There are many blood thinners on the market. Aspirin thins the blood but that is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about a group of medications that are used for no other purpose then to slow the clotting of blood. The medications I speak of are: Coumadin, Warfarin, Lovenox and Heparin. If you are on one of these drugs you should not cut your own toenails due to increased risk of bleeding events if your accidentally cut yourself.
In fact, Medicare and most other insurances cover the routine care of nails and calluses every 9 weeks by a foot doctor, if you are on these specific medications.
There are many reasons to be on blood thinners. Joint replacements, heart valve replacements, blood clots, atrial fibrillation (a heart problem) and cancer are just a few of the conditions that cause patients to take these medications.
The way you know if you are on one of these medications is very simple, do you have to check your INR? INR is international normalization ratio, and it is a number that helps patients on blood thinners to know if their blood is too thin or not thin enough. If you have your INR checked, you should not be cutting your own nails. Contact your local foot doctor to have an evaluation and set up a regular schedule to have the foot care you need done safely.
Committed to your health,
Dr. Craig Conti
Sarasota Foot Care Center
http://www.sarasotafootcarecenter.com/
