Ask The Experts
One toe is red, swollen and painful. Do I need to see a podiatrist or can I treat it myself?
Thank you for contacting IPFH. We do not diagnose or recommend treatments on line. Self-treatment is always “iffy.” The problem is that (unless you yourself are a medical professional) you rarely if ever can precisely diagnose your own conditions, and therefore whatever treatments you might apply may or may not be effective. We always recommend consulting a medical professional – either your primary care physician or a foot health professional – if there are any symptoms that linger for more than a day or two. While you may not want to rush to the doctor for every little thing, we believe it is always better to be safe than sorry. So if your toe has been red, swollen and painful for two days or more, we would urge you to consult a medical professional, get diagnosed and receive appropriate treatment. We hope you will do this and that you will soon be free of the pain and swelling.