Panaritium is an acute purulent-inflammatory process in the tissues of the fingers and, in very rare cases, in the tissues of the toes. Inflammation is localized mainly on the side of the palm or in the area of ​​the nail plate. Most often, the disease occurs in people in the age group from 20 to 50 years. Doctors attribute this to the fact that at this age people work actively and at the same time pay less attention to various minor hand injuries, which they receive quite often. According to medical statistics, 75% of the disease occurs due to injuries received at work, 10% due to injuries received at home, and 15% due to an unknown reason. It is also worth noting such a pattern as the occurrence of a purulent process mainly on the working hand: for example, if a person is right-handed, felon is more often found on the right hand, and if left-handed - on the left. There are cases of finger injuries in children, but they are less likely to get panaritium due to the fact that in the vast majority of cases they react quite violently to the pain from the wound and adults provide them with timely assistance. Most often, suppuration affects the first, second or third finger of the hands.

Causes of the disease

The reason for the development of the disease is always the same - the penetration of pathogenic bacteria through the area where there is damage to the skin of the finger. Most often, suppuration is caused by streptococci or staphylococci. However, not everyone, even if they do not treat the wound with an antiseptic, suffers from panaritium. This is due to the fact that the onset of the disease requires the presence of predisposing factors. Such factors that provoke the disease include:

• decline of immunity;
• diabetes mellitus;
• fungal nail infection;
• fungal skin infection;
• lack of vitamins in the body;
• impaired blood supply to finger tissues;
• severe hypothermia;
• constant contamination of a fresh wound;
• long stay of the injured limb in water.

In addition, in some people, suppuration can form against the background of severe stress due to the fact that at this moment they experience a short-term drop in immunity. This reason for panaritium is rare, but also deserves mention.

Types of panaritium and their symptoms

Today, doctors, depending on the location and depth of the source of suppuration, diagnose several types of this disease.

Cutaneous panaritium

In this case, the purulent-inflammatory process affects only the skin. At the onset of the disease, mild pain and tingling occur in the affected area. As the disease progresses, the pain increases significantly and becomes constant. At the next stage of suppuration formation, redness appears on the skin. In the center of the redness, a blister filled with pus forms within a short time. It either opens by itself or requires mechanical opening. This form of the disease is the mildest and does not lead to dangerous consequences.

Subcutaneous panaritium

This form of damage is much more severe than the previous one and without proper and timely treatment can lead not only to the loss of a limb, but also to the death of the patient. Symptoms of subcutaneous panaritium appear 5-7 days after injury. They appear in the following order:

• burning sensation in the damaged area;
• feeling of fullness in the damaged area;
• nagging pain at the site of inflammation;
• throbbing pain at the site of inflammation;
• a significant increase in pain, up to sleep disturbance due to it;
• pronounced swelling of soft tissues;
• increased body temperature of varying intensity;
• rapid general deterioration of condition.

Video recipe for the occasion:

The particular danger of the disease is due to the fact that many patients at its onset do not pay attention to the symptoms that appear. As a result, the development of particularly severe suppuration is possible, which will require serious surgical intervention and hospital stay to save the patient’s life.

Articular felon

In this form of the disease, purulent inflammation affects the joint tissue. The disease occurs due to a deep puncture wound to the finger. Also, articular panaritium can be a complication of the subcutaneous form of the disease. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• severe pain in the area of ​​the inflamed joint, which tends to sharply and very significantly intensify at the slightest attempt to move the affected finger;
• rapid formation of edema;
• rapid formation of redness;
• crunching sound when moving a finger;
• increased body temperature;
• severe headache;
• increased heart rate;
• nausea;
• general weakness.

In the absence of therapy, the listed symptoms may be accompanied by behavioral disorders due to the transition of pain to an unbearable degree and rapid intoxication of the body.

Tendon panaritium

This form of panaritium can form due to injury or as a complication of the subcutaneous form of this disease. The symptoms of the disease are very clear and look like this:

• sharp throbbing pain that occurs 2-3 hours after injury. Any movement causes it to increase many times over, even to the point of being unbearable;
• rapid formation of significant edema;
• inability to move the affected finger;
• half-bent position of the injured finger;
• severe redness of the skin;
• increased body temperature;
• general expressed weakness.

The earlier treatment is started, the lower the risk that the inflammation will spread to surrounding tissues and cause much more severe suppuration.

Bone panaritium

This form of the disease develops quite rarely and most often acts as a complication when the panaritium of soft tissues spreads to hard ones. The disease appears after 7-14 days when the finger becomes infected. Bone panaritium manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• sharp pain at the site of the lesion;
• rapid onset of swelling of the entire affected finger;
• redness of the skin;
• a sharp increase in body temperature to high values.

As a primary form, such felon occurs as an exception.

Subungual panaritium

Most often, suppuration forms after a splinter gets under the nail or trauma to the subungual tissue occurs. The disease manifests itself as follows:

• severe throbbing pain;
• pus showing through the nail;
• swelling of the tissue around the nail;
• redness around the nail;
• peeling of the nail plate.

In the vast majority of cases, once a purulent cushion has formed under the nail, it is no longer possible to save it, since pressure causes it to separate from the tissue. You shouldn’t be afraid of this, because a new nail plate grows in 2-4 months.

Periungual felon

Most often, such suppuration appears after unsuccessful removal of hangnails. In the absence of therapy, it is possible for pus to spread under the nail, followed by its complete detachment. This form of panaritium is revealed by the following symptoms, which appear 4-5 days after the injury:

• severe pain syndrome;
• skin redness;
• feeling of tension in the affected area;
• pus showing through the skin;
• severe itching.

With proper treatment, this form of the disease can be overcome in a few days.

What complications can arise with panaritium?

If for some reason the patient delays treatment, there is a very high probability of extremely severe and life-threatening complications. Against the background of panaritium, the following may occur:

• sepsis – blood poisoning;
• phlegmon of the hand - purulent inflammation of the subcutaneous fatty tissue of the hand;
• joint fusion - does not threaten death, but leads to complete loss of finger mobility;
• osteomyelitis – purulent inflammation in bone tissue;
• vascular thrombosis - due to poor circulation in the hand, tissue necrosis occurs, which causes gangrene to form.

Considering how dire the consequences of the lack of treatment for felon can be, the fight against the disease must begin at its first manifestations.

Folk remedies against panaritium

In the case when only the initial symptoms of panaritium are observed, therapy can be carried out using folk remedies. They show themselves to be very effective and do not allow a full-fledged purulent process to develop. If after a couple of days of treatment there is no improvement or the patient’s condition worsens, an urgent visit to the doctor is required.

• Baths with soda and salt are an excellent remedy for getting rid of suppuration. Baking soda helps soften tissue, and salt helps remove pus. To obtain a medicinal solution, you need to take two glasses of hot water and dissolve in them a tablespoon of table salt (or table sea salt) and a tablespoon of baking soda. Once the ingredients have dissolved, the sore finger is immersed in the mixture and steamed until it cools. Very often during the procedure, unbearable pain occurs, which is evidence that purulent masses are pushing apart the fibers of healthy tissue, moving towards the surface. Do this bath in the morning and evening. Usually on the first day the abscess opens and the purulent contents pour out. After this, tissue overgrowth begins.
• Onions boiled in milk can draw out pus, even located deep in the tissues. To obtain the medicine, boil 1/2 of a small onion without peel for 10 minutes in a glass of boiling milk. Next, the onion is removed and applied, after cooling slightly, to the sore spot. Having secured the onion with a bandage, leave it for 4 hours, after which it is replaced with a fresh one. Treatment is carried out continuously until the abscess is opened.
• You can also prepare a healing composition. It requires taking a teaspoon of finely grated laundry soap and combining it with the same amount of honey and agave leaf pulp. Having mixed the composition well, apply it to the sore spot in a thick layer and fix it with a bandage. Leave the medicine to act overnight. In most cases, after two or three procedures, the pus begins to actively come out.
• Garlic bath is a very painful, but effective treatment. To carry out therapy, a large head of garlic, after peeling it, is crushed using a grater and poured into a bowl with two glasses of just boiled water. After infusing the drug for 7-10 minutes, immerse the sore finger in it and steam until the water becomes cold. After this, the garlic mass from the bottom is squeezed out and tied to a finger. Leave it for 12 hours. Usually after such a procedure the abscess is opened.
• Kombucha at the very beginning of the disease can relieve inflammation even before pus appears. For treatment, a small piece of mushroom is applied to the sore spot and, secured with a bandage, left for 12 hours, after which it is replaced with a new one. Treatment is carried out until the pain goes away.

Prevention of felon

In order to minimize the risk of developing felon, you should remember the rules for preventing this disease. They are very simple and can be done by absolutely anyone. You can avoid felon by:

• use of protective gloves when working with a risk of minor finger injuries;
• Immediately rinse the damaged area with running water;
• treating even the smallest wound with an antiseptic;
• Isolating the injured area of ​​skin with a bandage or adhesive plaster.

These simple actions, which almost all children remember, but many adults forget, can protect against the development of felon and protect the body from such a serious test.

Felon refers to inflammatory diseases of finger tissue. The subcutaneous tissue of the finger on the hand is the most vulnerable tissue for the penetration of purulent infection, and in the favorable environment of fat cells, suppuration quickly develops. Swelling appears at the site of inflammation, the skin turns red, and when pressing on the area of ​​the finger with the abscess, an acute throbbing pain is felt. Purulent inflammation affects not only the skin and subcutaneous tissue, but can also spread to tendons, joints, and bone tissue of the finger. Most often, panaritium on the hand begins to develop after some kind of microtrauma to the finger (scratch, abrasion, cut, splinter, removal of a burr). An infection (streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci and others) gets into an open wound, which actively multiplies and after a while an abscess begins as a result of the inflammatory process. If you notice the first signs of the disease, be sure to seek help from a doctor so that a specialist can assess the severity of the abscess, open the abscess (if necessary) and prescribe a course of treatment at home.

♦ VARIETIES

❶ Cutaneous.
An abscess appears on the upper layers of the skin after microtrauma. The inflamed area of ​​skin on the finger turns red and a bubble with a cloudy liquid gradually appears, which increases in size as the infection spreads into the deeper layers of the tissue. The pain is moderate, sometimes there is a burning sensation.

Treatment: if the inflammation develops into a purulent abscess, the doctor performs an excision of the skin to remove pus from the abscess and apply a bandage with medicinal ointment. After 3-4 hours, you can remove the bandage and regularly make homemade finger baths with potassium permanganate and baking soda. After the bath, you can treat the skin wound with iodine solution;

❷ Periungual (paronychia).
The infection enters the subcutaneous layers of the periungual fold and an abscess begins next to the nail. The skin near the nail plate turns red, the swelling of the inflamed cushion increases and soon suppuration appears, which can spread to the soft tissues of the nail bed or to the growth zone of the matrix. Most often, paronychia develops on the hands after cutting the finger roller with a sharp manicure instrument or removing hangnails.

Treatment: the abscess is opened surgically and a bandage with an antiseptic is applied. At home, the patient independently treats the inflamed periungual fold with antibacterial ointments (ichthyol, Vishnevsky, Levomekol);

❸ Subungual.
The inflammatory process develops under the horny plate in the soft tissues of the nail bed. The development of subungual panaritium on the leg can provoke a bruise of the big toe with hemorrhage in the nail bed and infection in the resulting hematoma. An infection under the fingernail often occurs with a splinter embedded in the soft tissue of the nail bed.

Treatment: If the doctor promptly frees the nail bed from accumulated blood and disinfects the wound, then the formation of an abscess in the soft tissues of the finger can be prevented. If purulent inflammation under the nail occurs, the surgeon will need to remove the plate to clear the nail bed of pus and apply a bandage with an antibacterial swab. Then the patient independently cares for the nail phalanx, changes bandages, treats the wound with antiseptic solutions and ointments;

❹ Subcutaneous.
An abscess develops under the thick layer of skin of the fingertip. Since the pus does not find its way out, the purulent abscess affects the deep layers of the soft tissue of the finger. When you press on the inflamed fingertip, you feel a sharp “shooting” pain that penetrates the entire phalanx.

Treatment: surgery on the finger under local anesthesia is required. The surgeon performs a dissection of the phalanx from the lateral side to ensure the drainage of purulent discharge through the fascial bridges. After the operation, the doctor washes the wound with an antiseptic and then applies a bandage with a tampon soaked in an antibacterial and wound-healing medicine. After the operation, the patient regularly changes the dressings and treats the wound with special ointments (Levomekol, Baneocin);

❺ Tendon (purulent tendovaginitis).
It is one of the most severe forms of purulent inflammation of the phalanx of the finger. Tendon felon develops after deep cuts to the finger, animal bites, or open fractures. The phalanx of the finger swells evenly, the mobility of the hand worsens, and when trying to straighten the injured finger, acute pain is felt.

Treatment: In an inpatient setting, an experienced surgeon performs a surgical operation. Injectable antibiotics are prescribed;

❻ Bone.
If an abscess has developed in the soft tissues of the finger for a long time, then there is a high probability of infection penetrating into the bone tissue of the phalanx. Most often, the disease develops as a complication of subcutaneous panaritium. But sometimes the infection penetrates the bone tissue of the finger during an open fracture.

Treatment: First, the doctor sends the patient for an x-ray examination of the finger. During surgery, an abscess is eliminated from the soft tissue of the phalanx, and then pus is removed from the bone tissue with a special instrument. After the operation, the wound is treated with an antiseptic, and then a bandage with antibacterial ointment is applied. The doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics (administered intramuscularly). The bandage must be changed several times a day, and the wound must be treated with a special ointment.

- in the photo: panaritium on a finger

♦ HOME TREATMENT PRODUCTS

If you consult a doctor in time when you notice the first signs of panaritium on your finger, you can avoid surgical intervention. In any case, a purulent abscess on a finger should only be opened by a doctor, and the subsequent course of treatment is performed at home.

Levomikol ointment.
An excellent remedy that helps get rid of the inflammatory process in the dermis or subcutaneous layers of the finger at the early stage of panaritium, and also helps speed up the wound healing process after removal of the abscess. Levomikol has an antiseptic effect on the deep layers of soft tissue and destroys pyogenic bacteria. Apply the ointment to the skin steamed in the bath;

Vishnevsky ointment.
The balanced composition of the active substances of this ointment will help speed up the healing of the wound after removal of the abscess and prevent relapse of inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger. Before going to bed, soak a cotton pad with Vishnevsky ointment, fix it on your finger with a bandage, and in the morning remove it and treat your finger with hydrogen peroxide;

Tetracycline ointment.
This antibiotic for external use is very effective at the early stage of the inflammatory process. Tetracycline hydrochloride actively inhibits the ability of microorganisms to reproduce and helps prevent the development of an abscess in the soft tissues of the finger. This ointment can be mixed in equal proportions with zinc paste and applied in a thick layer to the inflamed area of ​​skin 2-3 times a day;

Cream Akriderm GK.
A broad-spectrum cream that contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antimycotic substances. The product not only helps to suppress the activity of pyogenic bacteria in soft tissues, but also prevents the addition of a secondary infection. Rub the cream into the inflamed area of ​​skin on your finger twice a day;

Fukortsin solution.
After the doctor has opened an abscess on the finger and changed the bandage, it is useful to treat the wound with Fucoricin solution 4 times a day until redness on the skin is completely eliminated;

Warm baths.
It is useful to supplement the main course of treatment for felon on an arm or leg with water procedures. Add sea salt to the bath for the sore finger (1 tablespoon per half liter of warm water), as the hypertonic saline solution helps draw out purulent masses and toxins secreted by pathogenic microbes from the abscess. You can add 1 tablespoon of Furacilin solution, which has an antimicrobial effect, to the bath. Keep your finger in the medicinal bath for 15 minutes 1-2 times a day;

Pain-relieving compress.
If the abscess on your finger aches and hurts, and you can’t get to the doctor until the next day, then make a compress with Dimexide solution at night. We dilute the solution in water in a ratio of 1:4, soak a gauze swab with the product and fix it on the finger with a bandage. A compress with Dimeskid not only has an anesthetic effect, but also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the inflamed area of ​​the finger;

Compress to draw out pus.
If inflammation with pus has recently appeared in the upper layers of the soft tissue of the finger, then you can try to remove the pus with the help of aloe vera pulp. We peel a piece of fleshy leaf, grind the pulp and transfer this pulp to a gauze swab. Fix the tampon with an adhesive tape and remove it after 2 hours;

Antibacterial compress.
This folk remedy is useful to use after removing an abscess on the finger every day before bed. In equal parts, mix pine resin, butter, aloe vera juice, pharmaceutical tar and heat the homogeneous consistency in a water bath. Transfer this mixture to a cotton pad and secure it with a bandage;

Anti-inflammatory compress.
Moisten a gauze swab with alcohol tincture of calendula, wrap your finger around the inflamed area, wrap it with cling film and secure with a band-aid for 3 hours.

Panaritium is a purulent inflammation of the finger tissue. The inflammatory process can begin anywhere, spreading towards the bone. Typically, felon affects the fingers, but in rare cases it can also appear on the feet.

The cause of the disease can be a wound, cut, abrasion or other injury that has become the site of penetration of the microbe.

In the initial stages, any folk method can be used to treat felon, but if pus appears, the patient should consult a doctor for surgical treatment of the abscess.

As noted above, when a splinter, abrasion, microtrauma, scratch, cut or hangnail appears in the nail area, felon may develop. Treatment at home on the hand is only possible if the right products are used and the person receives medical care in a timely manner.

The microbes that cause an abscess on an arm or leg can be enterococci, fungi, staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

• Infectious suppuration, which can even affect the skin of children, is characterized by the rapidity of its occurrence and development.
• Human fingers contain fatty tissue, which serves as an excellent soil for the development of suppuration. Therefore, the fingers are the main place of localization of the panaritium.
• In every second case, inflammation is accompanied by acute pain, redness, fever and other unpleasant symptoms. In addition, the outer side of the nail plate can change its natural color.

Therefore, it is very important to respond correctly and quickly to the occurrence of various injuries in the nail area or elsewhere on the body.

If a person has already begun to develop panaritium, treatment at home on an arm or leg should be carried out using effective folk remedies: baked soft or fresh onions, honey, potassium permanganate solution and other methods. This is the only way to maintain an attractive manicure and healthy skin. Otherwise, the result may be surgery.

How to treat and cure felon at home

There are many effective ways to treat an abscess on a finger at home, but it should be remembered that such treatment can only be effective if therapy is started in a timely manner.

An abscess should be treated when redness appears on the skin of an arm or leg.

The main thing is to know how to treat felon at home and which folk remedies are the most effective.

There are traditional and non-traditional methods of treating finger suppuration. How to cure felon at home should be decided by the patient himself.

• Traditional methods include the use of special ointments and medications. So, you can use compresses with Dimexide diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4. Compresses are best used after salt baths. To prepare such a bath, you need to dissolve 18 g of salt in 250 ml of water, and keep the sore finger in this solution for 20-30 minutes. To make Dimexide work better, you can sprinkle gauze soaked with this drug on top with ampicillin or penicillin, provided you are not allergic to these drugs.
• If suppuration is accompanied by acute pain, high fever, and these symptoms keep a person awake all night, it is better to consult a surgeon to remove the pus through surgery. You can also treat felon on the hand with folk remedies based on medicinal herbs and safe products (honey, onions and others).

How to treat periungual panaritium on the hands?

Periungual panaritium, also called paronychia, is an inflammatory process that occurs in the periungual fold of the skin. This type of abscess can occur due to hangnails, which involve tears in the upper layers of the skin and puncture wounds.

With periungual panaritium, a person experiences acute pain in the affected area. The area of ​​the abscess becomes very red and tense, and a streak of pus may also be visible.

Almost all the symptoms that accompany any panaritium also occur. Treatment at home includes warm baths with a solution of potassium permanganate, compresses with various creams and other means that help draw out pus, as well as antibacterial therapy.

How is subungual panaritium treated at home?

Subungual panaritium is very difficult to treat, so the most correct solution is to consult a doctor. He will be able to establish the exact type of panaritium and conduct research on the microorganism that caused the suppuration.

Important to know

At home, subungual felon can be cured only at the first stage of its development. A person must take antibiotics as well as antibacterial ointments.

What is the treatment with folk remedies for felon?

Recipe No. 1. An excellent remedy for treating felon is onion. Fresh onions need to be chopped into a paste in a blender or grated. The resulting mass should be applied to the site of inflammation.

If felon is observed in a child or newborn, it is better to use another method. You need to boil or bake the onion in milk, cut it in half and apply it to the affected area. You need to keep the bulb for 5 hours, and then change it to a new one (you can use the other half).

Recipe No. 2. To quickly remove pus, you can also use aloe vera juice. The fleshy leaf of the plant should be washed well, crushed to a paste and applied to the sore spot. To prevent the mixture from falling off, you can bandage the sore finger. This bandage needs to be changed every day until complete recovery.

Recipe No. 3. When pus has just begun to form, you can steam the sore finger in a saline solution. In 250 ml of water you need to add 35-40 g of salt. While the water is very hot, you just need to dip your finger for a few seconds, repeating these steps until the water temperature returns to normal. Then you should hold your finger in this solution, without pulling it out, for 20 minutes.

The frequency of repetition of such steaming of the abscess should be at least 3 times a day. The abscess usually goes away very quickly.

Recipe No. 4. Calendula tincture helps to speed up the release of pus from periungual and even subungual panaritium. You need to take an alcohol tincture and add a small amount of this product to a bath of warm water. You need to keep your finger in the bath for at least 7 minutes. After the procedure, you need to apply gauze soaked in an antiseptic to the abscess and wrap your finger with a bandage.

When treating panaritium, homeopathic remedies can also be used. It is impossible to look for these remedies on any forum, studying the reviews of its participants, because homeopathic remedies for inflammatory diseases must be prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication in this case can not only speed up the development of the disease, but also harm other systems of the body.

Treatment of felon with folk remedies at home on the leg

It is quite rare for panaritium to develop on a person’s legs; treatment at home for various abscesses on the leg can also be carried out only in the initial stages.

When the disease begins to progress and a lot of pus accumulates, it is better not to take risks and immediately consult a specialist.

The cause of the development of suppuration on the toe can be nail or foot fungus, ingrown toenails, as well as diabetes mellitus, which leads to impaired blood circulation in the feet. However, more often an abscess is caused by infection in the wound or other injuries on the toes.

Important to know

When the first signs of suppuration appear on the legs, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment, but it is better to consult a specialist to establish the type of infection that caused the inflammation and formation of pus.

It is difficult to identify a specific sign of felon in the leg, because all the symptoms are practically no different from the manifestations of this disease on the hands. Treatment also includes antibacterial and antimicrobial therapy.

Typically, the patient is prescribed medicinal baths, an effective antiseptic, as well as dressings using alcohol and medicinal ointments. When the disease progresses to a more severe form, antibiotics are prescribed that can fight the microbe that caused the inflammation.

Even the smallest injury or splinter can cause the development of a serious illness - felon finger. This disease is accompanied by the formation of pus right down to the bone. And no one is immune from this disease, and therefore you should understand why this suppuration forms and how to deal with it correctly. After all, a similar nuisance can happen to your child.

Any scratch, splinter or hangnail can cause the formation of felon. After damage, pathogenic microorganisms begin to enter the layers of the skin, which cause suppuration in the tissues. Purulent inflammation can develop after the resulting wound has not been fully treated. But there is also a certain category of people whose development of felons is very high:

• patients with diabetes mellitus;
• having primary or secondary immunodeficiency;
• having some abnormalities in the blood supply to the extremities;
• in the presence of vitamin deficiency;
• often ;
• fungal nail diseases.

It is worth noting that the purulent process in adipose tissue develops very quickly. They also quickly flow onto nearby tissues. The special structure of the tissues of the finger allows infection to be very quickly penetrate deep tissues and lead to more serious problems.

What are the symptoms of the disease

A felon on a finger can be of different types, depending on how deep the pus entered the tissue and the location of the wound. But there are general symptoms and signs of panaritium on the finger:

• persistent pain of a bursting or shooting nature;
• swelling of tissue in the wound area;
• severe redness of the skin due to inflammatory processes;
• gradual decrease in finger mobility.

The sooner you detect the disease and begin to treat it, the sooner you will improve. At the initial stage, you can cope with the disease using conservative methods. But if you start the disease, you will have to deal with it surgically.

With cutaneous panaritium, several blisters filled with yellow-white liquid form at the site of injury. It is in this area that the most severe pain and tissue swelling will be felt.

The subcutaneous panaritium looks like a small light dot, characterized by redness and swelling. The general shape of the diseased area has blurred boundaries and a fairly large affected area. If the patient has paronychia, then the main signs of inflammation will be observed in the area of ​​the nail plate.

When pus begins to penetrate into the nail bed, a subungual panaritium is formed. This process is accompanied by severe swelling of the upper phalanx and painful sensations in the nail area when touched, and an accumulation of pus can be seen under the nail plate.

At the first stage, bone felon has the same symptoms as skin felon. But the swelling gradually increases, the finger increases in size and completely loses mobility. The patient's temperature rises significantly and signs of severe intoxication of the body may be observed. The abscess on the bone may eventually open on its own and the patient will feel relief. But gradually the symptoms will return and the patient’s condition will worsen. The same signs will be observed in a patient with tendon panaritium.

The articular form of the disease is characterized by enlargement of the joint. The disease is accompanied by severe constant pain, which intensifies when the finger moves. In this case, the abscess can also open on its own, but recovery does not occur.

The most serious form of the disease is pandacrit, in which all tissues of the finger become inflamed. At the same time, they acquire a bluish tint and become shiny. The volume of the finger increases greatly. Pus begins to escape through fistulous tracts that completely cover the finger. If you press on the organ, you can hear the crunching of damaged tissue.

It is worth noting that if treatment for felon on the finger is not started immediately, this can lead to serious complications in the form of sepsis. When too much pus accumulates in the tissues, it begins to melt the skin tissue, which leads to the development of phlegmon. And this is very difficult to cure.

In children, purulent inflammations occur very often, because they bite their nails, get injured during games, and also constantly mess with animals. The weakened immunity of a child leads to the fact that pathogenic microorganisms develop very quickly.

In a very young child, injury to the fingers is almost impossible, and therefore the presence of felons in them is almost never diagnosed. But nevertheless, even a baby can develop this unpleasant disease.

The main reasons for the development of panaritium in a child:

• birth trauma;
• improper nail trimming;
• ingrown toenail;
• scratches from pets.

It is worth remembering that infants most often develop only cutaneous or periungual panaritium. To prevent inflammation from developing and affecting the deeper skin, you need to treat the damaged area with an antiseptic at the first symptoms of the disease and immediately call a doctor.

In a small child, panaritium can cause not only an inflammatory process in the finger, but also a rise in temperature, a deterioration in the child’s general condition, as well as frequent regurgitation. Against the background of a general deterioration of the condition, appetite may disappear.

First measures to treat a disease in an infant are:

1. If purulent inflammation has not yet been detected, then treatment can begin at home. An excellent effect can be achieved with cold compresses and salt baths. The latter help relieve inflammation and reduce tissue swelling.
2. To prevent suppuration, the affected area should be treated with antiseptic and antibacterial ointments - Ichthyol or.

But you shouldn’t self-medicate for a long time. It is better to seek qualified help from a doctor. After all, most often, for a faster recovery, you may need to take antibiotics. But only a doctor can choose them correctly, and not all medications are suitable for a baby.

Conservative treatment

At the very beginning of treatment, it is advisable to use baths with a saline solution or a solution of potassium permanganate. In addition, it is worth using ointments such as ichthyol, Levomekol, Vishnevsky. You can use ointment for panaritium if if there is no purulent inflammation. This will help protect the wound from dirt and germs.

No less reliable means of combating this disease are:

• Dimexide, which must be diluted in water 1:4 and applied as compresses;
• Furacilin, which is used for baths;
• Lincomycin is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent for combating felon on the hands at home.
• Vishnevsky ointment, a wonderful antibacterial agent that helps cope with inflammation at the initial stage;
• Tetracycline ointment copes with inflammation on the hand only at the initial stage.

If conservative treatment does not give positive results, then you will have to undergo surgery, especially if an abscess appears. Most often, the operation is performed under local anesthesia, in which the doctor removes dead tissue or the entire nail. A drain is inserted into the wound, and the patient will be prescribed medications such as an antibiotic. Antibiotics for felon help to avoid further inflammation of healthy tissues and lead to a faster cure of the disease.

It is possible to cure periungual or cutaneous panaritium without resorting to surgical intervention. Home therapy methods are used very effectively for this. But it is worth remembering that these methods are used only at the initial stage of the disease; in advanced cases, consulting a doctor is mandatory.

A salt bath, after which a compress with Dimexide is applied to the wound, helps to combat parizia very successfully. Place the solution on top of the gauze penicillin powder. Leave the compress for the day and repeat the procedure in the evening.

Perfectly helps to cope with the problem and cure the initial stage of the disease a mixture of fir oil and Vishnevsky ointment in equal parts. This composition must be applied to the damaged area and bandaged. After eight hours, the bandage needs to be changed.

An amazing doctor grows on everyone's windowsill - aloe. The leaf of this plant should be cut along the fleshy part and applied to the wound. The sheet needs to be changed as it dries, but at least once every four hours. Aloe wounds should be treated only at the initial stage.

But it is worth remembering that if these methods do not help and do not give positive results, then surgical treatment of panaritium is the only way to get rid of the problem. Therefore, do not hesitate and consult a doctor in a timely manner. This way you can protect yourself from illness and health complications. It is imperative to treat felon before pus begins to accumulate. And if you start treating it in time, the disease will recede in the shortest possible time.

This disease cannot be called rare. Most often it occurs in people engaged in vigorous physical activity. Often in children too. This is an inflammation of the soft tissues of the phalanges of the fingers, the cause of which is most often an injury - industrial, household, accidental. The disease is dangerous because without proper treatment it develops into gangrene. And this is already fraught with amputation of a finger and other serious consequences.

In the article we will analyze the main types of the disease, tell you how to treat panaritium on the finger, how this disease occurs, and what the risk factors are. Let's look at how to provide first aid for this condition.

What is it?

Before we figure out how to treat panaritium on a finger, let’s figure out what kind of pathology it is.

This is the name for purulent inflammation of the soft tissues of the phalanges of the fingers, both on the hands and feet. Most often it is of an infectious nature and affects the upper extremities. According to statistics, it is diagnosed in 1/3 of cases of all inflammatory hand diseases caused by the development of a purulent environment. Moreover, most often panaritium occurs on the index and thumb of a person’s dominant hand.

In common parlance, this disease is better known as “hair loss”. Such a name, unusual for doctors, however, quite accurately hints at the nature of the disease. You can see thin tendon fibers on your fingers. They form a network, or even merge into a spike. Along this “hair” the inflammatory process spreads quite quickly and can affect joints, bone, and cause inflammatory processes in these tissues.

How to treat panaritium on a finger? You need to get the answer from your doctor. After all, incorrect therapy leads to serious consequences: total inflammation of the three phalanges of the fingers, which leads to bone melting and subsequent amputation. If, after receiving a hand injury, you feel general weakness, dizziness, or notice a high body temperature, you need to see a doctor immediately!

Cause

You can see in the article in the photo a panaritium on a finger. Treatment of such a disease must be very responsible. But why does it arise?

The reason for the onset of the inflammatory process here is an infection that can penetrate the soft tissues of the phalanges of the fingers through microtraumas, scratches, ulcers, abrasions, scratching, insect bites, and foreign bodies (in particular, splinters). In this case, inflammation is caused by the ingress of bacteria of various types. According to statistics, the most common cause is various strains of Staphylococcus aureus (about 58% of cases), streptococci (about 12% of cases), mixed microflora (all other cases).

It must be said that pyogenic microflora is widespread everywhere. It can only become the cause of an infectious process in the subcutaneous tissue if the following reasons are present:

• Damage and decreased skin resistance.
• Immunodeficiency, weakening of the body's defenses.
• Endocrine disorders. In particular, diabetes mellitus.
• Hormonal dysfunctions in the body.

Risk factors

The treatment of panaritium on the finger must be approached with all responsibility. After all, untimely, insufficient, incorrect therapy leads to irreversible consequences. There are also risk factors, the presence of which increases the likelihood of developing panaritium:

• Frequently wash your hands with soap or other cleaning products containing chemicals and aggressive components.
• Having bad habits: putting fingers in your mouth, biting their tips, tearing off or biting off hangnails and nails.
• Abuse of cosmetic procedures, which may be accompanied by injury to the soft tissues of the finger - manicure, pedicure.
• The use of medications, the side effect of which is a decrease in immunity. In particular, vitamin A derivatives.
• Taking medications designed to suppress the immune system as part of complex therapy for cancer and autoimmune pathologies. In particular, chemotherapy, immunosuppressants.
• Chronic inflammatory processes on the skin. They are accompanied by allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, and other skin diseases.
• Diabetes mellitus, vitamin deficiency, immunodeficiency.

Development of the disease

Treatment of panaritium of a finger or toe should only be carried out under the supervision of a qualified specialist. After all, the inflammatory process in this area of ​​the body progresses very quickly.

One of the main functions of the skin is protective. It protects the body from the penetration of infections into the subcutaneous tissue. Accordingly, various skin lesions open an entrance for pyogenic microflora. It can cause cellulite - inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger. Thus, even a small abrasion can lead to infection, accompanied by the formation of an inflammatory infiltrate. Then an abscess develops with a large content of inflammatory fluid - pus.

Felon, by its nature, is an infectious inflammation of the tissue in the soft tissues of the phalanges of the fingers or toes. The structure and communication of this tissue prevents the infection from spreading to other areas of the arm or leg. But at the same time it promotes the formation of abscesses.

Due to increased tissue pressure (which is facilitated by inflammation and swelling), the patient notes severe pain in the hand (foot). With further development of the disease and improper treatment, the inflammatory process spreads to tendons, joints, and bone.

The deeper the inflammation spreads from the skin, the more difficult it is to treat the disease. At an advanced stage, felon can lead to damage to all anatomical structures of the finger and the development of gangrene. Here the situation can only be solved by amputation. Moreover, abscess forms of the disease often recur. Therefore, it is necessary to open all the affected cells of the subcutaneous tissue and clean them of already inflamed tissue. Treatment of panaritium on the toe and hand in this case is carried out in a hospital setting.

Panaritium occurs much less frequently on the foot. This is due to the fact that fingers are injured more often than feet. The development of the inflammatory process is the same in both cases.

Classification of forms of the disease

Treatment at home for panaritium of the toe is unacceptable without the permission of a doctor. Self-medication often leads to the need for extreme measures—finger amputation.

If we turn to ICD-10, then inflammatory diseases of the soft tissues of the phalanges of the fingers of an infectious nature are classified here as one of the forms of cellulite. In the International Classifier, the disease is marked with code L03.0.

In clinical practice, the following classification of felon forms is used:

• Cutaneous. This is a lesion of superficial structures. An intradermal abscess is formed containing pus. Most often this is a bubble or blister on the back or side of the finger. First it is filled with serous fluid, then purulent or bloody. This form of panaritium is accompanied by an increase in nearby lymph nodes.
• Subcutaneous. Here the abscess develops in the subcutaneous tissue. Most often - on the palmar side of the finger. The infection comes through a cut or scratch. The patient notes a sharp, intense, throbbing pain, which intensifies when pressing on the wound. Accompanied by redness and swelling of the skin.
• Periungual (paronychia). This is an infection of the tissue surrounding the nail. Areas of the periungual fold turn red and swell. An abscess (suppuration) may form. When pressing on the affected area, the patient feels intense pain. Most often this is a consequence of a manicure or pedicure performed without antiseptics.
• Subungual (hyponychium). Accordingly, purulent inflammation of the tissue that is located under the nail plate. May be the result of ignored paronychia. Direct infection is also possible. For example, from a splinter under the nail. In some cases, hyponychium is a consequence of a hematoma caused by a blunt, strong blow to the nail (hitting it with a hammer or hitting furniture).
• Bone. This is already a type of finger bone osteomyelitis, a deep form of the disease. By its nature, it is secondary - the result of the neglected forms of panaritium mentioned above. Complication of infection due to untimely provision of medical care or lack thereof.
• Articular. This is the name for serous-purulent inflammation of the joints of the metacarpus and fingers. The disease can be primary - deep wounds, injections, cuts reaching the joints. There are also secondary forms - progressive cutaneous, subcutaneous or tendon panaritium. Fusiform swelling of the finger and severe dysfunction of the interphalangeal joints are characteristic. Pathological mobility may also be observed in the affected joint.
• Tendinous. It is considered the most severe form of the disease: the tendons themselves and tendon sheaths become inflamed; primary infection (through a deep cut or puncture) and secondary infection (advanced forms of cutaneous and subcutaneous panaritium) can occur. The patient experiences severe pain along the entire length of the tendon, which intensifies when bending the finger. It is impossible to completely straighten it with this form of panaritium. Urgent surgical intervention is required. Otherwise, motor function may be lost due to tendon necrosis.

Stages of the disease

How to treat panaritium on a finger? Therapeutic measures must be started already at the first stage of the disease. In total there are three of them:

1. Infection. Here the pyogenic microflora enters the soft tissues of the finger. The danger is that this happens asymptomatically.
2. Infiltration. The patient begins to notice unpleasant symptoms - pain, swelling of soft tissues, redness, inflammation.
3. Abscess formation. This is a purulent melting of inflamed tissues with the formation of abscesses (purulent cavities).

Conservative (medicinal) treatment is carried out only in the first two stages. The third one already requires surgery. Therefore, treatment of felon in a child’s toe or hand should be started immediately - when you first notice an inflamed wound.

Symptoms

Panaritium is recognized by the following symptoms:

• Sharp throbbing pain in the affected finger. They intensify at night, when pressing on the wound, when moving a finger.
• Redness, swelling, local increase in temperature of the affected area of ​​the body.
• Enlargement of nearby lymph nodes.
• General malaise.
• A slight increase in body temperature in general.

Directions of treatment

How to treat panaritium on a finger or toe? Therapy depends on the stage of the disease. In the first and second cases, conservative treatment is allowed - with the help of antibacterial drugs. At the suppuration stage, urgent surgery is required.

All treatment methods can be divided into the following areas:

• Home treatment.
• Drug therapy.
• Auxiliary treatment.
• Surgical intervention.

Let's look at them.

Home treatment

How to treat panaritium on a finger? If you have just discovered an inflamed wound, you can resort to the following first aid:

• Baths with decoctions of medicinal herbs that have an anti-inflammatory effect - chamomile, calendula, string.
• Baths with a solution of salt and soda. They reduce signs of inflammation, prevent the formation of inflammatory fluid, in which pyogenic microflora multiplies.
• Bandage with Levomekol or Vishnevsky ointment. How to treat panaritium on the big toe? You can use this kind of dressing - do it at night. Similar remedies are also effective at the abscess stage.

Make sure that the temperature of the water in the baths is no higher than room temperature - too warm a liquid promotes more active reproduction of pathogenic microflora. You can also use cold compresses to neutralize the pain.

Drug therapy

How to treat panaritium on a toe or hand? The surest way is to consult a therapist or surgeon. In the first stages of the disease, the doctor will prescribe you effective medications:

• First generation cephalosporins.
• Penicillin drugs active against staphylococci. In particular, Methicillin, Oxacillin.

Medicines are prescribed in the form of intramuscular, intravenous infections. The duration of the course of therapy is 7-10 days.

How to treat panaritium on a finger? In the absence of the desired effect, Biseptol, Doxycycline, and Clindamycin are additionally prescribed. If the disease develops as a result of injury, antitetanus serum is administered. In case of an animal bite, a rabies vaccine.

How to treat panaritium on a child’s finger? Children are additionally prescribed physical therapy. In particular, electrophoresis with sodium chloride.

Auxiliary treatment

How to treat panaritium on a finger at home? With the permission of your attending physician, you can turn, in addition to the main therapy, to the following folk remedies:

• Applying dressings with pulp from the pulp of aloe leaves at night.
• Wound dressings with boiled onions.
• Applying dressings with garlic pulp, which has an antibacterial effect.
• Compresses with propolis tincture, which simultaneously has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Surgical intervention

How to treat panaritium on the toe? In advanced cases, surgery is needed. The subcutaneous, skin panaritium is opened with a disinfected scalpel. The instrument is used to clean the subcutaneous tissue from inflamed tissue. If the purulent process is localized under the nail, then the abscess is opened with medical instruments on both sides, threaded through a gauze turunda, and left for several days. It ensures the drainage of pus and protects against relapse.

Tendon, bone, and joint forms of the disease require treatment in a hospital, in the department of purulent surgery. Openings and cleanings are carried out here regularly. Additionally, the patient is prescribed drug therapy - immunomodulators, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory steroids, vitamins.

Panaritium is a fairly serious disease that begins with a harmless, inflamed wound on the finger. It requires timely initiation of treatment at an early stage. Ignoring the symptoms leads to irreversible consequences - gangrene and amputation of the finger.