Nail Bed Injuries Are a Painful Problem for Many

Like your fingernails, your toenails are made of three distinct parts:

• The nail plate is the hard part of the nail. It’s the part that you’re most likely to think of when you think of a toenail.

• The nail matrix is the tissue under the nail plate. It contains blood vessels and nerves and is the source of the nail’s growth.

• The nail bed is the soft tissue between the nail plate and the bone. Like the matrix, it is essential to nail growth.

Unfortunately, the soft nail bed is vulnerable. The nail bed can be sandwiched between the hard nail above it and the hard bone below. These injuries are often caused by sports, dropping something on the foot, or as the result of another accident. They are not usually dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable.

Nail bed injuries are characterized by swelling and bruising. Bleeding can occur. Severe injuries might involve cutting or tearing of nearby skin, loss of the nail, or a break in the bone of the toe.

Patients often come to Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A. with nail bed injuries. Dr. James M. McKee examines their foot, diagnoses the issue, and offers treatment as needed. Do not pull off or cut the nail after injury. If you think that you might have injured your nail bed, you should call your podiatrist right away. The sooner treatment begins, the sooner your injury will heal.

If you are concerned that you have hurt your nail bed, or if you have any other concerns about the health or well-being of your feet, ankles, or lower legs, the first thing to do is to schedule a visit with your podiatrist. He or she is a specialist with years of training and experience and is the best-qualified medical professional to help you. Call Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A. at 410-224-4448 or click here today.