What Are the Signs of Paronychia?
Chances are, if you have paronychia, it will be easy to recognize. There will be
an area of skin around a nail that is painful and tender when you touch it. The area
probably will be red and swollen and feel warm. You may see a pus-filled blister.
If the paronychia has been there a long time, the nail may turn a different color.
It might not be its usual shape or might look as if it's coming away from the nail
bed.
What Should You Do?
If paronychia is mild and hasn't started to spread beyond the fingernail, you can
probably treat it at home. Soak the infected nail in warm water for 20 minutes a few
times a day. The infection will probably heal on its own in a few days.
If paronychia doesn't get better after a week or so, call your doctor. You'll
want to call a doctor right away if you have an abscess (a pus-filled area
in the skin or under the nail) or if it looks like the infection has spread
beyond the area of the nail.
If paronychia becomes severe and you don't see a doctor, infection can spread through
the finger or toe and move into the rest of the body. Luckily, this is very rare.
What Do Doctors Do?
Usually, a doctor or nurse practitioner will be able to diagnose paronychia just
by examining the infected area. In some cases, a doctor may take a pus sample to be
examined in a laboratory to determine what type of germ is causing the infection.
If you have diabetes, let your doctor know if you notice any signs of paronychia,
even if it seems mild.
Don't try to puncture or cut into an abscess yourself. Doing that can lead to a
more serious infection or other complications. The doctor may need to drain the abscess
and possibly prescribe antibiotic medications to treat the infection. Once an abscess
is treated, the finger or toe almost always heals very quickly.
If someone has fungal paronychia, a doctor may prescribe antifungal creams, lotions,
or other medicines.