Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Getting Rid of Ingrown Toenails with Salt Water

Foot pain can occur due to various reasons, of which ingrown toenails is a major cause. According to experts, about six million people in America itself are known to develop an ingrown toenail each year. In most cases, these ingrown toenails are very painful and cause a lot of discomfort. So, how to get rid of them?

Salt Water for Treating Ingrown Toenails 

According to scientists at California’s Stanford University, soaking the affected foot in a solution of warm salt water can cure ingrown toenails within a period of 4 days. When preparing a salt water bath for soaking your feet, ensure that the temperature of the water is ‘warm’ and not ‘hot’, otherwise you risk getting problems like chilblains, which would increase your discomfort.

The researchers say that the salt in the warm water solution naturally removes inflammation. In addition, salt is anti-bacterial, so it quickly gets rid of the tiny germs around the ingrown toenail that is causing the swelling and pain. All you need to do is take 1 teaspoon of salt for each cup of water, heat the solution to a warm temperature, and soak your foot for about 20 minutes, two times a day.

Salt water solution for treating ingrown toenails

It shouldn't be long before the infection subsides. Ingrown toenails are an avoidable health issue that is generally caused by improper-fitting shoes and not cutting toenails. Bad hygiene, not washing your feet, not changing socks etc. are some things that aggravate an ingrown toenail and lead to painful infections that make the problem worse.

While salt water helps get rid of the infection, one must avoid wearing the ingrown-toenail causing shoes during this treatment period, together with dirty socks etc. Though loose comfortable slippers would be the best, you may sometimes have to wear shoes to go to office etc. If so, take along a pair of slippers which you can change into after you are comfortably seated behind your desk. Also change the pair of shoes you are regularly using – go for something very simple, without heels, narrow toes etc.

If you live near the seaside in a warm country, nothing can be better than soaking your feet in the warm sea water on the beach. Take a stroll in the sand, and let the natural salt from the warm waves soak into your feet and get rid of the ingrown toenails.

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