Paronychia?

[jfem4]

ABout 5 days ago, I had an ingrown toe nail, which I cut...SOme of the skin was pulled, too by mistake.
The next day, I  had a blister on the side of the toenail bed. It was a little red, so I put Bactroban on it. It didn't get much worse,but I popped the blister about 3 days ago. It was still a little red on the edges, and a little white, too...
It started to kind of itch, as well as hurt , but it only hurt when I touched it.

Went to the clinic, they took a culture, popped it more, and said to continue with the Bactroban.

I asked  about a possible fungal involvement, and they said that the Bactroban would help that ,too.

I'm a Nurse Practitioner, and I am a little confused about that.

They said it was Paronychia, acute, and it should clear up in a couple of days.

I am allergic to many antiobiotics, so that was not a consideration.

It is not painful, and actually the itch has subsided since the am when all this was done.

My questions are:

1. can this be cured by bactroban, or is it absolutely necessary to be on oral antibitic?

2. SHould I include a little anti-fungal/steroid creme along with the bactroban?

3. would warm soaks help?

4. how long until it's gone??

Thanks in advance.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1. can this be cured by bactroban, or is it absolutely necessary to be on oral antibiotic?
Possibly, but if it gets worse, it can become serious, in which case an oral antibiotic may have to be considered.

2. Should I include a little anti-fungal/steroid creme along with the bactroban?
No.  I don't know what they meant by saying that bactroban can help fungus too.  What you have sounds bacterial, not fungal.

3. would warm soaks help?
Possibly.  No harm in trying.


4. how long until it's gone??
A week or so.  I suggest that you stay in close touch with your doctors on this, to make sure it doesn't get worse.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff