Painful Toe

[anna6]

Hi
The fourth toe on my left foot around the toe nail on the side nearest the fifth toe is very painful
I thought it was an ingrown toe nail but there is no redness or pus just pain - it feels very sensitive if anything touches it and so i am very limited what shoes i can wear
The toes on my left foot are quite wonky - the second toe is a hammer toe and the fourth toe that is giving me the pain bends round behind the middle toe quite badly. I had mortons neuromas removed from both my feet between the third and fourth toe last October and so the middle toe is now quite numb.
I have been to a chiropodist but she said it wasnt a 'conventional' ingrown toe nail - whatever that means - and said i would need to get the toe nail removed by a foot clinic for which i am now waiting an appointment but its taking forever and its really starting to irritate now cos it stings constantly
Any advice on what might be causing this? Could this be an ingrown nail even though there is no pus or redness? Is it possible to have a corn under the nail perhaps from the pressue this toe takes cos it bends round behind the middle one?
Please help
Thanks

[anna6]

Thankyou

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

All ingrown toe nails may not present with tenderness and/ or pus, thought it would be better to confirm a diagnosis with a doctor before initiating treatment. Other possibilities include infections, inflammations, growths/ masses, injuries, neural/ vascular related issues etc. Without an evaluation it would be difficult to point out a single cause. It would be best to get this evaluated by a primary care physician for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.
Hope this helps

Take care!