Fluther: What does a broken toe feel like?

What does a broken toe feel like?

Asked by longgone (19535

) February 4th, 2019
15 responses
“Great Question” (2

)

I bumped my foot (hard) earlier today. My toe is a little swollen and slightly blue. I can walk and I’m not in pain, unless I touch it or accidentally knock it against something. When I do that, it hurts in a very strange way that I’ve never experienced before. It’s a stabbing pain that takes my breath away, and then it disappears quite suddenly.

I’ve never had any broken bones, so I’m unsure whether this could possibly be my first. I would expect a broken bone to hurt constantly.

Any thoughts?

PS: My current plan is to see a doctor tomorrow, unless I wake up healed.

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Topics: injuries, medicine, pain, feet, medical advice, bones

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Answers

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/broken_toe/article_em.htm#facts_and_definition_of_a_broken_toe

Inspired_2write (14486

)“Great Answer” (3

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I never had one but my brother did years ago. The good news, at least at that time, was that they didn’t set it or anything. Supposedly, you give it time and it heals by itself. It certainly sounds like it could be one.

janbb (62858

)“Great Answer” (1

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If you can bend the toe it’s not broken just bruised, if it can’t be bent…it’s bust.

ucme (50047

)“Great Answer” (2

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I’ve broken a few in my time. Painful, and depending on the type of break, flexible to varying degrees. Try to be careful of it, maybe bind it gently, load up on NSAIDs.
Hope it’s better soon.

canidmajor (21228

)“Great Answer” (2

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It really depends on which toe and what the picture is. You said it’s bruised (slightly blue). Is it a line across the toe that is blue? That is probably a break. Just general swollen and bruised may or may not be. Your doctor may give you a better diagnosis. But most likely, if it is broken, the treatment is…nothing. Let it heal. Unless it is the big toe and it is REALLY broken. I banged my foot one time and my little toe was moved to a 90 degree angle from normal. I popped it back into position. Called the doctor and he told me he could look at it, but really wouldn’t do anything even if it was broken.

seawulf575 (16657

)“Great Answer” (2

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I broke my little toe last year. Hard to walk on, painful, and I had some balance issues.
If you get a blue ring around it, it’s broke. Tape it to the toe next to it for 6 weeks.

filmfann (52219

)“Great Answer” (3

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Which toe?

If it is the little one, or second to littlest, assume it is broken and tape the toe against the toe next to it so it heals straight. If it’s a bigger toe, especially the biggest toe, go get an X-ray.

I think you most likely broke it if it’s swollen.

JLeslie (65411

)“Great Answer” (1

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A few years ago I dropped a ladder on my little toe. I could wiggle it, it was a little swollen, but it didn’t hurt too bad. Part of me thought I ought to just take it easy, but I went to the emergency clinic anyway. The guy said it was cracked, and that I must not put any weight on it until it healed, because if I did it would break off the rest of the way and I would need surgery.

So I did as I was told and waited six weeks before I put weight on it.

The moral of my story? Go get an x-ray!

snowberry (27644

)“Great Answer” (2

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Thanks, everyone! I got an x-ray and it’s broken, or cracked, at the tip. They taped it up and said not to do anything painful.

longgone (19535

)“Great Answer” (3

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Remember, enthusiastic doggos can cause problems with healing. They think it’s helpful to stand on the afflicted digit and wiggle. I speak from experience. :-)

canidmajor (21228

)“Great Answer” (2

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@canidmajor Aren’t doggos keen practitioners of alternative medicine?

janbb (62858

)“Great Answer” (1

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@canidmajor That already happened. And then my yelp startled him, and he tried to fix it by jumping up.

longgone (19535

)“Great Answer” (2

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Be careful for a good month.