What can I do for my red and swollen fingers around nail?
The symptoms you have described sound typical of an infection called paronychia. This condition causes the skin around a nail to swell up and turn red. You may also experience a ‘warm’ feeling and some tenderness. If your finger developed the swelling suddenly, you probably have acute paronychia, which is caused by a bacterial infection. The main cause of this form of infection is due to broken skin possibly due to aggressive manicuring or biting. If the infection developed slowly, it could be chronic paronychia, which is cased by a fungal infection. This condition is usually observed in people whose hands are exposed to water and chemical solvents. In both cases, you will be able to successfully treat the condition at home and find relief from the discomfort. However, if the condition persists for a few days or if you notice any pus, please do visit your doctor.
Remedies For Swollen Finger
The simplest home remedy for paronychia is to soak the affected finger. You can use plain warm water and soak for up to 15 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day. Adding some tea tree oil to the water is also recommended, since this essential oil has natural antibacterial, fungicidal, and disinfectant properties. In case your symptoms resemble that of chronic paronychia, you should get some grapefruit seed extract. This natural product has a good record of treating human fungal infections. You can make a paste and apply it directly on the affected finger or choose to ingest it by mixing it in water. Note that in the liquid form, grapefruit seed extract has a bitter taste, so you may want to add some honey.
For acute paronychia, garlic is an excellent choice since it contains a very potent natural antibacterial agent called allacin. In addition, allacin also helps to stimulate immunity and helps to boost your body’s own healing process. The anti-inflammatory properties of garlic can also help to reduce the swelling and provide you relief. For topical treatment, crush a few cloves of garlic, place them on the affected area, and tie with a clean cloth. You can leave the crushed garlic in place for an hour at a time. However, garlic has a strong odor, so you may want ingest the cloves instead. Note that raw garlic is much more potent than cooked. Another natural remedy involves honey and cinnamon powder. Having a spoonful twice a day can boost your immune system and strengthen the white blood cells that combat the infection.
