Inflammation Of The Nails: Features And Treatments

Claw inflammation is an inflammation of the skin around the fingernails and toenails. According to medical organizations, it can occur on cuticles and on the sides of the nail. A reddish, pus-filled blister that is tender when touched is a sign of inflammation.

All bacterial or fungal infections are associated with a risk (albeit small) of their spread to other tissues. For this reason, it is important to detect the infection in a timely manner and effectively treat it from underneath. Stay tuned to learn more about nail inflammation, its symptoms and its treatment.

Features of cuticle inflammation

As noted, cuticle inflammation is the result of an inflammatory process surrounding the nail that can touch the cuticle or other nail bed tissue. The infection can be classified differently depending on the medical criteria. We describe the classification methods below.

Causes

The pathogen that caused the infection determines how long the claw infection lasts and how severe it is. Official sources, such as the U.S. National Library of Medicine, report two types of nail inflammation according to their cause:

• Acute. This is a bacterial infection caused by streptococci, staphylococci and Pseudomonas bacteria. It occurs suddenly, does not last long, and is usually located on only one finger.
• Chronic. This is due to a fungus belonging to the genus Candida. It can affect more than one finger, as it takes longer to heal and may recur.

Strength

The above classification is useful from an epidemiological point of view because it allows you to know what to expect from a disease based on its cause. From a surgical point of view, however, it is necessary to classify nail fungus according to the severity of its symptoms. The above sources have made the following classification:

• First degree. When the bacteria have not yet penetrated deep, but there is a local purulent blister on the finger.
• Second degree. When there is a wet abscess under the nail due to a deep bacterial infection.
• Third degree. When the wet abscess extends into the subcutaneous adipose tissue.
• Fourth and Fifth Degree. When the infection is already much deeper and extends to the bone or manifests as necrosis (tissue necrosis).

As can be seen from this, the infection intensifies as the bacteria penetrate deeper into the tissue. For this reason, it is very important to detect inflammation in time to avoid rare but possible complications.

Symptoms and causes

The symptoms of cuticle infection depend on the microorganism that caused it and the severity of the infection. Official sources have put together some of its clearest signs. These include:

• Pain, swelling and redness at the base of one or more nails
• Blisters filled with pus in the infected area
• Discoloration of the nail or detachment from the fingertip
• If the bacterial infection spreads elsewhere in the body, the patient may experience fever, chills, malaise, and muscle pain, among other things.

What causes claudication?

The onset of infection is related to how easily pathogens enter the outer shield of the skin. Continuous mechanical damage, such as nail biting, sucking fingers, or atypical ulcerative tumors, can expose a person to such an infection.

According to scientific studies, exposure to constant moisture promotes the development of fungal infections. For this reason, people who are heavily exposed to water for their work (such as washing dishes or cleaning) are more prone to chronic Candida fungal inflammation.

One risk factor may be diabetes. This is at least according to clinical studies in which scientists found that 30% of patients with fungal nail infection were diabetic.

How to treat cuticle inflammation

Such an infection usually heals on its own within a few days. It is recommended to swim the inflamed finger in warm water several times a day to relieve uncomfortable symptoms.

Contact your doctor if the infection spreads or is accompanied by wet abscesses. Your doctor may prescribe antifungals or antibiotics depending on the cause. If the wet abscess is really bad, local surgery may be recommended.

Cuticle inflammation: what to remember

As you can see, cuticle inflammation is infectious in nature and mainly affects the skin around the nails. No special treatment is always needed, but medical help may be needed if the infection is caused by, for example, Candida yeast.

It is important not to chew your nails to prevent claw infection. Cut your nails regularly and see a doctor if you have abnormal growth on your fingers or toes. Remember that the skin is the first protection against external factors, which is why it is important to take care of it and not to subject it to unnecessary strain.