View Full Version : This little piggy
Sierra Echo
06-15-2010, 23:14
Actually, its my big piggy to be more specific.
I hike for about 7 hours on blood mountain Sunday afternoon.
Towards the end of the hike, I kept getting pains in the end of my big toe when I was climbing down the rocks while headed back to the Byron Hurbert Reese Trail. I figured maybe I was getting an ingrown toenail, no big deal. When I got home I took off my sock (half expecting to see the nail hanging off) I trimmed it down. Well, yesterday and today, it has hurt. So since I have a high tolerance for pain I cut it wayyy down and a lot of fluid started coming out from under my toenail. So I got the fingernail polish remover out and took of my black toenail polish. My nail is WHITE. not clear, but WHITE. It looks gross. Do I need to go see if I can pop the nail off? Anyone else ever had this happen? :eek:
Thanks in advance.
It sounds like the nail will pop of on its own accord in a few weeks.
Your tolerance for pain is too high. Your shoes do not fit.
avalonmorn
06-21-2010, 09:44
Try Tea Tree oil to help it heal. Good luck!
beartripper
06-21-2010, 10:20
Sounds like you may have a case of black toe. I had this to happen to me last year.
If only I would have retied my shoes correctly for going down the mountain. It was two miles to go and I thought I could make it without stopping. This happened on my long toe and it has taken almost eight months for the toe nail to grow back out.
I also had fluid comming out of my toe. Wish you luck.
try trimming your toenails way back before you go hiking. It took a year for my toenail to fall off. Had nothing to do with how my boots fit and everything to do with a long toenail.
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 17:36
It sounds like the nail will pop of on its own accord in a few weeks.
Your tolerance for pain is too high. Your shoes do not fit.
You are right! I ended up taking my boots up to Mountain Crossing at Neel's Gap and she said there were too tight. I was surprised, I figured they were two long. I usually wear about a 8.5, those boots were 9 and I ended up with a 9.5. Go figure. The woman said that most women wear there boots too tight. My new ones feel good and cushy!
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 17:36
Try Tea Tree oil to help it heal. Good luck!
I will give that a try. I have been using triple antibotic ointment on it. I was also on antibotics that the Dr. gave me. Thank you :)
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 17:38
Sounds like you may have a case of black toe. I had this to happen to me last year.
If only I would have retied my shoes correctly for going down the mountain. It was two miles to go and I thought I could make it without stopping. This happened on my long toe and it has taken almost eight months for the toe nail to grow back out.
I also had fluid comming out of my toe. Wish you luck.
I wish my toenail would go ahead and fall off. My the nail still hasnt turned black. Its now a gray color. The cuticles around my toe turned black with bruising. The Dr. said that my nail was still attached to the nail bed and then when my nail started growing it would be yellow because of the damage to the nail bed. The fluid is down to a few drops. Which I guess is good cause it started as a puddle. My toe itches somwhere under the nail. Bad.
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 17:41
try trimming your toenails way back before you go hiking. It took a year for my toenail to fall off. Had nothing to do with how my boots fit and everything to do with a long toenail.
I plan to start doing that. I didn't think my nail was that long but the Dr said the damage was from it repeatedly hitting the toe of the boot cause the boot didn't fit.
To be honest, I never really gave it any thought. I didn't realize fluid could come out from under nails, etc. It has really opened my eyes up to all kinds of new possiblites. I will tell you this, I'm never gonna screw around when it comes to my feet again!
beartripper
06-21-2010, 18:24
Maybe by getting the fluids out the pressure will not be as bad. Your Doctor is right the toe nail will turn yellow and as new growth pushes the yellow nail out you can trim it off with the length of your other toe nails. The problem with mine happened in
November of 2009 and only in the last month has my toe looked normal.
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 18:25
So my toenail won't always be yellow?
I figured this was gonna be a lifetime achievement award!
My new nail is growing back good as new. Yours should too.
Hikerhead
06-21-2010, 19:55
When buying boots always make sure that you can slide a finger between your foot and the back of the boot, no matter what size you buy. That assures that you have room in the front of the boot and will end the black toe disease, and trim those toe nails.
Sierra Echo
06-21-2010, 21:08
When buying boots always make sure that you can slide a finger between your foot and the back of the boot, no matter what size you buy. That assures that you have room in the front of the boot and will end the black toe disease, and trim those toe nails.
The woman at Mountain Crossing taught me about the finger in the back of the boot trick. When I got my other pair, I was on my own at REI. I will never go back there for boots!!
All my toenails are super trimmed down now!!!
So I'm reading "This little piggy" and my mind wanders to bacon wrapped scallops................oh, the thought!
Sierra Echo
06-22-2010, 07:04
EEEKK!!! my piggies are vegetarians!
TIDE-HSV
06-24-2010, 23:58
Don't get too aggressive in trimming off the dead nail. Frequently it's attached on one side or the other, and, if you get in too much of a hurry detaching it, you will draw blood again and have another sore to take care of. I always just trimmed the nail remnant as closely as I could without drawing blood. For over 20 years, I spent a good part of the winter in the Rockies, doing downhill. Downhill ski boots work best sized really tight. On top of that, I have frostbite damage to the nail bed on both big toes. Losing at least one nail each spring was pretty much routine. It's best just to let nature take its course...
Sierra Echo
06-25-2010, 00:53
I'm pretty much leaving it alone right now. Every other night i see if i can trim a little off the top. If I can't I just leave it alone. I walked about 5 miles today for the first time since hurting my toe. I think I did good. It feels a little swollen but nothing major.
Do you have feeling in your toes where you had frostbite?
TIDE-HSV
06-25-2010, 01:03
When the old nail wasn't ready to turn loose, I finally learned just to take a turn of tape around it to keep it from hurting from moving around while hiking. But, yes, sensation is diminished in both toes, but it's not totally absent. My right middle finger is damaged also. The nail is misshapen. In a cool room, all the damaged digits feel like ice. The circulation is damaged as well as the nervous system...
Sierra Echo
06-25-2010, 07:11
You are lucky to still have your toes and middle finger!
I thought when you got frostbite they had to amputate.
Of course, I could be wrong. We don't see many cases of frostbite
in Georgia! ;)
TIDE-HSV
06-25-2010, 10:54
There are all degrees of frostbite, from frost "nip," which doesn't usually leave residual damage to frozen solid. I've had that on my ears and on one cheek. Frozen solid usually does lead to amputation, although there have been some notable exceptions. My injury was sort of in the middle - enough to leave residual nerve and circulatory damage, but not frozen solid and "killed." I'm sure I would have noticed if I'd lost a digit... :D
Sierra Echo
06-26-2010, 19:57
I'm glad all your body parts are still there!
My Dad lost half of a finger in an industrial accident. He says his finger tip itches a lot. Problem is, it isn't there! :eek:
Sierra Echo
08-19-2010, 23:07
My toenail fell off tonight! should i wra[ my toe in a bandage tomorrow before going to work or should i leave it alone?
TIDE-HSV
08-19-2010, 23:52
My toenail fell off tonight! should i wra[ my toe in a bandage tomorrow before going to work or should i leave it alone?
No reason to do anything, unless it's sensitive and needs protection, in which case you can put a Band-aid around it. If it left any raw spot where it finally detached, put antibiotic on it. My favorite pair of ski boots were too tight in the toe box. I routinely lost my big toenails every spring for many years...
Sierra Echo
08-20-2010, 00:05
No reason to do anything, unless it's sensitive and needs protection, in which case you can put a Band-aid around it. If it left any raw spot where it finally detached, put antibiotic on it. My favorite pair of ski boots were too tight in the toe box. I routinely lost my big toenails every spring for many years...
It left a few raw spots. It bubbled in places when I poured peroxide on it.
I'm on oral antibotics right now but I will put some cream on it tomorrow when I put the bandaid on. My feet get sweaty at work. Thanks for the advice.
I doesnt sound like your favorite boots liked you very much! :eek:
TIDE-HSV
08-20-2010, 00:10
It left a few raw spots. It bubbled in places when I poured peroxide on it.
I'm on oral antibotics right now but I will put some cream on it tomorrow when I put the bandaid on. My feet get sweaty at work. Thanks for the advice.
I doesnt sound like your favorite boots liked you very much! :eek:
The very latest studies show that peroxide and alcohol actually do more damage than good. Just a topical antibiotic will help. Also, if the areas will admit of placing an airtight/watertight bandage like Compeed, that will help speed healing...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22FITNESS.html
Sierra Echo
08-20-2010, 06:37
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22FITNESS.html
That was an interesting article. Although I must say, I can't imagine going willingly to the dr to get acide poured on my toenails!
TIDE-HSV
08-20-2010, 08:12
I had an orthopedist suggest it to me. Aside from the skiing, I was heavily into running at the time also. He also had removed some women's nails who had bad nail fungus. (This was before it was curable - and it's still not curable for some.) In order to avoid the mottled look, some of them had had red nails tattooed where the nails were missing...
Doc Mike
08-20-2010, 11:11
Now that you have good boots the problem should be resolved. the best thing if it is bothering you at all is soaking in warm epsum salt solution. I have removed multiple nails in my practice some permanetly others just to relieve pain from ingrown or smashed nails. about 6 months to grow a new toenail and usually comes in normally.
Sierra Echo
08-20-2010, 16:40
I had an orthopedist suggest it to me. Aside from the skiing, I was heavily into running at the time also. He also had removed some women's nails who had bad nail fungus. (This was before it was curable - and it's still not curable for some.) In order to avoid the mottled look, some of them had had red nails tattooed where the nails were missing...
My aunt had her two big toe nails removed. They had almost folded in half from years of wearing high heels.
I'm all for tattooing toes, but I don't think with red nails. You can get fake toesnails now.
Sierra Echo
08-20-2010, 16:42
Now that you have good boots the problem should be resolved. the best thing if it is bothering you at all is soaking in warm epsum salt solution. I have removed multiple nails in my practice some permanetly others just to relieve pain from ingrown or smashed nails. about 6 months to grow a new toenail and usually comes in normally.
It really isn't bothering me, but I'm waiting to drop something on it. It will happen~! :rolleyes:
I took my shoe off today and got a good look at it the sunlight. There is a small layer still left. Its not quite half the toe. its like 1/4 ply out of a 4 ply nail! LOL