Common Causes And Complications Of Ingrown Nails

Bone Infection

Serious complications from an ingrown toenail are rare. Many individuals have an ingrown toenail at some point during their lives, but not many of them develop a serious enough condition to need medical treatment. However, there have been cases where an ingrown toenail leads to a bone infection, which is also called osteomyelitis. There are several ways for bones to become infected beyond ingrown nails. Sometimes an infection spreads through an individual's bloodstream and into their bone, or another open wound causes the bone to be exposed to infection. Staph bacteria are the most common bacterial causes of bone infections. If individuals have diabetes and nerve damage in their feet, they may be more likely to develop a bone infection because of the inability to tell when they have an ingrown toenail. Only two individuals in every ten thousand will ever develop osteomyelitis. Both children and adults can be affected, and individuals may be at an increased risk if their immune system is compromised.

Discover additional complications of an ingrown nail now.