I think I may have broken my 4th toe on my right foot a few days ago. My toe is still a little purple/and in pain, but not as much as when it first happened of course. I can move the toe, and when I touch it, it doesn’t “feel” broken. I haven’t taped it or anything, just been walking carefully on it, in flip flops because that’s most comfortable to me.
My boyfriend is telling me to make a doctor’s appointment & get it x-rayed. I’m stubborn, because right now, although I have health insurance, it’s my own because I’m not a full employee where I’m working right now, I’m on contract work. So, I have to pay a good portion of the X-rays and I just really don’t want to go & take time off work, pay the X-ray bill, etc. What’s the doctor going to do, tape it? I can do that myself, there’s so many instructions online!
I’m pretty sure I’ve broken, or at least fractured, that toe. I didn’t do anything about it at all and it’s ok now. It was sore for a couple of months but I was able to walk on it fine.
I sort of just shrugged it off. I’ve broken some bones in my hand, both my collar bones, a wrist and the big bone between your elbow and shoulder. I figured it was a bruise (thought that with my hand…almost had to have pins put in).
I called a doctor to just see when I could get in, wouldn’t be until Wednesday, over a week. I guess I’ll just tape it! Cheaper! :happydance: :roflhard:
Stupid me. Always seem to break bones in the most bizarre way. This was no exception running and tripping on a small wooden stool! :oops:
I broke my two middle toes running through the living room and kicking a cookbook, that my mother had left sitting on the living room floor, across the room. I was a waitress at the time… that was a fun night to get through!
I have to say this is one of the more unusual polls I’ve seen. I say rest ice and elevation. You should see the ads google put on the bottom of the page. They were all about bunion removal and foot pain. :teehee:
I hope your foot feels better.
Okay, I said tape it, BUT keep an eye on it. If you are at all concerned go to the doctor. I’ve had several broken toes some I went to the doctor for some not, but my grandma broke her middle toe and ended up losing the toe. Most people just write it off, but you never know.
I’ll definately keep an eye on it. Been trying to walk carefully on it for the last few days since it happened. But now Jan, I’ve got this fear after reading about your grandma! :help: :out:
Maybe by mid week if it’s not feeling/looking better (black and blue gone, etc.) I’ll make an appointment.
The concern is that a fracture of the last bone (the one under the nail) is technically considered an open fracture since the nail bed is a potential route for infection to get in. And infection of the bone itself can lead to very bad things (aka, amputation). So yeah, if it starts looking infected get to a doc pronto!
And if you’re diabetic, go to a doc now. The risk of infection is way higher in diabetics (which if you’re diabetic I’m sure you already know).
Come Monday I’m going to call and make an appointment. If anything, I could use the general doctor visit anyways since it’s been a few years (several) since I’ve seen a doctor. I mean, I can’t get in until Wednesday anyways at the earliest, and I really don’t want to shell out a few hundred dollars for Urgent Care (can’t afford that). So, to be safe, I’m going to make a follow up/how’d I do with my own taping? :teehee:
I guess it’s better safe than sorry.
Thanks for all the advice! Like I said, I’ve broken quite a few bones, but they were all ones I knew were broken (well, besides my hand). And I’ve always just been told, that unless it’s your big toe, or the toe is REALLY broken, just tape it up and walk carefully.
I’ve always been one of those “tough guys” who just walks it off and goes on about his business. Trust me, from experience I can say that it’s much better to seek medical treatment as early as possible after an injury.
At the age of 45 I am now feeling all of those old injuries that I ignored back when I thought being a “tough guy” was the way to go. I’m still a bit hard-headed about these things (I drove myself from CT to WI after injuring my back) but I do get medical treatment these days.
I’ve had over 1,000 sutures/staples in my “tough guy” life and have had many unnecessary complications that would have been avoided if I hadn’t been too stubborn to see a doctor. (I once got a really nasty infection because I ignored the fact that I had a bullet in my shoulder for two months and nearly died from it).
Both of my pinkie fingers are crooked from “boxer’s breaks” that were never treated.
You’re making the right choice in seeing a doctor.
as a Nurse I make a HORRIBLE patient
but I have BADLY broken a toe, I was running up the basement stairs at my Mothers house, came around the corner and dragged my foot in such a way i KICKED the leg of a chair and moved it 4 inches
with a 240# man sitting in it (drinking a beer, that foamed up and spilled over everything from the Jossel) my toe has never been the same, and for a few years (maybe 12) I could reset it if I bumped it at all
whatever you do, 48 hours is long enough they will have to reset it if its not set right
IF you DO tape it, be sure to put traction on it before you tape it up
and keep the tape on as long as you can, but check for Circulation regulary (like every 10 min for the first hour, and every hour for the next 12)
get advice from Your MD, and take care as best you can
(I once got a really nasty infection because I ignored the fact that I had a bullet in my shoulder for two months and nearly died from it).
Good Heavens! And I thought I was reluctant to see doctors! :shock:
Dink - I’m glad you’re going to the doctor, just to be safe. I broke a toe in college (no doctor visit, though) and, MAN, did it hurt. Luckily, it healed just fine.
Years ago, our neighbor got out of bed really fast to pick up the ringing phone in the middle of the night. She broke her toe on the way. It was a wrong number. :doh:
If it’s very purple and such, I really do advise seeing a doctor. But, until you do, tape the toe to a larger toe using fabric medical tape (it breathes well, and will not trap moisture), and where solid, comfortable, closed toe shoes. Open toe shoes have a higher chance of leaving your toe open to further injury. If you do not own a pair of closed toe shoes that fit well with just a little tape, it means your shoes do not fit at to begin with, and you need a new pair anyway.
But, to be honest, the doctor will probably glance at it, maybe give you an x-ray, and give you some pain meds before sending you on your way. I’ve shattered the arches in both my feet, broken six toes, torn ligaments and muscles to all hell, and severed more than a few nerves in my time (ballet+gymnastics+karate=bad combination for health), and I have never had a doctor do anything more than give me some pain meds. Though they were really good pain meds, I must admit. :roflhard:
They’ve been seeing my lovely purple toe, but now they get to see tape on Monday. :doh:
Like I said, I’ve broken quite a few bones, but they were all ones I knew were broken (well, besides my hand). And I’ve always just been told, that unless it’s your big toe, or the toe is REALLY broken, just tape it up and walk carefully.