clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

Clinical features can be divided into 3 stages:

• stage I:
• there is pain, swelling, and erythema and hyperhidrosis of the affected toe
• stage II:
• a draining abscess with discharge together with further erythema, oedema, hyperhidrosis, and tenderness
• stage III:
• development of hypertrophic granulation tissue, which covers the epithelial lining and inhibits drainage. This results in chronic infection and hypertrophy of the nail wall (1).

Differential:

• paronychia - the site of infection in paronychia is generally proximal. Rarely paronychia may be accompanied by granulation tissue. Sometimes there may be a very localised head of pus on the distal side of the nail

Reference:

• (1) Park DH, Singh D. The management of ingrowing toenails. BMJ. 2012;344:e2089