Paronychia of the finger on the hand: treatment, prevention
Paronychia is an inflammation of the nail ridges and tissues around the nail. Symptoms of the disease: hyperemia of the skin, pain, swelling, local increase in temperature, presence of pus, gradual thickening and discoloration of the nail plate. In chronic cases, paronychia can cause a change in the shape or loss of the nail and aesthetic problems.
Risk factors
Acute paronychia is caused by bacteria (most often staphylococci and streptococci), less often by pathogenic fungi. The cause of chronic paronychia is usually a yeast (Candida) or bacterial infection.
Causes of paronychia:
- injury of the cuticle and other tissues around the nail, for example, with the habit of tearing off or biting off burrs, pricking with a needle or pin, careless manicure or pedicure;
- fungal infections of the skin or nails;
- regular exposure to hot water and detergents (hand washing, dishwashing);
- contact with some chemicals, for example, antiseptics. It has been proven that the use of the anti-acne drug "isotretinoin" causes the development of paronychia in patients;
- tight, uncomfortable shoes can be the cause of paronychia of the toe.
In patients with diabetes and some autoimmune diseases, as well as in patients taking immunosuppressants, paronychia occurs more often.
There is a distinction between acute and chronic paronychia. The acute process is usually caused by trauma to the tissues around the nail and begins with redness, swelling, and pain. Chronic paronychia is an inflammation of the nail beds lasting more than six weeks. This form is more common in people whose hands or feet (due to the specifics of the profession) are constantly wet or often come into contact with aggressive chemicals (mild alkalis, acids, etc.). In chronic paronychia, the cuticle separates from the nail plate, leaving an open area vulnerable to infection.
Paronychia of the finger: treatment
Treatment of acute paronychia without pus is carried out by conservative methods. Antimycotic (antifungal) drugs are prescribed for chronic paronychia. In case of ineffective local therapy, oral antifungal agents are recommended.
Paronychia of the finger on the hand - treatment:
- rest of the finger;
- moist compresses;
- warm baths;
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- antibacterial therapy (broad-spectrum antibiotics or fluoroquinolones).
If treatment with conservative methods did not give results for paronychia of the finger and the inflammatory process has progressed to the purulent stage, the abscess is opened and drained.
Prevention of paronychia:
- hands and feet should be dry and clean;
- if your hands are regularly exposed to water or aggressive chemicals, you should use rubber gloves lined with absorbent cotton fabric;
- it is necessary to carefully process the nail and the tissues around it during manicure and pedicure;
- it is desirable to avoid traumatic removal of the cuticle. It is better to use emollients and carefully push it away;
- you should get rid of the habit of biting your nails and the skin around them;
- in the presence of diabetes, control the level of sugar in the blood.
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Surgical treatment of paronychia
Two phases of the inflammatory process are distinguished - serous-infiltrative and purulent. The first period is very short, surgeons most often come across a purulent form of paronychia. The inflammatory process in superficial paronychia is localized in the thickness of the fold around the nail plate. If the abscess forms under the fold of the roller closer to the edge of the base of the nail plate, then we are talking about deep paronychia. In this case, pus concentrates under the defective part of the nail plate, that is, paronychia is complicated by subungual panaritium. With natural development, the purulent center can independently open outward near the side of the nail plate.
Surgical treatment of paronychia is carried out in the presence of purulent inflammation. Abscess dissection is performed under local anesthesia. If suppuration is localized under the nail plate, a part of the nail is removed. In the case of exfoliation of the nail plate, it is removed completely. The wound is drained, treated with antiseptics, and a bandage is applied. Dressings are performed daily until the wound heals.
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