Ingrown Fingernail

Our hands are very important because they play a big role in our daily life, and an infected finger can be a major hindrance. We use our hands and fingers all the time. They are very helpful to us.  That’s why it is important to have healthy hands and fingers. Sometimes, because of the types of work we do, we suffer from an infected finger.  However, it can also happen to everyone, so it is better to take good care of your hands. You can avoid an infected finger by knowing the causes of the problem. You should also know some basic guidelines on how to treat your infected finger. There are only limited home remedies because finger infections have the potential to become severe.

                                                         
The main cause of a finger infection is bacteria. Bacteria enters open tissue in your nail bed or around your nail. Finger sucking and nail biting could be reasons for having open tissue on your finger. The risk is increased with children who always suck their thumbs because their skin might crack, letting bacteria enter easily.

If you are suffering from diabetes or traumatic problems, the entry of bacteria through broken skin or even normal skin is even more possible. You have to be cautious if you have this kind of disease, because you are more prone to getting an infected finger.

Working in a laboratory or wearing gloves on the job could also lead to infection because of perspiration. This can cause bacteria if you don’t wash your hands and if you don’t remove the gloves every hour.

Some infections also develop because of human bites or animal bites. Make sure that you get shots if you are bitten by animals.

You can try some home remedies if the infected finger is not yet serious. Soak your hands in warm water and apply some garlic paste. You can also try to apply topical cream to kill fungus. Topical cream is available at any pharmacy. If you notice that there is no improvement, consult a doctor. Your doctor will give you antibiotic and he may ask you to stay under observation to ensure that the antibiotic reacts positively.

You should attend to this problem immediately because, if it remains untreated, it may lead to a disability or, worse, the loss of a finger.  It is better cure it as quickly as possible. If an infected finger is already severe, seek immediate medical treatment.

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There are a lot of conditions that can lead to an infected finger. Most are caused by untreated or mismanaged lesions on the finger itself. Poor hygienic habits may also contribute, as well as nail biting and improper nail trimming. A simple cut or wound can lead to an infection, so always keep your hands clean and properly trimmed. There a lot of ways to make your fingers healthy and strong. Since you used your hands almost all the time, it is but your advantage to keep them in good shape.

To understand fingernails better, you should be knowledgeable to its different parts first. The fingernail itself is called nail plate, it is the actual smooth surface seen. Under the nail plate is the nail bed. These two are adjacent because the blood vessels of the nail bed nourish the fingernail creating its pinkish color. One of the most important parts of the nail is its matrix which is not seen by the naked eye but plays a major role in the development of the nail. It is located under the cuticle at the base of the nail. Once it is damaged, it can lead to an abnormally shaped fingernail or sometimes, it even ceases the growth of the nail itself. Lunula is the part of the nail matrix which appears as crescent in shape at the bottom part of the nail. The fold of flesh composed mainly of dead skin cells is called the cuticle. It keeps foreign substances like fungus and bacteria out. Lastly, the skin that frames the nail is called nail fold

Fingernails develop from the base under the cuticle. They are composed of laminated layers of keratin. They appear like that because as the new cells grow, previous or old cells become intact and compacted pushing them out toward the fingertips. A healthy nail must be smooth in texture with no crinkles or furrows. The color is uniform and consistent without any discoloration or pigmentation. Nails can appear different as a result of a certain disease. It is imperative to seek medical assistance at once to prevent further complications. Some manifestations include nail pitting, white nails, curled or abnormally shaped nails, yellow discoloration, disjointing of the nail from the nail bed or skin which is termed as onycholysis, and peculiar grooves across the nail. It is very important to keep your fingernails healthy and strong. They are often neglected but they may result to an infected finger or worst, complications in the future requiring medical attention.

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Infected finger or injury to finger/fingers is a common problem. Infection can range from mild to potentially serious. Often these infections start out small and are relatively easy to treat. Failure to properly treat these infections can result in permanent disability or loss of the finger. Early recognition and proper treatment of the following main finger infections will help prevent most of the serious outcomes.

Causes

There are many causes of finger infections such as cuts, pet bites or exposure to toxic material. Their ultimate result is in the form of following disorders.

• Paronychia: It is an infection of the finger that involves the tissue at the edges of the fingernail. This infection is usually superficial and localized to the soft tissue and skin around the fingernail. This is the most common bacterial infection seen in the hand.

• Felon: It is an infection of the fingertip. This infection is located in the fingertip pad and soft tissue associated with it.

• Herpetic whitlow: It is an infection of the fingertip area caused by a virus. This is the most common viral infection of the hand. This infection is often misdiagnosed as a paronychia or felon.

• Cellulitis: It is a superficial infection of the skin and underlying tissue. It is usually on the surface and does not involve deeper structures of the hand or finger.

• Flexor tenosynovitis: It is an infection that involves the tendon sheaths responsible for flexing or closing the hand. This is also a type of deep space infection.

• Deep space infection: This is an infection of one or several deep structures of the hand or fingers, including the tendons, blood vessels, and muscles. Infection may involve one or more of these structures. A collar button abscess is such an infection when it is located in the web space of the fingers.

Finger Infection Treatment

Self-Care at Home

• Because finger infections have the potential to become severe, home care is limited. A very minor infection may be managed at home if you have no other complicating medical illness, such as diabetes. All of the other infections require urgent evaluation and treatment by a doctor. Because delay in treatment may result in disability or loss of the finger, you should not hesitate to obtain medical care.

• A small, simple infection may respond to frequent warm water soaks and elevation of the hand. However, if no improvement is noticed in 1-2 days, you should see your doctor at once.

Medical Treatment

The mandatory treatment for finger infections is giving suitable antibiotics to patient and proper bandage of the wounded area on the finger. The wound intensity varies in every case. So the treatment ranges from a simple bandage to an extensive surgery to clean up the contagious puss as much as possible.

The medical treatment prescribed for the above mention infections according to skin specialists is as:

• Paronychia: Occasionally the treatment is just the cleaning of the wounds. For any complication, the doctor might bandage the wound with a proper antiseptic

• Felon: Mostly incision is advised by the doctor which is the only solution for this type of infection

• Herpetic whitlow: Antiviral shortens the duration of illness. Pain killers often needed. The wound must be properly protected to prevent a secondary bacterial infection and to prevent you from infecting other sites on your body or other people

• Cellulitis: Contagious so proper treatment is most cases is given in hospital

• Flexor tenosynovitis: This is a surgical infection. Proper care is requires after the surgery to avoid bacterial re attack

• Deep space infections: This is also a surgical situation as in fluxor case

Prevention

Common sense safety practices will help prevent many of the finger wounds that become a problem. Simple things such as wearing protective work gloves may prevent injury. Wearing latex or vinyl gloves is mandatory if possible exposure to bodily fluids is expected. Avoid chewing on your nails, and wash your hands as needed. Seek early medical attention before an infection is present.

When to Seek Medical Care

The key to preventing disability and possible loss of the finger is early and appropriate treatment. If any signs and symptoms are present, you should contact your doctor at once.

If you have signs or symptoms of a felon, cellulitis, flexor tenosynovitis, or deep space infection, you should seek emergency care at once to avoid complications from an infected finger.

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Introduction

Infected finger is generally an infection on the tips or entire finger. Infection is usually not dangerous. It is a common occurrence when there is a cut or little scratch on the finger. However, early diagnosis and proper treatment reduces the chances of infection and further consequences. There are many types of finger infections based on their parent bacteria and originating locations.    

Causes

In majority of cases, the infection on a wounded finger is the activity of a virus. If the cut on a finger is not properly washed or bandaged, it provides an opportunity to the bacterial organisms to lay their eggs in the flesh. Consequently that area becomes infected and results into swelling of the finger.  Bad hygiene condition is the main cause of infection on finger or on any part of the body.

Symptoms

Each of the main finger infections has specific signs and symptoms that make identification unique and can sometimes cause confusion if not properly evaluated.

Some of the finger infections, their types and their corresponding bacteria are given below:

• Skin Necrosis

This is when the tissue in and around the infected area starts to die. This happens because there is not enough blood getting through to the tissue. The skin on your fingertip will appear much darker and may turn a purple or black color. This can lead to scarring of the fingertip.

• Septic Arthritis

The infection spreads to your finger joint. This can cause your finger joint to become painful and swollen.

• Tenosynovitis

This is when the infection spreads to the sheath that surrounds the tendons in your finger. It causes pain, swelling and tenderness around the affected area. It is the most serious complication of a finger pulp infection because the infection can keep on spreading through the sheath up the hand and arm.

• Compartment syndrome

The swelling compresses the nerves and blood vessels within your fingertip. This can lead to poor blood flow and nerve and muscle damage.

Complications

• People with less infection are given easy treatments than those who have severe infections.

• People with diabetes have to be given special treatment as their cuts and wounds have lesser chances to be healed quickly.

• People with blood vessel disorder also be treated differently.

Treatment

Self treatment at home

As finger infections have the possibility to become severe, so their treatment at home is very limited. A simple cut or infection can be easily cleaned at home unless the person is a diabetic. In that case and when the infected area is very large, immediate appointment with the doctor should be made to avoid further infection or finger loss as well.  A small, simple infection may peel off in frequent warm water soaks and elevation of the hand. However, if no improvement is noticed in 1-2 days, you should see your doctor at once.

Medical treatment

The basic treatment for finger infections is antibiotics and proper wound care. The proper wound care varies for each of the different infections. This can range from a simple cut and drainage of the wound to a general surgical examination of the wound to remove as much infected material as possible.

Some of the infections can be treated as an outpatient, but may require inpatient treatment and IV antibiotics. Because the organisms that cause these infections are similar, many of the same types of antibiotics may be used to provide healing of an infected finger.

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