Almost every person at least once in his life suffered from a bruised toe.
This is a rather unpleasant condition that causes severe pain and interferes with normal walking.
In order to eliminate such an ailment as quickly as possible, it is important to know how to properly diagnose and treat it.
This will be discussed in this article.
Toe bruise: symptoms
After a bruise of a toe, a person has the following symptoms:
• severe pain in the area of the bruise;
• swelling of the damaged finger;
• finger color change from light blue to dark purple;
• a burning sensation and throbbing in the bruised area;
• violation of the integrity of the nail plate;
• numbness of the finger (loss of sensitivity);
• bruising;
• discoloration of the nail plate (most often it darkens);
• impaired finger mobility due to edema.
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 signal a possible fracture, so if they occur, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
In addition, various degrees of bruises on the foot are distinguished:
1. The first degree: a slight bruise of the finger without visible damage to the skin. It does not require medical treatment and passes independently on the fifth day.
2. The second degree: a bruise of the finger, which is accompanied by swelling and damage to muscle tissue. The patient suffers from severe pain.
3. Third degree: nerve joints and tendons are damaged due to a bruise. Partially lost mobility. In this condition, a person requires medical attention.
4. Fourth degree: a bruise led to the formation of a hematoma. The finger itself has acquired a purple hue. This condition needs urgent hospitalization and treatment, otherwise it can cause serious complications.
Causes of a bruised toe
Most often, injuries of this kind are caused by:
• a blow of a finger about something solid;
• falling on a finger of a heavy object;
• accidental collision with something solid.
Toe bruise - first aid
Immediately after receiving a bruise, the victim’s finger should be seated on a chair. Next, proceed according to this algorithm:
1. Inspect the affected area and determine the degree of damage.
2. Lay the victim’s foot on a pillow so as not to disturb blood circulation.
3. Apply a cold compress to the sore spot. In order not to cause hypothermia, ice or something cold should be wrapped in a cloth. It is important to apply cold no longer than ten minutes, then take a break for 5 minutes and repeat the procedure again.
It is important to know what to do with cold compresses is contraindicated for people suffering from diabetes.
4. If there is a cut or scratch at the site of the injury, then it must be disinfected and the microbes removed. Hydrogen peroxide handles this best. From above, a wound dressing or patch should be applied to the wound.
5. In addition, a tight bandage must be applied to the foot to immobilize the joint (turns of the foot with a bruise can cause severe pain in the victim).
6. If a hematoma appears at the site of the bruise, then anesthetizing decongestant ointment can be applied to it.
7. If, after a finger bruise, the nail plate has peeled off, then a pressure bandage should be applied on top of it to stop the blood flow.
8. After injury, the victim is advised not to step on his leg for several days. If pain and swelling does not subside on the second day, then you should consult a doctor.
Toe bruise: what can not be done
When providing first aid, it is important not to harm. To do this, you should know about what absolutely can not be done:
1. It is impossible to flex the sore finger, as this will not only cause terrible pain in the victim, but can also damage the muscles and cartilage joints of the finger even more.
2. Do not rub or massage the site of the bruise, as this can lead to thrombophlebitis (blockage of veins).
3. It is not recommended to apply heating pads and various warming compresses, as this will only increase blood flow and prolong the preservation of puffiness.
Severe toe bruise: diagnosis
It is impossible to independently diagnose a bruised toe. Only a traumatologist can do this. During the initial examination of the victim, the doctor palpates the damaged area. As additional diagnostic procedures can be assigned:
• fluoroscopy of a damaged finger or the entire foot;
• Ultrasound of the finger.
If the diagnosis showed a fracture, then the victim is cast. If he had a simple bruise, then the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment.
Toe bruise treatment
Treatment of a bruised toe should be carried out comprehensively. This is the only way to achieve the most rapid relief in the condition.
Combined therapy provides for medication, physiotherapy and local treatment.
Drug treatment includes the use of such groups of drugs:
1. Pain medications.
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketoprofen, Diclofenac sodium).
3. Vasoconstrictor drugs.
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 a full course of drug treatment has been completed. On average, a course of physiotherapy is prescribed for 7-10 sessions.
The victim himself with a severe bruise of the toe must observe bed rest or move with crutches, as the minimum load on the sore finger can cause severe pain and swelling of the limb.
In addition, in case of damage to the toe and its partial dislocation, the attending physician may apply a tight bandage or a special orthopedic fixator.
If the patient received a fourth-degree bruise, and drug treatment did not help him (the hematoma did not sleep, the pain did not decrease, soft tissue inflammation occurred), then in this case, surgical intervention is possible.
During such an operation, the hematoma will be removed, which will help accelerate the process of tissue repair.
What to do when detaching the nail plate
Quite often, with a bruised finger, the nail plate suffers. It changes color, partially or completely "peels off" from a sore nail. In this case, doctors recommend removing the damaged nail plate, as germs will collect under it and cause inflammation and pain.
This procedure is done under local anesthesia, so you should not be afraid of it. In addition, the nails are prone to full recovery, so even after total removal they can again grow.
It is very important to trust the doctors and not cut off the affected nail at home, as this can cause bleeding. In addition, an even greater risk of self-removal of the nail plate is the threat of infection.
Severe toe bruise: what will happen if left untreated
Many people do not consider a bruised toe to be a serious injury, and do not carry out 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 possible that the consequences of such damage will not appear immediately, but after a few weeks or even months.
If you do not treat a bruised toe, this can lead to such complications:
1. Unpleasant sensations when walking and wearing narrow shoes (will occur due to a violation of muscle tissue).
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 most dangerous, as it can lead to suppuration of the wound. In turn, a strong inflammatory process will affect the body - in humans, it can:
• increase body temperature;
• develop a fever;
• blood poisoning begins.
With these indications, he will need urgent hospitalization and taking antibacterial drugs. Surgical intervention is also possible to clear the collected pus.
4. Panaritium and osteomyelitis can occur if severe bruising cannot be treated.
5. Arthritis of the toes can develop even a few years after the injury.
