Introduction
There are many cases in which you hit your toe on an object or dropped something heavy on it, resulting in a broken toe. In fact, a broken toe is a common injury. This is an injury that usually takes four to six week to heal, but if it is severe, it can take longer. This injury is sometimes referred to as a fracture.
The good news is that when it comes to caring for a broken toe, you can do this at home. Even if you are not sure whether this is broke or not. You really only need to see your doctor when the toe is swollen and feels broken and you have not been involved in any accident, especially if you have diabetes.
When to see your Doctor
There are times in which you should call your doctor due to a broken toe. These times include:
- Ordinary painkillers are not relieving the pain or the pain keeps getting worse
- After a few days, the swelling is not going down and it seems to be discoloured
- There is a wound near the broken toe that is at risk for infection
There are also times in which a hospital visit may be necessary. These items include:
- The toe becomes cold or numb, or may tingle as this is a sign of nerve damage
- The skin on the damaged toe is grey or blue
- The toe has a severe injury should as being bent at an angle or having an open wound
Caring for a Broken Toe at Home
These are the tips that you can use if you have a broken toe and choose to treat this at home, as there is no reasons as to why you should run to the doctor:
- Put a piece of gauze or cotton roll in between the little toe and the injured toe, then tape these two together to form a type of plaster. This is only useful when the broken toe is the little toe.
- You can use a shoe that has a stiff sole or even a surgical shoe to help with mobility.
- You can reduce the swelling and pain through keeping your foot propped up as much as possible
- Utilize an ice pack during the first few days to help with pain and swelling. Do this every hour for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Try to avoid putting too much weight on the toe, as well as excessive time spent on your foot. You will want to avoid activities like this until the toe is fully healed. Once the swelling has gone down, you can return to your normal routine.
- Utilize over the counter pain killers to help with the pain
- Always wear shoes that are not going to result in the toe being squashed or bent
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