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This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 23 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 6,826 times.
A bruised toenail can make it difficult to walk and cause pain for days. People who run a lot or play sports that require intense movement of the feet, such as soccer or dancing, have a higher risk of toenail bruises. It can also happen if you accidentally kick or trip over a hard object or drop something heavy on your toe. A bruised toenail will gradually heal, but there are steps you can take to speed up the healing process and make the injury more comfortable. If your toe is bruised, stiff and painful, it may be broken. [1] X Research Source In this case, you must see a doctor as soon as possible.
Steps
Soothes pain and swelling
- Cold therapy is the most effective treatment to reduce swelling immediately after an injury because it reduces blood flow to the wound.
- Try soaking your toe in ice cold water if you want to cool the entire injured area.
- Elevating the leg is to reduce blood flow to the injured area, so the wound also reduces pain and swelling.
- Try to elevate your legs for at least 2-3 hours a day to speed up the recovery process.
- Sandals with arch support are a good choice. Remember to be careful when putting shoes on and when removing shoes.
- Avoid wearing flip-flops if you have injured your big toe.
- Do not apply heat until the swelling is gone, only ice. The heat will increase blood flow, causing the wound to swell even more.
- If you are pregnant, avoid taking ibuprofen because it can cause complications during pregnancy.
- Do not take ibuprofen in high doses or take it daily for more than 1 week as this can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The maximum dose is 800–1,200 mg/day for mild pain.
- Each acetaminophen tablet is about 325 mg—don’t take more than 4,000 mg in 24 hours.
- If you often run a lot or play sports that use your feet a lot, rest for at least 5-7 days to give your toenail time to heal.
Tip: If you can’t avoid wearing closed-toe shoes for a while, consider using toe protectors. Make sure it’s not too tight and doesn’t rub against your skin or nails when you walk. [8] X Research Sources
- Elastic bandages may be more comfortable and provide better fixation than regular adhesive bandages. Use a small piece of gauze to cover your toe and wrap the gauze around so that it is a little tight but not so tight that you feel pressure on the toe.
- When you see that the bleeding has stopped, you can remove the bandage to let the wound “breathe”.
- Apply antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly (Vaseline cream) to the toe before dressing to help the wound heal.
Accelerate the natural healing process
- Another way to calculate the ideal amount of water to drink is to divide your body weight (in pounds) by 2. The result will be the number of ounces of water you should drink per day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds (64 kg), you will need to drink 70 ounces (2.1 liters) of water each day.
- Avoid drinks with high levels of alcohol and caffeine like coffee and black tea while the toe is healing, as these drinks will only dehydrate the body and slow healing.
- Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower are also good sources of this essential nutrient.
- If your doctor approves, you can also take a vitamin C supplement to increase your vitamin intake.
- The maximum daily dose of vitamin C is 2,000 mg. There’s no harm in taking more, but it can cause stomach upset if you take the full day’s maximum dose all at once.
- Aloe vera can help soothe inflamed skin on the toes and around. It also helps repair broken blood vessels just under the skin.
- You can also take arnica by sucking 2 tablets to dissolve under the tongue every 6 hours or drinking 2-3 cups of arnica tea per day.
- Note that arnica is a homeopathic remedy and not all scientific studies have shown it to be effective in healing bruises quickly.
Seek medical attention
- Dropping a heavy object on your toe or tripping your toe on a hard object are two of the most common accidents that cause broken toes.
- It usually takes 4-6 weeks for a broken toe to heal completely.
- If the toe that may be broken is not the big toe, your doctor may suggest that you treat it at home first.
- You can do this at home, but it’s best to see a doctor (especially if you’re afraid of blood or needles).
- Wrap a toe bandage for 1 week after removing the nail and talk to your doctor if you notice significant bleeding, swelling, or pain.
- Rest for 2 weeks after the nail removal procedure – that is, don’t run, jump or play sports for a while.
- It will take 6 to 18 months for the toenail to grow back.
- If there is a lot of pus oozing out and the wound becomes inflamed, you may need surgery. Wedge surgery is the most common type of surgery in this case (and in the case of ingrown nails). [18] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source
Prevent bruised toenails
- You can also file your nails to shorten them, but it can take a while.
- For little toe nails, you should use a smaller nail clipper if you have one.
- You need to have enough space in the toe for your toes to move freely.
- If you’ve had a history of bruised toenails from running, buy shoes that are half or an inch larger than your usual shoe size. Remember to wear comfortable socks and check the distance from the thumb to the tip of the shoe.
- Shop for new shoes at the end of the day when feet are at their greatest.
Tip: Try different lacing techniques to prevent toe bruises. For example, lacing a shoe in a large “X” from the last hole to the first before crisscrossing can lift the toe to give the thumb more room. [21] X Research Source
- It’s important to wear socks with good moisture absorption, as moisture can cause the sock to slip on the foot or the insole of the shoe, putting pressure on the toes and causing unnecessary friction.
- When you put on socks, the seam on the front of the sock should be across the toes. If your socks often slip in your shoes and the seams move down to the bottom of your toenails or at the top of your toes, you need to buy another pair of socks that fit your foot better.
- The heel of the sock should stretch around the heel without pinching or sagging.
- If you usually wear hiking boots, choose thick or medium socks made of mixed materials such as fleece, nylon, lycra, and elastane.
- Landing on the front of the foot seems reasonable, but it actually causes the foot to shift in the shoe, causing the toes to be pushed forward.
Advice
- Lace up the shoe a little tighter so your foot doesn’t slip in the shoe and push it forward (but not so tight that it puts a lot of pressure on the instep).
Warning
- Don’t try to break blood vessels underneath the nail or pull the toenail out – see your doctor to reduce the risk of infection. [24] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source
This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 23 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 6,826 times.
A bruised toenail can make it difficult to walk and cause pain for days. People who run a lot or play sports that require intense movement of the feet, such as soccer or dancing, have a higher risk of toenail bruises. It can also happen if you accidentally kick or trip over a hard object or drop something heavy on your toe. A bruised toenail will gradually heal, but there are steps you can take to speed up the healing process and make the injury more comfortable. If your toe is bruised, stiff and painful, it may be broken. [1] X Research Source In this case, you must see a doctor as soon as possible.
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