Can biting nails cause staph infection?

Your fingertips are a cesspool of germs, and various types of bacteria, fungus, and yeast can live under your nails, including fecal matter and staph infection. Gross!

What infection comes from nail biting?

Paronychia is a skin infection that develops around the nail. It occurs when bacteria or fungi get under the skin. Paronychia can result from biting or chewing the nails, but it is more common when working conditions require the hands to be frequently wet or exposed to chemicals.

Can you get a bacterial infection from biting your nails?

Biting your nails increases the risk of paronychia, an infection of the nail. Symptoms of paronychia include a painful, red, swollen area around the nail, often at the cuticle or at the site of a hangnail or other injury. If the infection is bacterial, there may be pus-filled blisters at the site.

How do you get rid of an infection from biting your nails?

Treatment of a fingernail infection

1. Antiseptic soaks. Soak the affected area in warm water with an antibacterial soap.
2. Draining. In most cases, pus will drain on its own after soaking the infection.
3. Antibiotics.
4. Prevention.

Can biting your nails cause sepsis?

Biting your nails is a common nervous fixation — but as one man in the U.K. found out, it can quickly become more than just a bad habit. Luke Hanoman, a father of two, developed sepsis and nearly died all because of a small cut on one of his fingers caused by biting his nails, reports The Sun.

How do you treat a bacterial infection under your fingernail?

If you have acute paronychia, soaking the infected nail in warm water 3 to 4 times a day can help reduce pain and swelling. It should heal up in a few days. If the infection is very painful, doesn’t get better with home care, or has a pus-filled abscess, you may need to see your doctor.

Can peroxide cure paronychia?

Wash the area with clean water 2 times a day. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the area with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.

Can you get sepsis from a infected finger?

While it may seem like a minor cut or a urinary tract infection that will go away, untreated both could lead to sepsis a dangerous infection that is potentially life-threatening. Any type of infection, anywhere in the body, can cause sepsis.