My usually snug-up-against-my-foot-little toe could flop a complete 90 degree angle after bashing it on something yesterday. No insurance, so I need to figure if it's broken or dislocated. Much bruising & swelling at the site. LOTS of pain if it is touched or brushed against. Can walk on it w/o much difficulty, but real discomfort. How do I know if it's broken or dislocated? Can I fix a dislocated toe at home, or will I do more damage? HELP!
2006-08-18 15:55:23 · 13 answers · asked by mockeryvelli 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
It sounds like you did some damage to your toe. The only the the hospital will do is tape your toe. They don't splint little toes. Take some first aid tape,and begin to tape your toe. star at the fatty part of the foot below the toe, take tape long enough to go from the top of the foot to under the foot to about the 3rd toe tape it one strip, then put another slightly above that, then another slightly above that, until you toe is taped. tape the two toes together. then wrap your foot in an ace bandage and elevate it. Taping it will help alleviate some of the pain
2006-08-18 16:14:39 · answer #1 · answered by cbellsew 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If it's broken it will be all swollen and purple looking from bruising. It will also be shaped really awkwardly. You may want to go to a doctor and have them fix it because untreated broken toes can lead to bunions and hammertoes. If you don't have insurance I'm sure you can work out a monthly payment plan with your doc.
Think about it would you rather pay a little now or wait until you've got a bunion or hammertoes which are painful as hell to walk on and require even more expensive surgery/treatment?
2006-08-18 23:44:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Welllll.
hmmmm.
LOTS of pain (Caps are yours)
Real discomfort....hmmmm.
I would say you hurt your toe.
Well, humans managed to evolve most of the way to this point (100,000+ years) without medical care. Of course, the death rates were much higher, and the average life expectancy was like 20 years, maybe 30.
So I guess you could make a popsicle stick type cast, wrapped with gauze real tight. Bones reheal. The problem is, if it is broken anyways, and it reheals wrong, when you finally do get it fixed (and you probably will) the doctors will likely have to rebreak the toe in order to set it correctly. Can you say OUCH!! (Caps mine).
If it still hurts in a week, I would probably see a doctor, regardless of insurance.
Good luck!
2006-08-18 16:04:48 · answer #3 · answered by powhound 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there's a way you can tell without an xray. About the only treatment for it is to either (1) splint it (which sounds like it would be pretty painful, as well as awkward to deal with), or (2) immobilize and support it in some other way, like with tape or some other bandage. That would probably be painful, too, but at least you could use some kind of padding. Get a doctor to look at it if you possibly can.
2006-08-18 16:04:57 · answer #4 · answered by yahoohoo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There may not be any complication at all if you have broken or dislocated your little pinky toe. The worst thing that can happen is if blood supply to your toe is compromised and pinky dies! That's bad, because it can cause infection and you may lose your whole foot! And if infection is left untreated you may die! Don't get scared though, you'd know if it's bad enough to see a doctor.
2006-08-18 18:30:08 · answer #5 · answered by Azazelo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
even if you had it x-rayed, they couldn't do anything for you anyway. Happened to me. I had it x-rayed and they said it was sprained, but there wasn't anything that could be done.
So I bought some Popsicles, ate them and used the stick, or two, to put under my toe. Then I taped it around w/ sports tape. I put a sock on and wore a sandle. Kept it elevated, applied Biorion Arnica Ointment, and iced it for no more than 20 minutes. Took some anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen 3 x a day until the pain subsided.
2006-08-18 22:45:37 · answer #6 · answered by LetMeBe 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've broke both my little toes, OUCH, i know it really hurts, but there really isn't much doc's can do for it.
Keep it elevated as much as possible, but ice on it alternating every 15 minutes & wear a FLAT shoe, that proctect that part of the foot.
For the second time I broke my toe, I wore my husbands velcroe sandal which was just a little bigger than my foot, so I didn't accidentally stub it on anything else.
Also take Tylenol or Aleve for pain.
2006-08-18 19:11:14 · answer #7 · answered by tinybell 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you can move it its not dislocated and if you can move it with out serious pain its probably not broken. If you can still walk without pain and the discomfort goes away with in the next week or so, I'd say you may be alright.
2006-08-18 16:01:33 · answer #8 · answered by warelphant 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you broke it, ive broken both of mine and now they look like outriggers on a canoe, they dont do a thing for it, so simply tape your little toe to the other toes of your foot minus the big toe, as that is all they will do they dont put a cast on it. hope its going to be ok. i sure know exactly how you feel , about 7 times total starting when i was 8. sheesh,i just realized, 50 years of broken toes. man what a mess.
2006-08-18 16:03:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even if it is broken, here is what would happen if you went to the hospital:
A doctor would give you a special sandal to wear to keep it in the location in should be in.
There's nothing else that can be done except (maybe) taking ibuprofen or another OTC drug for the swelling and pain.
2006-08-18 16:00:32 · answer #10 · answered by Emily 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋