Fingernail Pain

Nails are a cosmetic possession for all humans. But they remain the most ignored part of our body. The only time they get our complete attention is when they need to be manicured or when they have been subjected to some external injury. Only when pain or discomfort in the fingernail is felt, do we realize that it hurts too! Apparently, our nails are also made up of a protein known as keratin which contains fat and water. Although, nails are non organic by nature, they too are susceptible to diseases and injuries which can aggravate to infections, if not treated on time. Even while we get treated for various ailments, one of the parameters that is checked for is the color and texture. The color of the nails is usually pink and the texture is smooth. Hence, doctors always have a glance at the fingernails before they proceed with further examination.

Causative Factors
There can be multiple causes for fingernail pain which can include the infections caused by bacteria, viruses or even fungus. Let's study the causes.

• Paronychia: This infection is a bacterial/fungal induced infection. The prominent symptoms felt on the onset of this infection are swelling of nail folds, followed by a redness. People who have their hands in water for prolonged period of time are more susceptible to this problem.
• Pseudomonas: This is a bacterial infection which affects the region between nail plate and nail bed. The first symptom observed is discoloration of the nail. If the symptom is ignored, the nail plate will tend to lift from the nail bed and cause stinging nail pain.
• Herpetic Whitlow: This infection starts off with a burning sensation on fingertip. The lymph nodes near the fingertip may swell and cause pain in the infected area. If the symptoms persist for a longer time, the person may experience a low-grade fever.
• Cellulitis: Cellulitis is one of the causes of pain and discomfort in the nails. This bacterial infection causes an inflammation on the connective tissue in the dermal and subcutaneous layers of skin under finger nails. The infected area is usually warm and causes pain. This can also lead to restricting free movement of fingers.
• Felon: A constantly paining nail tip could be caused by this infection. The infected area swells with accumulation of pus, causing more pain.
• Onychogryposis: Due to some external injury or trauma, the fingernail thickens and the nail plate curves inward, thereby pinching the nail bed. This is quite painful and is cured by surgical intervention.
• Onychomycosis: This is a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes and yeast. This fingernail fungus invades the edges and bases of the nails causing inflammation in the nail bed.

Apart from the above listed causes, anemia (severe iron deficiency), malnutrition and hereditary factors also cause fingernail pain.

Treatment Options
Anti fungal creams and lotions offer instant pain relief. Oral antibiotics like itraconazole, terbinafine and fluconazole are recommended if there is infection on the nail plate. Erythromycin or cephalexin are used for treating bacterial infections like paronychia. The best home remedy to treat a painful fingernail is to soak fingers in a bowl of lukewarm water with Epsom salt. The swelling will reduce considerably, also relieving the finger off the nail pain. Even apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can be used to mitigate the pain.

Infections and diseases attack when we don't care for ourselves! Hence, it is better to take some preventive measures and follow them to keep our nails healthy and free from fungal infections. Trimming nails regularly, using waterproof gloves when working in wet conditions and frequently washing hands with soap and drying them with fresh tissue papers are some simple tips which can be followed with ease on a daily basis. Good diet with enough protein and vitamin supplements, will help the body to combat any bacterial or fungal infections. Avoid nail-biting, as this is the easiest gateway for bacteria to manifest infections in finger nails.

Finger nails are constituted of dead cells. But any change in their color and texture indicates that there is an anomaly in the body (like jaundiced people have yellowish tinge on their finger nails). Hence nail care is important. Hope this article helped you in finding effective remedies for curing disorders of the nails. After all, who doesn't want healthy fingernails? So take care!