I think I broke my toe

poet_kelly
on 9/5/11 8:09 am - OH

I dropped my bread machine on my big toe. And of course my bread machine is heavy. The toe immediately developed a black bruise about the size of a 50 cent piece on the top of the toe just below the toe nail. It is swollen, mostly along the outside edge of the toe. And when I look at both my feet next to each other, I think this big toe is kind of bent inward a little more than on the other foot, though not a lot.

I have no trouble moving the toe, although it hurts horribly if I move it more than just a little. It also hurts if I put my full weight on that foot the way I usually stand or walk, but if I walk a little bit more on my heel and not on my toes, I can walk fine.

My partner thinks it isn't broken because I can move it. Does that sound right? Any nurses out there who know about broken toes? I think it probably doesn't matter if it is or isn't, because don't they usually just tape your toes together if you break one? There is no need to go to the ER and find out if it's really broken, is there? (Please say no, I don't wanna go)

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

hlacy
on 9/5/11 8:15 am - Chandler, AZ

RNY on 08/17/11

I fell backwards off a ladder a year ago June and broke my toe (caught it on one of the steps). I could not move my toe nor could I walk after about an hour. The black bruise may be blood pooling under the nail, which is what happened to me. I was x-rayed and at first they saw no fracture. After four days of no relief, they re-x-rayed, and found a small hairline fracture across the bottom of the nail. Because the fracture was straight, I did not have to tap the toe or anything, just had to wear a boot for a couple weeks to keep it straight and flat. It it's a crooked fracture, they will usually tape it to the toe next to it. There's not much else they can do for broken toes other than pain killers. I also had them drain the blood pooling from under the nail - that did relieve some pain, but when it was not a lot of relief they x-rayed again and saw the fracture. Maybe go to an urgent care and have it checked out - if nothing else to drain the blood.

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come"

hlacy
on 9/5/11 8:17 am - Chandler, AZ

RNY on 08/17/11

I just realized you said the bruise was below the nail, not under it. Ooops :)

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come"

poet_kelly
on 9/5/11 8:21 am - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

Yeah, it's like between the bottom of my nail and the knuckle in the middle of my toe. I've just never seen a bruise develop that fast. Half the time when I see bruises on myself I don't even know what caused them, but this was very dark already as soon as I looked at my toe.

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

hlacy
on 9/5/11 8:28 am - Chandler, AZ

RNY on 08/17/11

Mine was instant, too. I would think it's probably blood under your skin, a nasty bruise. I'm not a nurse, but after experiencing it myself, I'd only go to urgent care if you must, not the ER. I would recommend keeping it elevated the rest of the day, use cold relief on it, and take some vicodin if you have it (that's what I was given). They can't do too much for toe breaks like you mentioned above.

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come"

poet_kelly
on 9/5/11 8:30 am - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

OK, that's what I was thinking too. Thanks. And I do have some vicodin. At the moment, it doesn't really hurt much if I'm not walking on it or trying to bend it,though.

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

Price S.
on 9/5/11 8:24 am - Mills River, NC

RNY on 09/09/10

Ouch.

I don't think there is much they can do for you even if it is broken. You could put some arnica on it which would help the bruising. My large pony stepped on my toe next to the little toe last week. It is still sensative. don't know if it was broken or not but the arnica helped the brusing.

66 yrs young, 4'11" hw 220, goal 120 met at 12 months, cw 129 learning Maintainance

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Janice Z.
on 9/5/11 8:36 am - TX

RNY on 08/11/11

Kelly, I don't think you need to go to the ER unless you need some pain meds. You can just stabilize it to the next toe and that will help, and ice for swelling.

Janice

HW/332-SW/298-CW/281

poet_kelly
on 9/5/11 8:38 am - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

Good, that's what I thought. It doesn't even hurt very much when I'm sitting down and have it elevated. It hurts if I bend it or try to walk too much on it. I do have some pain meds if I need them later, though.

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

_Donna_
on 9/5/11 9:05 am

Soft tissue swelling can cause deformity without an actual break.
You can partially immobilize it by wrapping tape around it and the next toe; that's what they did to me when I dropped a brick on my toes. I didn't break anything but it hurt for several weeks.
I'm sorry for your pain

RNY 5-5-2011

I think I broke my toe

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I think I broke my toe