir and boil for 3 minutes. Then add 1 church candle without filter. Mix everything thoroughly and apply to the abscess. The product perfectly eliminates ulcers.
- Ointment made from oleoresin and onions . You need to take a tablespoon of unrefined vegetable oil, pork fat and oleoresin. Mix the ingredients, add 1 tablespoon of wax and 1 onion, pre-cut into circles. Place everything in a frying pan and heat, avoiding burning. When the onion dries, add a tablespoon of oil. Strain and refrigerate. The result is an ointment that can be stored for several years. It draws out pus well and eliminates pain.
- If your finger breaks out after a manicure, baths with chamomile, calendula and string will help a lot . You should prepare tinctures from a combination of herbs or use one type of plant. Then dip the affected finger in this solution and hold for at least 20 minutes. After three hours, repeat the procedure.
- You can cure abscesses with indoor ficus . You need to take two sheets, put one through a meat grinder, and put the other in boiling water. Then remove and place the mush on top of the hot sheet. Apply to the abscess, secure with a bandage and leave overnight. Carry out the procedure until the symptoms disappear completely.
- Hare cabbage . You need to take a leaf of the plant and mash until the juice releases. In this form, apply it to the sore spot. It draws out pus well and speeds up the wound healing process.
- Garlic compress . At the initial stage of the abscess, you need to cut off a piece of garlic and apply it to the sore spot. If the abscess is advanced, then you need to grate the garlic, put it on plastic and wrap it with a bandage.
- Raw potatoes will help with boils . To prepare, you need to grate raw potatoes, apply to the affected area and bandage. The pain will subside instantly, and after a few procedures the wound will be completely cleansed.
- Nettle tincture is suitable for treating any wounds , including abscesses. To prepare, you need to pick young nettles in May and fill a container with them. Pour vodka over everything and leave for two weeks in a sunny place. Then moisten the gauze in this tincture, apply it to the sore spot, and wrap it with polyethylene on top. By morning the abscess will burst.
- White Lily . Garden white lily is considered a strong antibiotic. It is popularly used in the treatment of abscesses. To prepare the tincture, you need to fill a third of the bottle with the plant and fill it to the top with vodka. Leave for a month and use as compresses.
Treatment with folk remedies may have its contraindications. It is better to consult a doctor before use.
Treatment of paronychia in children
In children, an abscess on the finger near the nail is quite common . Provoking factors may be failure to comply with hygiene rules and improper cutting of nails. When the baby’s first symptoms appear, it is better to immediately show the child to the doctor.
Treatment with folk remedies can only be used after consultation with the doctor. The same traditional medicine recipes are used for children as for adults.
They are used in a milder form:
- Using baths . Add a few drops of iodine and sea salt to warm water. Place your baby's finger in the bath and hold for 5 minutes. It is recommended to do this procedure six times a day.
- At night, you can make a paste of raw onion and tape it to the affected area.
- To relieve pain, in between baths you can lubricate your finger with Levomekol ointment .
- Vishnevsky ointment has proven itself well , which can be purchased at a pharmacy and used at home. It needs to be applied to the skin, a bandage should be applied on top and a bandage should be made. The product removes harmful microbes from the sore spot, actively accelerates the maturation of the abscess, after which pus flows out of the wound. It is recommended to do this procedure before going to bed, remove the bandage in the morning and lubricate the finger with an alcohol solution.
Prevention of abscesses on the finger near the nail
To avoid abscesses around the fingers, preventive measures must be taken. To prevent an abscess from appearing, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- When performing work that may injure your fingers, you should always wear gloves.
- Splinters must be removed completely and the wound treated with an antiseptic.
- If you have frequent contact with water, it is better to carry out work with gloves.
- After wet cleaning or washing dishes, dry your hands well with a towel and apply cream.
- Nails should be trimmed carefully, and when removing the cuticle, any wound should be treated with an antiseptic.
- Don't bite your nails.
If you know how to treat a finger when it breaks inside and swells, you can quickly and effectively eliminate all unpleasant symptoms. There are many simple and affordable traditional medicine recipes against abscesses on the finger around the nail.
In severe cases, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. This will make it possible to avoid complications.