Onychocryptosis: Ingrown Toenails

I’ve never had an ingrown toenail. However, I know all about the pain, the redness, the aggravation and so on. My husband’s side of the family fights ingrown toenails on a regular basis—it is hereditary, you know. And my mother-in-law went as far as having her toenails removed. Ouch! I don’t think the rest of the family will be following in her, well, footsteps anytime soon.

Here are a few of the known causes of ingrown toenails and some tips for relief:

• Improper Trimming. Cutting nails too short will most certainly cause an ingrown toenail every time.
• Wearing Improper Footwear. Don’t try and squeeze your foot into a shoe that doesn’t fit properly. This isn’t a fairy tale and you will pay the price.
• Fungal Infections. Give your toes and feet a little extra TLC once a week. Take a moment to notice any redness, irritation or points of discomfort.
• Cutting Toenails Too Short. Enough said.
• Exercise and Sports. If you’re an avid soccer player, kicking up a storm all over the field, it is quite possible that you can cause trauma to your toenails. Certain sports are known to cause foot irritations. If you feel pain, there is nothing to gain—see your doctor immediately.
• Heredity. Passed down from generation to generation, ingrown toenails are known to dangle from the family tree. So if mom or dad have ingrown toenails, be aware that you may be next in line.

Although I’ve witnessed my husband performing light surgery on his ingrown toenails more than once, it is not recommended. You can make matters worse by trying to cut out the growth, causing infection. Soaking your feet, in many cases, can help alleviate the pain. If ingrown toenails become a common occurrence, you should visit your family physician.

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How To Save A Life

 

 

Hello there!

I am so pleased to be asked to guest blog for Happy Feet.

My name is Margo and the name of my Blog is “Brooklyn Fit Chick” (http://brooklynfitchick.typepad.com/brooklyn-fit-chick/ )

I write about health, fitness, and the media plus offer my ideas for workout playlists. My interest in health has been lifelong and I am a busy spin & fitness instructor here in Brooklyn. This past April I also became a certified personal trainer so I am even more enmeshed in the industry than ever.

Today I want to talk about a friend of mine who inspired me to be a bone marrow donor after she was able to save a life doing just that. Her name is Susannah and she is one the coolest chicks in the Lower East Side of New York.

I bring this to you today because I want to encourage more people to be donators. The gift of one quart of blood for example has the possibility of saving three lives. And the effort is minimal! But people are scared of the unknown and skeptical at how easy these things are so I am hoping people will check out today’s post and put themselves in the bone marrow registry.

For more information on being a donor go to: http://www.marrow.org/index.html

Here is my interview with Susannah:

·  Why did you decide to become a bone marrow donor?

My Best friend’s Mother in law was dying and needed a donor. I think they had a drive and I went in to see if I was a match. I was probably 23 or so. Once you are in the donor system they keep your info on file until you are 60 years old. They called me 10 years later because they found a match who needed bone marrow.

 ·  What was the process like (to join the program?)

It was easy for me because there was a drive- I went to the hospital and it was just like giving blood. It was hardly memorable at all.     

·  What is the process like to donate bone marrow?

Once they contacted me I had to go through a lot more testing to make sure I was the best match. There is a lot of paperwork and blood work but they make it as easy for you as possible and are very helpful and so grateful for {my} participation. I was happy to help.

 ·  Is it painful to donate?

No. It is just like giving blood perhaps take a bit longer is all.

They give you two choices, surgery OR through a machine (takes longer) I chose the machine. The week before they were collecting my marrow a nurse came to my house to give me shots of neupogen. (http://www.drugs.com/neupogen.html)

This caused my body to overproduce white blood cells. The side effects were just that I was tired and slightly achy- basically it felt like a hangover for a couple of days.

On the day they collected, they sent a car to take me to the hospital where they put me in bed (I brought DVDs with me to keep my busy for I believe the next 4-5 hours). I got hooked up to a machine (with tubes and needles) that takes out your blood, collects whatever they need and then puts the blood back. It’s pretty amazing. That takes two days and I was able to go home at night. My blood was slow drip/drain….. So I think I was there for an exceptionally long time and now I don’t even remember. I didn’t care. I was ready and it was easy to give up a few days of my life to save someone else.

 ·  What kind of recovery did you have?

I don’t recall needing any recovery time.

 ·  Did you ever meet your recipient?

You are not allowed to know anything about them until one year after the donation. During the collection I only knew they were 57 and in Florida. 

A year later she called me and thanked me for saving her life. She is a mother and a grandmother. It was pretty amazing. She moved around quite a bit so it was hard to keep track of her but she pops up every once in a while with a Christmas card or phone call. Email wasn’t really her forte.   We didn’t really have much in common. But she was always so grateful. It always made me happy to hear from her.

 ·   What advice do you have for people who are curious about bone marrow donation?

DO IT. It was SO easy to do and it has turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  I highly recommend it.  There is a desperate need for volunteers/donors because being a match is so rare. At least get in the database. You may never be called on and if you are, you can say no (though I suspect few would)

 Thanks Susannah!

 Ox Ox,

BFC

 

 

Brooklyn Fit Chick

Follow me on Twitter: BrooklynFitChik (note the spelling!)

Friend me on Facebook: Brooklyn FitChick

www.BrooklynFitChick.com

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♥ To ♥

Recently a friend’s father experienced pain and symptoms well-known for being associated with heart attacks—dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and chest pain. Stabilized and rushed to the hospital, he discovered that one of his arteries was 100% clogged. Days in recovery and two stints later, he’s resting at home and trying to makeover years of unhealthy habits that contributed to his poor health—smoking, no exercise and poor food choices.

We all know that we should eat a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables, exercise 3-5 times a week, limit alcohol consumption, and quit smoking.  But it’s hard.

Hard but necessary. And part of life includes thinking about how we spend our days. Age does matter. It’s not good enough to begin thinking about health later in life. You should start thinking about heart health at age 20 suggests The American Heart Association.  It’s important to remember that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the country.

According to a recent article from Caring.com senior editor, Melanie Haiken, there are early signs that point to an unhealthy heart long before a heart attack occurs. Signs include neck pain, dizziness, and jaw and ear pain.  If you think you’re having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 and take an aspirin. Forget searching online for symptoms or waiting to see if the pain subsides. If you are indeed experiencing a heart attack, every second counts.

Our friends at AARP offer some sound advice on taking steps to lessen your chances long before you start questioning symptoms.  In Ten Tips for a Healthier Heart, AARP recommends strength training, stretching and aerobic exercise as the best ways to throw some much needed love your own way.

As with any new exercise program, talk with your doctor first and take things slowly. The key to heart health is being aware of your choices and making the right ones daily.

For more information on heart attack prevention, visit the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org.

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