A Common Injury Called The Black Toenail

By Alannah Jevons


Experiencing a black toenail can be a big inconvenience because it can prevent a person from walking properly. It can happen to any person but athletes are the ones who are more susceptible to it. Although it is definitely not fatal, it can be if it is not treated. If it is unattended, the toe might need to be amputated.

Having a dark nail simply means that the blood in the area of the toe is not moving properly anymore. This could be because of too much pressure on the toe due to an outside factor or a growing fungus. Now the most common reason for this clotting is tight shoes because of the constriction of the blood in the foot.

Athletes are very prone to blood clotting because of the excess pressure that they put on their feet. When their toes brush hard against their sneakers when they make fast leg movements, it sometimes presses too hard and cause circulation problems. Of course another cause would be when something heavy would fall down on the toe of a person. This not only causes a clot but also a bruise and a wound.

Another common cause of a tainted toenail would actually be the growth of fungi. Usually, fungus would thrive in the skin right under the nail. When this happens, the blood circulation is disrupted and would cause a lot of pain and even sometimes infections.

Usually these discolorations will go away with time as long as they are not touched or aggravated. When the nail grows, the black part will also grow along with it and eventually disappear. However, if the pain is too much to handle, then an ice pack may be of use to reduce the swelling. Foot baths with warm water and Epsom salts can do wonders as well.

As for infections because of fungus, an anti fungal medicine will do. If one does not like to use drugs, then using mouthwash may be used as an alternative. This is because it contains ingredients that are known to kill most types of fungus. When it becomes too much to handle, then the best thing would be to visit a doctor.

Prevention is definitely better than cure so it is important to take note of what can cause a black toenail. Always wear comfortable footwear, do not let anything fall on the toe, and observe proper foot hygiene. Now if the problem still does occur, then one may use some of the home remedies stated above.




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