Should I be concerend about my thumb?

[Airhog]

My nails are always in rough shape, usually around the corners, since I chew my nails alot.

Fast foward to a few moment ago. My thumb has been swollen for the last 2 days. I noticed today that it looked a bit green at that spot. Looked like the color of a booger. So I decide to dig at it with a toothpick, and suddenly some greenish fluid comes out, like the color of pea soup. Should I be concerend about this? I don't wanna get gangrene and lose my thumb.

[AlexB]

My nails are always in rough shape, usually around the corners, since I chew my nails alot.

Fast foward to a few moment ago. My thumb has been swollen for the last 2 days. I noticed today that it looked a bit green at that spot. Looked like the color of a booger. So I decide to dig at it with a toothpick, and suddenly some greenish fluid comes out, like the color of pea soup. Should I be concerend about this? I don't wanna get gangrene and lose my thumb.

Sounds like what happens to me every now and again with my big toe if I rip too much out of the corner while trying to 'tidy' up the nail - what happens to me is an area of broken skin becomes septic. If I squeeze out the puss type stuff and rinse it (this might sting a little), put antiseptic on it'll be fine.

Disclaimer - I am not a medical expert, and what you have may not be the same as what I've described

[Simms]

Sounds a lot like what my toe looked like when I had a really bad ingrown toenail in high school. If you're biting your fingernails a lot, it could certainly be something like that.

My toe was bad enough that I had to go see a podiatrist for several weeks, but if you're adept with a pair of tweezers and can stand a few moments of pain, it might be worth digging around in there and seeing if you can pull something out.

Bottom line is, it's almost certainly an infection of some kind, and while it's unlikely that you'll lose your finger over it, it *does* need to be addressed, either by you or by a professional. Don't ignore it. GO BLUE's advice above is sound re: short-term treatment.

[sovereignstar]

Off with your thumb!

[lighthousekeeper]

maybe you're just a good gardner

[Riggins44]

We need pics.

[Logan]

I can't believe I saw the preview of this thread, and still opened it up...

[Glengoyne]

Ow Not Rubbing Alcohol.....Use Hydrogen Peroxide. It fizzes!

[Simms]

http://www.harvardpilgrim.mimrx.com/harvard/SiteImages/PrdImages/200x200/0016500020059.JPG

Incidentally, do not -- I repeat DO NOT -- do a Google Image search for "bactine" with safe search off.

[DaddyTorgo]

Incidentally, do not -- I repeat DO NOT -- do a Google Image search for "bactine" with safe search off.
just did one, don't know why you say that.
<box id="mozilla-image-toolbar" hidden="false"><toolbar class="toolbar-primary chromeclass-toolbar" mode="icons"><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarSaveImage"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarCopyImage"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarEmailImage" style="display: none;"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarPrintImage" style="display: none;"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarOpenFolder"></toolbarbutton></toolbar></box>
<link href="chrome://imagetoolbar/content/imagetoolbar.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"><link href="chrome://browser/skin/imagetoolbar.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet">

[Glengoyne]

just did one, don't know why you say that.
<box id="mozilla-image-toolbar" hidden="false"><toolbar class="toolbar-primary chromeclass-toolbar" mode="icons"><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarSaveImage"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarCopyImage"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarEmailImage" style="display: none;"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarPrintImage" style="display: none;"></toolbarbutton><toolbarbutton label="" class="mozilla-image-toolbar" id="imageToolbarOpenFolder"></toolbarbutton></toolbar></box>
Well I had to go to page three of my Google search but I found

www.zentastic.com/entries/ 200505101621.html (hxxp://www.zentastic.com/entries/200505101621.html%20)

and

bactine.deviantart.com/

[Simms]

Well I had to go to page three of my Google search but I found

www.zentastic.com/entries/ 200505101621.html (hxxp://www.zentastic.com/entries/200505101621.html%20)


Top row, first page of mine.

*shudder*

[Crim]

maybe you're just a good gardner

Well done.



Crim

[Butter]

So I decide to dig at it with a toothpick

What is wrong with you people?!?!?

[JeeberD]

Top row, first page of mine.

*shudder*

*urp*

Me and my damn curiosity...

[LoneStarGirl]

Maybe you should be more concerned with your spelling Airhog. ;) Just kidding.
I am guilty of biting my nails regularly too. And I get the green gunk about twice a year. I just poke it with a toothpick or something sharp to get the green stuff out of it and it feels better. Or i pull the skin on my finger away from the nail and poke it. Its quite fun, but I wouldn't be worried. I haven't seen a doctor about it and mine go away within about 3 days.

[terpkristin]

Or, if you want to do something that's a bit...safer (?) than poking it with a toothpick, soak it in hot water and apply gentle pressure to the area. Usually there is already an opening involved, and the pus will just ooze out.
Hot water baths are your friends...

/tk

[AZSpeechCoach]

I just drained my finger. It was gross. Sort of like turning your finger into a Valomilk.

[JeeberD]

I get ingrown toenails all the time that get infected. Like others have said, just drain the sucker and then clean it out really well. Rinse and repeat until healed...

[Airhog]

It actually looks much better now. I think washing dishes helped :D