Article: Sometimes it can be hard to tell what kind of infection you have in your toe and if it is serious or not. It could be a simple ingrown toenail or a more serious infection that could spread into the rest of your body. In order to tell the difference you should assess your symptoms. The signs and symptoms of a light infection include: pain and/or tenderness, swelling, redness, and increased warmth in the area. The signs and symptoms of a more serious infection include: the formation of pus, red streaks extending from the initial wound, fever. Once again, these symptoms include pus, red streaks radiating from the wound, or a fever. If you experience any of these, call your physician for advice right away. A serious infection can move from your toe into the rest of your body. A really bad infection can even put your system into shock and threaten your life. Because of the seriousness of this, it is important to get a bad infection looked at by a health professional as soon as possible. If you don't have any of the serious symptoms, but you are in a bit of discomfort, you may be able to treat the infection at home. Like other types of minor injuries, it might be possible to treat the infection by cleaning the area, applying an antibiotic, and keeping the area bandaged for a few days If this seems like the case, then go ahead with treating the issue this way. If you have cleaned the area thoroughly, applied a good antibiotic, and kept the area bandaged and clean, and it is still hurting or getting more painful or inflamed, then it is time to get it looked at by a medical professional. If the infection is mild and doesn't seem like a serious risk to your health, you can still make an appointment to get it looked at. Use your own judgement and remember that it's always better to be safe than sorry.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Assess your symptoms. Seek medical help if you have the symptoms of a serious infection. Decide whether a superficial toe infection can be treated at home.