Povidone-iodine (Betadine) is a helpful antiseptic, but it is not highly effective at penetrating the nail to clear deep fungal infections. The sudden pain and worsening could mean the infection has spread to the surrounding skin or that a secondary bacterial infection has developed. Please have a healthcare professional examine your nail. They can properly diagnose the issue?sometimes with a simple nail scraping?and prescribe targeted treatments, such as prescription antifungal or antibacterial therapies, to safely and effectively relieve your pain and heal your nail.
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What should I do if my suspected nail fungus has suddenly gotten worse and painful, even though I have been treating it with Betadine for over a year?