Toenails
I ran a marathon a few weeks ago and my big toenail on my right food is destroyed. Before the marathon is was already looking funny and then after it turned black and very painful. I heated up a paperclip and burned through the nail and then some blood and other liquid oozed out and it felt much better.
I have been putting neosporin on it and keeping it wrapped but it still hurts. I feel like the whole nail is lifting up, I can see the ointment move around all under then nail if I push on it. Should I try to pull the nail out with pliers? Should I go to a podiatrist? Should I just leave it be?
Running is a bit uncomfortable because of this problem and I just want to take care of it. Thanks!
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In the past when I have had a nail go black like that (BTW, great picture of it!), the nail is basically dead. I will usually just take it off once it is dead enough that it won't hurt much. After a while the new nail grows in. I am no doctor and have never asked one about this, so take this with two or three grains full of salt. My toes are pretty beat up, so I am not also very worried about how it grows back, just as long as it doesn't lead to other issues. I am curious what others have to say, but that is how I have treated this in the past.
I repeatedly lose toenails in this general way. If you are lucky, over a few days, the blistering will "spread" under the whole nail. You'll not need to poke through the nail with a hot paper clip to drain...but instead can just go through the very thin layer of flesh as if you were going to torture someone by putting needles under/parallel to the nails. Draining daily will keep the discomfort down, and after about a week, the nail should start to obviously dislodge. I can usually pull them off with my fingers after they separate at the top. You may need a pair of scissors to trim a bit of flesh that sticks to the nail on the side. Usually it will pull cleanly out from the bed. This all sounds a bit gruesome, but it's not that big a deal, actually.
Once the bed is exposed, it's only raw for about a day. After that it slowly heals up more or less completely in a few days and you have a large fraction of a year where this won't happen again until the big nail grows most of the way in again. :-)
Peter,
Congrats - you joined both the Marathon and Toenail Clubs in the same week. William describes exactly what I've personally seen through the years: (1) it will fall off (don't even think that there's a remote possibility of saving it); (2) it will grow back, and (3) it won't be a big deal at all. The pain is all front-loaded.
Mike
Yeah, Peter, this won;t be your last. At any given time, I usually have 2-4 nails undergoing some part of the process, coming or going. What I do is a lot like what Jenks describes. I routinely take a sharp needle to races (stand alone marathon or IMs) with me. If I get a blood blister under my nail, then I jab the needle under the nail, allow it to drain, and repeat as needed over the next few days. This helps with the acute pain. Then I ignore it until it starts to get loose, usually noticed while swimming. I yank the sucker off, and marvel at the little crescent baby nail starting to grow underneath.
After a lot of observation, I've come to the conclusion this is caused by 3 hours or so of hyperextension of the distal toe joint (over 15,000 times being subjected to forces > 3-5 x my body weight), causing the butt end of the nail (the part where it grows out of the toe) to be repeatedly jammed into its base, breaking tiny capillaries and leading to bleeding in the nail bed. IMO its NOT due to abrasion or too short/tight of a shoe.
I think we ought to start believing in the Toenail Fairy: Put the old nail under your pillow, and she leaves you a new pair of running shoes.
Personally, I would trim the end part that has lifted up enough to get a pair of clippers/scissors under it, to avoid having it snag on something and then rip the whole nail off too early....that might smart a little! That's what I have done with mine....progressive trimming every few days until the whole thing is gone.
But, this does not allow for the toenail fairy approach!
At least you don't have to worry about what color toenail polish will work on it. But I *am* making an assumption, there.