A painful or swollen toe can often be the result of the toenail digging into the adjacent tissue. This abnormal pressure causes pain, swelling and sometimes infection to the toe itself. Most ingrown toenails can be neatly salvaged and restored to their previous comfortable, cosmetic state with surprising clean-up remedies, and rarely require removal of the entire nail itself. Preventative care by a podiatrist for an occasional flare-up or surgical treatment as a cure are refreshing options you won't regret.

Ingrown toenail symptoms include:

• Pain and tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail
• Redness around your toenail
• Swelling of your toe around the nail
• Infection of the tissue around your toenail