An ingrowing toenail is indeed painful. We are sure you are aware that the injection you will have will contain an anaesthetic agent. This should help to numb the area.
You can take paracetamol before your nail surgery in the usual dose. Make sure that you do not take more than two paracetamol at one time and no more than 8 in 24 hours.
Please note that panadol is a brand of paracetamol. This means panadol contains paracetamol. Please do not take panadol at the same time as paracetamol.
There are varying thoughts about taking Ibuprofen before surgery so you will need to seek advice from your surgeon.
You may wish to ask if he/she can use Emla cream on the area prior to having the injection. Emla cream contains a local anaesthetic and may be used on the injection site. This will numb the skin so that you will not feel the pain from injection.
Alternatively they can use special needles for needle phobic patients. These are special needles where the needle is concealed so you cannot see the needle piercing the skin.
Answered by the Health at Hand nurses
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