After apparantly being uninfected for a few weeks, maybe even months, my toe is infected again... Urggh.
That is going to kill you if you don't see a doctor.
I am aware. I've seen a doctor 3 times for my toe. I'll see a doctor tommorow, hopefully.
After apparantly being uninfected for a few weeks, maybe even months, my toe is infected again... Urggh.
That is going to kill you if you don't see a doctor. "Why does it keep coming back?" It doesn't. It's been there the whole damn time. It's why you've been feeling like shit for the past few weeks. When the shit stops for a little bit, it's not because it is "getting better", it's because it's effecting you in cycles, but still there. And keeps getting worse.
Doctor. See one. Let them know you've been plenty sick and it's probably this infection.
This is true, but I'll elaborate with my experiences from my own infected toes:
If your toe is infected, I'm guessing your previous doctor visits netted you with penicillin or another type of antibiotic and the demand that you take plenty of warm soapy foot baths to help. This does help in treating the infection, but it will not remove the infection.
The penicillin will stop the outbreaks, but if you've had it for a long time, and it comes back, the underlying cause is probably infected (necrotic) tissue. This tissue will always re-infect no matter how you treat. Treatment with penicillin will ease the pain, and of course be good for you, but it is only a short-term solution. The only way to cure the infection for good is to remove the infected tissue. Just in case you're wondering, this is a job for surgeons, and definitely not something you should ever attempt to undertake yourself.
That doesn't mean amputating the toe however. Most likely just scraping off some of the infected skin. The fact that it's been gone also suggests that your toe isn't infected through, but only on the surface. Scraping the infected tissue off will be like a severe form of removing scabs - you're not cutting off a piece of toe that will permantenly cripple you, your regular healthy old toe is underneath.
At least, those are my experiences. I've had 2 infected toes caused by in-grown toenails that I struggled with for years. Penicillin and bathing would only keep the infection away for weeks at a time, but it would not cure it. Last spring a surgeon scraped off the infected tissue, as well as cutting my nails very close in the edges, and I literally haven't felt any pain at all since the procedure. The infection has not even considered returning.
I don't know if your toes are similar to mine, but seeing as you seem to have some of the same symptons, I thought I'd share. The procedure has really been a lifesaver for me.
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Topic: Things that made you sad today thread. (Read 9711087 times)