How to drain a subungal hematoma

Have you ever smashed your finger with a hammer or dropped a rock on your toe? If you have, there is a high probability that you developed a subungal hematoma, which is simply a bleeding pocket underneath the nail bed. This bleeding often creates a lot of pressure and can become quite painful. Treatment can usually be performed at home by taking a sharp nail or a paper clip, heating it repeatedly with a flame and putting pressure on the nail each time in the same location above the hematoma. In essence, you slowly burn a hole down to the blood collection. The relief is immediate once you successfully reach the pocket and release the trapped blood…Richard R Samuel, MD Family Practice and Urgent Care Hayden, ID USA