Treatment of bruised toes at home. Bruised little toe: what to do at first and further treatment

It's no secret that it is very easy to injure a toe, because there is no person who would not experience a feeling of frustration and pain when, while rushing about their business, they accidentally hit their toes on a hard surface. It doesn’t matter what the blow was on: a cabinet, a step, a threshold - the finger hurts the same. And if the pain in children and adults does not go away for a long time (for example, a couple of weeks or a month), you should think about it, maybe it’s not just a bruise. It is known that the methods of treating bruises and fractures differ significantly.

What are the differences between a broken and bruised finger?

To understand what kind of injury to the big toe has occurred (fracture or bruise), you need to pay attention to the symptoms that accompany it:

• An attack of acute pain at the time of injury indicates that a fracture has occurred. It should also be noted that an attack of pain after a bruise goes away after two to three hours, and with a fracture, on the contrary, it intensifies.
• A severe bruise in children and adults, just like a fracture, is accompanied by the appearance of hematomas, swelling, swelling, and a lump forms in the affected area. Sometimes a lump forms on the adjacent finger and its soft tissues. The difference is that with a fracture this process begins immediately, and after a bruise it takes some time.
• A broken finger cannot be bent not only because of the tumor, but also because of acute pain.
• Bruising under the nail indirectly indicates a fracture. The nail turns blue, then turns black due to accumulated blood, and pulsation occurs. Therefore, the symptoms should be considered together.
• It is possible to assume that the foot and toe were not bruised if the toe protrudes at an odd angle, but at the same time moves, and when pressure is applied, the movement of bone fragments is felt, which is accompanied by a crunching sound.

If a fracture is suspected or a lump is detected on the finger, it is recommended to consult with specialists and take an x-ray to examine the limb and determine the damage.

Damage classification

In children and adults, there are several degrees of severity of bruises, which have certain symptoms:

• In the first degree, there is practically no damage to the skin, except for a few scratches. At this stage, no treatment is required, and symptoms of the injury may subside within a few days.
• The second degree is accompanied by slight swelling and the formation of a hematoma in the damaged tissues. A lump may also form on the damaged joint. This stage is accompanied by severe pain.
• The third degree can occur after a very strong blow. The tissues receive a lot of damage, swelling begins, hematomas appear, and a lump forms in the area of ​​the bone. The finger continues to hurt, and its functioning is impaired.
• The foot suffers the most damage in stage four. In this case, cracks, dislocations, swelling, and hematomas appear. In addition, the functioning of the finger is completely impaired. Attacks of pain in children and adults may not go away for several weeks.

Diagnostics

Neither an adult, nor even a child will be able to independently diagnose and determine the severity of the injury. This can only be done by a specialist after diagnostics and x-rays. This is explained by the fact that the symptoms of a bruise, fracture and dislocation of a finger are very similar.

X-rays make it possible to study the integrity of the bones of the affected area, determine the joint structures and finally make sure that there are no other pathologies or injuries. It should be noted that the bruise itself is not visible on the x-ray.

Treatment options

When fingers are injured in children and adults, several treatment methods are usually used. To relieve inflammation and remove swelling, it is recommended to use special ointments, gels and creams. For severe pain, analgesics are recommended.

Physiotherapeutic procedures may also be prescribed, which include electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, and ultra-high-frequency therapy. The main goal of physiotherapy is to restore damaged tissues and eliminate hematomas. For significant hematomas, surgery is prescribed, after which plaster splints are used.

First aid

What to do if your toe is badly bruised? Where to start? This question concerns every person who has at least once injured a limb. First aid for a foot injury includes the following:

• Inspection of the damaged area of ​​the leg. If the injured finger functions normally, then we can safely say that it is a normal bruise. If the mobility of the finger is impaired, it is recommended to consult a specialist.
• Applying a cold compress, which not only relieves pain, but also reduces bruising. To avoid causing hypothermia, apply the compress through the fabric for several minutes. This procedure must be repeated several times with a break of 15–20 minutes (the sooner you apply the compress after the blow, the better the effect is achieved).
• Disinfection and treatment of the affected area. If abrasions and scratches appear in the impact area, they need to be washed and treated with an antiseptic. It is strictly forbidden to use iodine, because it warms the bruised area.
• Applying a tight bandage that immobilizes the injured finger.
• Elevate the foot to prevent disruption of blood flow.
• The use of ointments and gels for bruises; it is not recommended to use Aspirin for pain relief, because it increases bleeding.
• Applying a pressure bandage or plaster to the damaged nail.
• Providing rest for the injured foot.

Treatment at home

For a slight bruise of a finger, you can use folk recipes, the effect of which is aimed at pain relief and relieving swelling. Such remedies include compresses with vinegar and olive (vegetable) oil and foot baths with sea salt. You can also do rubbing. If procedures at home cause discomfort, then you should abandon them and consult a specialist.

If you stub your toe, experts do not recommend massaging the damaged area of ​​the foot, because such actions can cause blockage of blood vessels. During the first 24 hours after injury, do not apply a heating pad. You should also not adjust, forcefully straighten or bend the joints on your own. This should only be done by a specialist.

Recovery and likely consequences

If you follow all the specialist’s recommendations, the functionality of the finger is restored within two to three weeks. In case of rejection of the nail plate, recovery may take several months, although the finger itself begins to function normally after a couple of weeks.

Most often, the bruise goes away without consequences. But if the nail is damaged or qualified help is refused, complications may begin in the form of panaritium, osteomyelitis and purulent inflammation. Treating such consequences is more difficult than a bruise.

Almost every person has suffered from a bruised toe at least once in their life.

This is a rather unpleasant condition that causes severe pain and interferes with normal walking.

In order to eliminate such a disease as quickly as possible, it is important to know how to properly diagnose and treat it.

This is what will be discussed in this article.

Bruised toe: symptoms

After bruising a toe, a person experiences the following symptoms:

Severe pain in the bruised area;

Swelling of the injured finger;

Changing the color of the finger from light blue to dark purple;

Feeling of burning and throbbing in the bruised area;

Violation of the integrity of the nail plate;

Numbness of the finger (loss of sensation);

Bruise;

Change in the color of the nail plate (most often it darkens);

Impaired finger mobility due to swelling.

It is important to be able to distinguish a simple bruised finger from a fracture. If the integrity of the bone is violated, a person will feel unbearable pain. Also, his finger may crunch when pressed and completely lose mobility.

Such symptoms indicate a possible fracture, so if they occur, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

In addition, there are different degrees of bruised toes:

1. First degree: slight bruise of a finger without visible damage to the skin. It does not require medication and goes away on its own on the fifth day.

2. Second degree: bruised finger, which is accompanied by swelling and damage to muscle tissue. The patient suffers from severe pain.

3. Third degree: nerve connections and tendons are damaged due to bruise. Partially lost mobility. In this condition, a person requires medical attention.

4. Fourth degree: the bruise led to the formation of a hematoma. The finger itself turned purple. This condition requires urgent hospitalization and treatment, otherwise it can cause serious complications.

Causes of a bruised toe

The most common causes of this type of injury are:

hitting your finger on something hard;

A heavy object falling on your finger;

Accidental collision with something hard.

Bruised toe - first aid

Immediately after receiving a bruised finger, the victim should be seated in a chair. Next you should proceed according to the following algorithm:

1. Inspect the affected area and determine the extent of damage.

2. Place the victim’s leg on a pillow so as not to interfere with blood circulation.

3. Apply a cold compress to the sore spot. To avoid hypothermia, ice or anything cold should be wrapped in a cloth. In this case, it is important to apply cold for no longer than ten minutes, then take a break for 5 minutes and repeat the procedure again.

It is important to know that cold compresses are contraindicated for people suffering from diabetes.

4. If there is a cut or scratch at the site of the injury, it must be disinfected and germs removed. Hydrogen peroxide works best for this. Be sure to apply a sterile bandage or plaster over the wound.

5. Additionally, a tight bandage must be applied to the foot to immobilize the joint (turning the foot during a bruise can cause severe pain in the victim).

6. If a hematoma appears at the site of the injury, then an anesthetic decongestant ointment can be applied to it.

7. If the nail plate has peeled off after bruising a finger, then apply a pressure bandage on top of it to stop the bleeding.

Stubbed toe: what not to do

When providing first aid, it is important to do no harm. To do this, you should know what you absolutely cannot do:

1. Do not knead the sore finger, as this will not only cause terrible pain for the victim, but can also further damage the muscles and cartilaginous joints of the finger.

2. Do not rub or massage the bruised area, as this can lead to thrombophlebitis (vein blockage).

Severe bruised toe: diagnosis

It is impossible to diagnose a bruised toe on your own. Only a traumatologist can do this. During the initial examination of the victim, the doctor palpates the damaged area. Additional diagnostic procedures may include:

X-ray of the injured toe or entire foot;

Ultrasound of the finger.

If the diagnosis shows a fracture, then the victim is given a plaster cast. If he has a simple bruise, then the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment.

Treatment for a bruised toe

Treatment for a bruised toe should be comprehensive. This is the only way to achieve the fastest relief in your condition.

Complex therapy involves medication, physiotherapy and local treatment.

Drug treatment includes the use of the following groups of drugs:

1. Painkillers.

2. Anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketoprofen, Diclofenac sodium).

3. Vasoconstrictor medications.

Physiotherapeutic procedures include the following:

Magnetotherapy;

Treatment with UHF devices

Electrophoresis;

Ozone therapy.

It is important to know that physiotherapy can be done only after the pain has subsided and the full course of medication has been completed. On average, a course of physiotherapy is prescribed for 7-10 sessions.

If the toe is severely bruised, the victim himself must remain in bed or move with the help of crutches, since minimal load on the sore toe can cause severe pain and swelling of the limb.

In addition, if the big toe is damaged and partially dislocated, the attending physician may apply a tight bandage or a special orthopedic brace.

If the patient received a fourth-degree bruise, and drug treatment did not help him (the hematoma did not go away, the pain did not decrease, inflammation of the soft tissues occurred), then surgical intervention is possible.

During such an operation, the hematoma will be removed, which will help speed up the process of tissue restoration.

What to do if the nail plate detaches

Quite often, when a finger is bruised, the nail plate suffers. It changes its color and partially or completely “comes off” from the diseased nail. In this case, doctors recommend removing the damaged nail plate, as microbes will collect under it and cause inflammation and pain.

This procedure is done under local anesthesia, so there is no need to fear it. In addition, nails are prone to complete recovery, so even after total removal they will be able to grow back.

It is very important to trust your doctors and not cut off the affected nail at home, as this can cause bleeding. In addition, an even greater danger of removing the nail plate on your own is the threat of infection.

Severe bruise of a toe: what will happen if left untreated

Many people do not consider a stubbed toe a serious injury and do not seek any treatment, but this is a big mistake.

The fact is that with a strong blow, not only muscles, but also tendons can be damaged. It is quite possible that the consequences of such damage will not appear immediately, but after several weeks or even months.

If left untreated, a bruised toe can lead to the following complications:

1. Unpleasant sensations when walking and wearing tight shoes (will occur due to muscle tissue disorders).

2. Deformation of the phalanx of the finger due to severe swelling.

3. Inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger due to infection. This condition is the most dangerous, as it can lead to suppuration of the wound. In turn, a strong inflammatory process will affect the body - a person may:

Increased body temperature;

Develop fever;

Blood poisoning begins.

For these indications, he will require urgent hospitalization and antibacterial drugs. Surgery may also be performed to clear the accumulated pus.

4. Panaritium and osteomyelitis can occur if a severe bruise is not treated in any way.

5. Arthritis of the toes can develop even several years after the injury.

A bruised toe can occur both in everyday life, for example, when a person hits the corner of a bedside table or something heavy falls on the foot, or when playing sports. The toes are located at the very edge of the foot and in the event of an impact, as a rule, receive the greatest load. Often, the occurrence of such injuries is facilitated not only by a person’s inattention, but also by wearing open shoes that poorly protect the toe of the foot. In most cases, a bruised toe does not require medical attention and heals well at home. But severe bruises can cause serious damage to bones, ligaments and nerve endings, in which case medical attention and treatment will be necessary. Even if a minor injury occurs, the doctor will tell you what to do and how to treat it at home, which is especially important for older people, because any injury can cause complications for them.

A stubbed toe most often causes symptoms that can be easily treated at home:

• Pain in the injured area that decreases over time
• Swelling and increase in size of the bruised finger, which often leads to a decrease in its mobility
• The presence of a hematoma, which can be located either under the nail or elsewhere on the finger

If the following symptoms appear, it is forbidden to treat yourself and you should definitely seek medical help:

• The pain becomes stronger and does not subside after taking painkillers
• Bruising and swelling does not subside within a few days
• Open wound and bleeding
• Coldness and numbness, indicating nerve damage
• The finger is in a crooked position
• The nail is partially or completely torn off
• Presence of a large subungual hematoma

First aid and home treatment

1. Applying cold to the finger every 2 hours for 15 minutes for the first two days will reduce pain and swelling. Ice must first be wrapped in cloth to avoid frostbite of the skin.
2. Applying a moderate pressure bandage, wrapping the damaged finger with the adjacent one, which will slightly reduce swelling and limit excessive mobility. This helps keep the finger at rest and speed up its healing. Heparin ointment can be applied under the bandage.
3. When a nail is severely damaged or partially torn off, you need to secure it to your finger with an adhesive plaster to increase the chances of saving it.
4. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and pain. Ketanov, analgin, ibuprofen will do.
5. Applying warm compresses after 2-3 days should speed up healing. Also for these purposes, you can take baths with sea salt for 15 minutes 3 times a day. Warm compresses should not be used in the first days after injury so as not to increase swelling.
6. The leg where the toe was bruised should be placed in an elevated position to reduce swelling. This is especially important in the first 48 hours after an injury, as too much blood at the injury site can create a lot of pressure and increase pain.
7. Keep your finger at rest for at least 2-3 days. By moving less, reduce the load from street shoes and protect yourself from repeated injuries. After an injury, it is best to walk in open-toed shoes so that nothing is pressing on the toe, and try to keep your body weight on the heel to protect yourself as much as possible from repeated injuries.

Medical treatment

If you have severely bruised your toe or if symptoms do not subside for a long time, you should seek medical help. Usually the doctor does an examination and, if necessary, performs a diagnosis using X-rays or computed tomography. The main goal of diagnosis is to identify a possible fracture, damage to ligaments or nerve endings. Often, when a bruise occurs, a finger is dislocated; in this case, only a traumatologist should perform its reduction. If there is a large subungual hematoma, it may be necessary to remove the fluid, which is usually done with a syringe or other instrument. This is necessary to preserve the fingernail. More serious intervention is required if a severe fracture occurs or the functioning of the joint is impaired. A severe fracture may require surgery using pins, plates and screws to restore the proper structure of the finger. You should not be afraid of surgical treatment, as this is often the best option for bone healing and a speedy return to previous activity. After surgery, a fixing bandage or plaster is often applied, which should speed up the healing of bone tissue in case of damage. The bone usually heals in 4-6 weeks. As an additional treatment, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy: electrophoresis, magnetic and UHF therapy.

It is worth remembering that a bruised big toe takes longer to heal due to its size, which contributes to a greater accumulation of swelling and requires a long period of rest and treatment, since it bears the maximum load when walking.

Conclusion

Most often, a bruised toe heals within 1-2 weeks and does not leave any negative consequences. To make recovery faster, it is good to provide first aid correctly and give yourself time to recover, and in case of a severe bruise or serious symptoms, consult a doctor as soon as possible so that he can carry out initial treatment and give recommendations on how to treat the finger at home.

A stubbed toe is one of the most common types of household injuries. It represents a mechanical violation of soft tissues - skin, subcutaneous tissue, surrounding muscles (the tubular bones of the phalanges are not affected) and belongs to the category of minor injuries. But the consequences of a complicated bruise can be serious. It may be accompanied by rupture of tendons, separation from their attachment site, and tearing of the nail plate. It is also not always possible to correctly recognize the type of injury, since the symptoms of a bruise and a closed fracture are very similar. In all these cases, qualified medical care is required.

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  Clinical picture

  Bruised toe with subungual hematoma

  The toes have a branched network of small vessels and are very sensitive, since the load on them during standing and walking is great. A bruise in this area is painful, as severe tissue swelling and internal bleeding lead to compression of the nerve endings. Thick skin on the feet contributes to the creation of areas of significant local tension with inflammation and swelling and increased pain.

  A bruised toe is most often the result of falling a heavy object or hitting your toe on a hard surface. According to statistics, the little finger and thumb suffer the most. If the impact was strong, the structure of the soft tissues can be seriously damaged. There are a number of signs that always accompany such a violation:

  • severe pain syndrome;
  • severe swelling, hematoma, sometimes spreading to the tissues of the foot;
  • if a nail is touched, it may peel off;
  • decreased sensitivity and mobility of the finger;
  • a subungual hematoma forms an area of ​​high pressure, which causes pain in this area to be even more intense.

  Classification of bruises

  Depending on the strength of the traumatic impact, the injuries received and the type of medical care required, there are 4 types of bruises. Each represents a certain degree of damage:

  • Hurt the firstdegrees characterized by minor damage. There is practically no redness on the skin, no swelling, and motor function is not impaired. After walking, pain is felt, which goes away after rest. Cold compresses on the bruised area and the use of anti-inflammatory ointments are indicated.
  • Second bruisedegrees suggests the presence of swelling and severe pain. The affected area is bluish in color. Finger movement is limited and painful. The pain intensifies at night. Symptoms persist for 4-5 days, after which they gradually go away. In the absence of diabetes, there are no complications.
  • Region third bruisedegrees extensive. It affects the skin and adjacent muscles. Swelling affects the tissue of the foot. The pain syndrome is so strong that finger movement is impossible.
  • Fourth bruisedegrees retains the same symptoms, but dislocations and cracks of the phalangeal bones may occur. The pain syndrome is relieved by the use of anesthetic drugs. It is recommended to treat this form of injury in a hospital setting.

  How to distinguish a bruise from a fracture

  

  Bone deformation due to fracture

  According to the clinical picture, a severe bruise of a finger resembles a closed fracture, in which the integrity of the bones of the phalanx occurs. It is difficult to find out the nature of the injury due to the presence of common symptoms: pain, redness of the finger, bruise, swelling spreading to the foot, increased body temperature at the site of injury, decreased or complete lack of mobility.

  A fracture can be determined if swelling and hematoma appear immediately after the injury (if soft tissue is damaged, this occurs several hours later). Also, a broken finger completely loses the ability to move independently (with a bruise, this possibility is reduced, but remains).

  The most accurate way to differentiate these conditions is to use the following test: gently tap the top of the toe in the direction of the foot. If it is broken, then when axial tapping occurs at the site of bone deformation, severe pain will be felt. If the bone is intact, then such sensations will be absent.

  There is also a group of signs, the presence of which indicates a fracture:

  • when palpating, there is a feeling that the bone is deformed;
  • a broken toe is shorter than a healthy one on the other leg;
  • the finger has pathological mobility with the simultaneous inability to make movements with it;
  • bone deformation is visually visible;
  • when palpated, crepitation (creaking) of the fragments is felt;
  • after medical care the swelling does not decrease;
  • the pain increases over time.

  In any case, with a severe finger injury, it is possible to reliably distinguish a bruise from a fracture only after radiography. It is necessary to contact a traumatologist for differential diagnosis, consultation and treatment.

  First aid

  

  Cold should be applied to the injury site

  To treat first and second degree bruises, first aid measures will be sufficient. In the future, healing will take place quickly. Third- and fourth-degree bruises require special treatment - outpatient or in a hospital setting.

  The main actions that need to be taken immediately after an injury:

  • A cold compress should be applied to the affected area. This will help narrow damaged vessels, stop bleeding and prevent swelling.
  • Small wounds and abrasions should be treated with iodine.
  • If the nail plate is damaged, the damaged area should be washed and a loose bandage applied to prevent further infection.
  • The limb should be kept elevated.
  • In case of severe pain, the patient is prescribed pain relief medications (Nimesil, Analgin).

  Treatment of first and second degree bruises is carried out at home, using special anti-inflammatory ointments and creams (Ibuprofen, Voltaren, Indovazin, Troxevasin). Plant-based ointment “Rescuer” is suitable for a child. The patient is advised to limit walking for several days to give rest to the sore finger. A victim with a third or fourth degree bruise should be taken to a traumatologist for an X-ray of the injured finger in two projections and to determine further treatment tactics.

  Treatment

  

  Opening a subungual hematoma to remove accumulated blood

  In a medical institution, a patient with a bruised toe is provided with the following assistance:

  • opening subcutaneous and subungual hematomas to remove accumulated blood;
  • elimination of damaged nail plate (if necessary);
  • applying a disinfectant bandage;
  • prescribing a course of drug therapy to accelerate regenerative processes (Ketoprofen, Movalis, B vitamins);
  • determination of the necessary methods of physiotherapy (UHF heating, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis).

  If the injury is severe, a plaster cast may be necessary to stabilize the affected phalanges. The victim is advised to step less on the affected leg and, if possible, raise the limb.

  Traditional medicine

  When treating a bruise at home, you can use folk remedies. They effectively remove swelling and inflammation and reduce pain in a short time:

  • Alcohol compress. A piece of gauze or a wide bandage should be moistened in diluted alcohol and placed on the sore finger. On top it should be wrapped in a plastic bag and a warm scarf. The compress must be kept for half an hour. It is recommended to repeat the procedure 3 times a day for 5-7 days.
  • Compress made from cabbage and plantain leaves. The leaves of the plant need to be crushed and the resulting pulp applied to the bruised area. Cover the product with cellophane film and leave for 1 hour. The compress must be repeated 2 times a day for a week.
  • Baths from decoctions of medicinal herbs (wormwood, chamomile, St. John's wort). It is recommended to do them 2-3 times a day for 5 days.
  • Burdock root tincture. 200 g of crushed plant should be infused in 400 mg of alcohol or vodka for 24 hours. The resulting liquid should be rubbed over the bruised area every day for 5 days or a week.

  Conclusion

  If left untreated, a bruised finger can cause serious complications. The most common of these are purulent inflammation, arthritis, and osteomyelitis. It is much more difficult to treat such diseases.

  It is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, since only he can conduct a high-quality differential diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy.

There are a large number of bruises. One type of injury is quite minor, but causes a lot of discomfort - a bruised toe. This damage cannot be treated superficially. Like any bruise, a bruised toe requires immediate diagnosis, exclusion of a fracture and prompt treatment.

Finger bruises are mechanical damage to soft tissues - skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, tendons. This injury occurs as a result of a blow or fall during sports. Very often it can be combined and be accompanied by a dislocation or fracture.

Most often, victims seek help from the hospital in the summer, when a person wears open shoes, and, consequently, the limbs are more injured from a blow or something falling on them.

Causes of bruise

As a rule, minor household damage occurs as a result of absurd and unexpected accidents. A bruise on the little toe, like other fingers, often occurs under various circumstances.

A severe bruise on the toe is caused by a sudden blow to a hard surface. Almost all people are familiar with such damage as bruising the little toe on furniture or door frames. Having been hit in this way, the victim usually calms down after the pain goes away and does not pay attention to other signs.

The role of the toes in maintaining balance during movement is very important. With such injuries, it manifests itself as noticeable discomfort, to the point that the victim may stop moving.

Classification

Any damage is divided into types and degrees of severity. The classification of a bruised toe has the following indicators:

Mild severity or 1st degree bruise:

• Minor scratches or abrasions of the skin.
• Swelling appears at the site of injury.
• The site of impact turns red or blue.
• Intense pain.

Moderate severity or 2nd degree bruise:

• Severe hematoma.
• The motor functions of the finger are impaired.
• Severe pain syndrome.
• Edema.
• Damage to the nail is possible, followed by its convergence and renewal.
• As the pain subsides, the swelling increases.

Severe injury or bruise of the 3rd degree:

• The appearance of a bruise or hematoma on days 2–3.
• Any attempt to move causes severe pain, which can lead to shock.

The most severe degree, IV degree bruise:

• All functions of the bruised area are impaired.
• If a toe is severely bruised, a bone crack, dislocation, or fracture may occur.

The first and second degrees refer to non-dangerous injuries, which most often resolve on their own with timely provision of first aid. The third and fourth, in turn, require a medical examination.

Important! You should urgently seek help if your toe is very swollen and blue. As a rule, with such damage, hospitalization is not required, but with the fourth degree, medical examination is necessary.

Signs of injury

Symptoms of a bruised toe may include:

• Pain syndrome occurs immediately after injury. After a while, the pain goes away, but after a few hours, due to the appearance of swelling of the soft tissues, it returns.
• Swelling appears in the foot area in the form of swelling 2-3 hours after receiving a bruise.
• A bruise or hematoma occurs due to damage to blood vessels. It may manifest itself in the form of slight redness of the skin if the bruise of the toe was not severe. More severe damage is accompanied by severe hemorrhage. In this case, the symptoms of a bruise appear as a purple tint and severe swelling in the area of ​​injury. All this provokes nail rejection.
• Limited joint mobility occurs due to swelling and severe pain. It is almost impossible to move them, but the ability to do this is preserved in the absence of a fracture, and as soon as the pain and swelling begin to subside, the victim will be able to move.

First aid

You were injured and the question arose - what to do if you bruise your toe? Correctly provided first aid for a bruised toe is the basis for the effectiveness of future treatment. It is extremely important to know the basics of first aid for a bruised big toe and other injuries, because a situation may arise when you have no one to ask what to do if you bruise your little toe, for example. But having basic knowledge in this area, in case of injury, you have the opportunity to help yourself and your loved ones.

In most cases, unfortunately, people's knowledge consists only of applying cold to the bruise. This is, of course, important, but in addition to this, a number of other procedures should be carried out:

• It is necessary to inspect the damaged finger and check its mobility - bend and straighten. If all actions are carried out calmly, then other injuries are excluded - this is a bruise of the big toe or other fingers.
• Cold compress. Cold is necessary to relieve pain; it helps to shrink blood vessels, which has a positive effect on the size of the hematoma, thereby reducing it. But here a number of certain rules must be followed: the ice pack must be wrapped in cloth to prevent hypothermia and frostbite of the skin. The procedure should be carried out for 10 minutes, repeating every 20 minutes.

Important! The likelihood of complications directly depends on how quickly the cold is applied.

A bruised big toe or other parts of the foot should not be lubricated with iodine, as it has a warming effect, which will significantly aggravate the injury, and it will take much longer to heal.

• Treatment - a bruise is often accompanied by external damage to the skin - abrasions, scratches. They should be washed and processed.
• Record the injury. In case a joint is bruised, it is advisable to immobilize the finger with a tight bandage.
• The injured leg should be placed on a hill. To do this, a cushion is placed under it, and the victim is laid on his back. This helps prevent circulatory problems.
• A person with bruised fingers should be given painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. If you are confident that medical attention is not required for a bruised little toe, then you can use specialized creams or gels for these injuries - they have a cooling, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effect.
• If a nail is damaged, it should be covered with a pressure bandage or covered with an adhesive plaster.

It is of great importance when the injured limb is provided with complete rest; unnecessary movements can lead to complications and provoke further rupture of blood vessels.

Diagnostics

How to treat a bruised toe? To begin with, in order for the attending physician to prescribe therapy, he needs to distinguish a bruise from a fracture. It is almost impossible to do this for the first 24 hours, so specialists order an X-ray examination - the bone structure is shown in the image.

If bone integrity is maintained, doctors will be able to rule out fractures. The dislocation will also be shown on the x-ray. But with finger bruises, even severe ones, no changes will be visible in the picture. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient will be prescribed treatment for a bruised toe.

Treatment

All treatment for a bruised toe can be divided into 2 groups - traditional and folk.

Traditional therapy methods help cure a bruise using the following actions:

• The use of ointments, creams that have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect:
• Heparin ointment,
• Troxevasin,
• Diclofen,
• Bodyaga,
• Bystrumgel,
• Traumeel S,
• Lyoton,
• Dolobene.
• To relieve pain, the following is prescribed:
• Nurofen,
• Panadol,
• Ketonal,
• Solpadeine,
• Ibuprofen,
• Sedalgin,
• Analgin.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures - ozokerite applications, dry heat, paraffin, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, Sollux, UHF. This method of therapy can quickly cure a bruise by resolving hematomas and restoring damaged tissue. Warming procedures should be done three days after injury.
• For extensive hematomas and swelling, when they do not go away for a long time, surgical intervention is prescribed.

2-3 weeks after the injury, it is allowed to load the leg with movement and wear comfortable and loose shoes.

If the doctor allows treatment at home, then you can resort to traditional medicine. What to do at home if you bruise your toe, what herbal remedies should be applied for prolonged, persistent pain, hematomas and swelling? Below are recipes from traditional healers.

• Fresh burdock roots in an amount of 75 g should be washed and dried. After this, pour 200 ml of sunflower or olive oil. Insist for a day. Heat over low heat for 15 minutes, but do not bring to a boil, strain. Store in a dark glass container. Rub into the damaged area for as long as it takes.
• Take grated laundry soap, camphor powder, ammonia in equal proportions - 30 grams each. Add to them 1 glass of lamp oil and white turpentine. Mix everything well. Use as an ointment until the bruise goes away. The remedy is especially effective in treating bruises in children.

A few days after the injury, warm compresses and applications are allowed for a treatment period of up to two weeks. To prepare compresses, use the following ingredients:

• Boiled water, vinegar and vegetable oil are taken in equal quantities.
• Tincture of daisy flowers and oak bark. Take 1 tbsp. mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and leave for half an hour.
• A mixture of speedwell, wheatgrass rhizomes - 25 g each, tricolor violet herb, burdock root - 35 g each is infused in a liter of vodka for 5 days. Such lotions help a lot if your toes hurt and even if your knees were injured.
• Take the zest of medium lemons - 3 tablespoons, linden bark - 30 g. Pour everything into 500 ml of vodka and leave for 4 days.

Such warming improves blood flow and metabolism at the site of injury to the toes. Baths with medicinal herbs - wormwood, chamomile and St. John's wort - are also useful.

Important! Under no circumstances should you take any medications without the consent of your doctors. This is especially important if a child has been injured.

Complications

If you receive a strong blow to a limb and refuse the help of specialists, as well as failure to perform first aid, the following complications may occur:

• Purulent inflammation of the soft tissues of a bruised finger.
• Felon.
• Necrosis of toe tissue.
• Osteomyelitis.

And all the complications listed above are much more severe. Only the correct course of treatment and unconditional adherence to the doctor’s recommendations helps to avoid negative consequences in the future.

Do not delay diagnosis and treatment of the disease!

Make an appointment with a doctor!