My toenail is falling off – do I have gout?

Gout is caused by excess uric acid in the bloodstream, but that’s not much help without the whole explanation. Leave questions like “what causes uric acid buildup?” and “how can I prevent it from happening?”.

The entire answer is related to protein and the kidneys. Protein contains a substance called purine, regardless of whether it is animal or vegetable in nature. When your body breaks down purine, uric acid is left behind.

Under normal circumstances, your kidneys would filter this out and you wouldn’t have to worry about it. However, if there is a lot and/or if your kidneys are not working properly, some is left behind. That might not be so bad, after all, the kidneys can get rid of it next time, right?

Not necessarily. When enough acid collects, it forms crystals. These crystals are heavy and stay in the joints, causing the typical redness, swelling, and pain of gout. However, it *doesn’t* cause the nail to come off.

There are two main reasons why you could lose a toenail, fungus and injury. For most of us, it will always be a fungus, since we don’t run marathons or spend hours on our toes, dancing. The yellow color will give you even more clues, that is another typical sign of the mushrooms of yesteryear.

Although a doctor can diagnose the problem, most insurance companies don’t pay for drugs to fix it. We can complain about it, but it is a fact. So the next thing to do is figure out how to care for it at home.

There are some over-the-counter preparations that can help, but my doctor told me that steam rubbing, the kind used for colds, works wonders. Since I’ve tried it, I must agree. It is also much less expensive. You can also try apple cider vinegar.

For injuries, make sure the toe is clean and disinfected. You may want to bandage it to prevent further injury and try to avoid wearing it. That translates to letting it sit until it heals, not going back out there and training right away.

A toe injury severe enough to cause the nail to come off should probably also be seen by your doctor. This is especially important if the nail has not been completely detached, as a local anesthetic may be needed to cut it off. While it is still attached to the nail bed, it is felt.

For both cases, keep the foot clean and use an antiseptic at least twice a day. Our feet go to many places and not all of them are clean. Wear white socks, as the dye is bad for the wound. If the bandages get wet, change them and redo the antiseptic.

Losing a nail can be painful, but you can be thankful for one thing. It’s not taste.