<p>As in perhaps a toe fungal infection??(too gross to put that in the title!)</p>
<p>D15 was complaining about her big toe hurting and then she noticed if she pressed near the bottom of the nail there was a tiny bit of pus. I had her take off her nail polish on her toe and it is yellowed- sound like a toe fungus infection?? </p>
<p>I am having her soak her foot in warm soapy water, bought nail fungal liquid to apply. Keeping her foot open to air at home today. Any other suggestions or opinions???</p>
<p>Apple cider vinegar mixed with water does wonders for icky toe fungal infections. Add dried horsetail if you have it or have access to an herb shop.</p>
<p>It may be bacterial rather than fungal, and if it is, it may be difficult to get rid of. </p>
<p>Someone in my family had this problem twice. It had to be treated with both an oral prescription antibiotic and a topical antibiotic, and the toe needed to be soaked in water (twice a day for several weeks) to soften the skin before the topical antibiotic was applied. </p>
<p>The problem with infections in this location, the doctor said, is that circulation to the toes isn’t very good. That’s why problems in this area are hard to treat.</p>
<p>I think a doctor’s appointment is called for. Treating a fungal infection at home isn’t going to work if it isn’t a fungal infection. Given the presence of pus, I suspect that it isn’t.</p>
<p>If it has pus, you may want to have it checked out if it doesn’t go away. My daughter had a toe fungus and we used Miranel. All of the other brands didn’t work.</p>
<p>Umpteen years ago, I had an ingrown toenail which could have been described in almost the words you have used. The therapy was to soak the foot in water that was as hot as I could stand it for 20 minutes at least three times a day. No meds. No other treatment. It truly was like a “miracle cure”. I used a 13 x 9 aluminum cake pan to soak my foot.</p>
<p>You should take her to the doctor. It sounds like an ingrown toenail to me. My son had an ingrown toenail on his big toe. It was swollen and also oozed pus. It didn’t clear up on its own. His pediatrician put him on antibiotics to clear it up and he had to soak his foot in a basin of warm water with epsom salts. It happened twice so after the second time, we had to take him to the dermatologist who removed part of his toenail.</p>
<p>Agree with others that a podiatry appointment is in order. Needs diagnosis and treatment. All that swelling and activity under the nail can lift it, ultimately causing it to drop off or need to be removed if partially disconnected. Growing it back is a year long nuisance. I’d rather be pro-active early. </p>
<p>Always on a weekend…
Good luck to your daughter.</p>
<p>The presence of pus points more likely to a bacterial infection rather than fungal.
Soaking the toe in warm water is a good move in any case but if bacterial, a doctor visit and antibiotics are needed.</p>
<p>Toenail fungus does not hurt; it’s just unsightly. Her nail could be yellow because she was wearing polish. I agree with others that this sounds like an infected ingrown nail, and a visit to the podiatrist is in order.</p>
<p>If it turns out to be fungal, a mixture of bleach and water (50-50) works fast. I spray it on my fingernails and toenails whenever anything starts looking like it’s growing strangely. I’ve tried everything else over-the-counter and rx. Nothing works as fast. It sounds harsh but a couple of sprits from a spray bottle work wonders.</p>
<p>Pus indicates that it is a bacterial infection and needs to be seen by a Podiatrist.<br>
She should see one asap, but start treatment by soaking it thoroughly in hot H2O , get it as clean as possible, cover it in neomycin and wrap it in a sterile gauze bandaid until she can get to see the DR .
She may need to change the way she trims her toe nail in order to avoid ingrown nails in the future. This happened twice to my DS, until he finally understood that he could easily prevent this painful condition with a change in foot hygiene and toe nail care.</p>
<p>Sounds like an ingrown toe nail that has become infected. D had this problem a few years ago when wearing shoes a bit too small that pressed on her big toe. Very common problem in teenagers and young adults that can be diagnosed and treated by her primary care physician. No need to see a podiatrist at this point. Soak her foot in warm water and obviously avoid wearing tight fitting shoes.</p>
<p>I agree that her primary care physician can probably handle this and that seeing a podiatrist may not be necessary. That could save you some hassle if your insurance requires referrals. This is enough of a nuisance already.</p>