Disease: Broken toe

Overview

A broken toe is a common injury that's most frequently caused by dropping something on your foot or stubbing your toe.

Usually, you can treat a broken toe by taping it to a neighboring toe. But if the fracture is severe — particularly if it involves your big toe — you may need a cast or even surgery to ensure proper healing.

Most broken toes heal well, usually within four to six weeks. Sometimes, a broken toe may become infected or increase the risk of osteoarthritis in that toe in the future.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of a broken toe include:

  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Discoloration

When to see a doctor

Consult a doctor if the pain, swelling and discoloration continue for more than a few days or if the injury interferes with walking or wearing shoes.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Causes

A broken toe typically happens when you drop something heavy on your foot or you stub your toe against something hard.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor will check for tender areas in your toes. Your doctor will also check the skin around your injury to make sure it's intact and that the toe is still receiving adequate blood flow and nerve signals.

If a broken toe seems likely, your doctor will probably order X-rays of your foot taken from a variety of angles.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Complications

Complications may include:

  • Infection. If the skin is cut near your injured toe, you are at higher risk of developing an infection in the bone.
  • Osteoarthritis. This wear-and-tear type of arthritis is more likely to occur when the fracture extends into one of the toe joints.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Lifestyle and home remedies

Elevation and ice can help reduce swelling and pain. Prop your foot up when possible so that your injury is higher than your heart. If you use ice, wrap it in a towel so that it doesn't make direct contact with your skin, and only apply it for about 15 minutes at a time, taking a break of at least 20 minutes between icing sessions.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

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