Taking a wrong step and stubbing your toe on the coffee table is usually no cause for concern. Use home remedies and over-the-counter care to reduce pain and swelling. But when you stub your toe so hard it gets purple and severely swollen, it could be broken and requires a doctor's care. Talk to your doctor before trying any home remedies or over-the-counter treatments to treat your stubbed toe.
Home Remedies
As soon as you stub your toe, examine it. If your toe looks black or purple, you're unable to bend it, or it looks out of place, go to the doctor. If you don't notice these symptoms, monitor your toe periodically for the next few days. If you notice any bleeding on the toe or around the nail, clean the area with soap and water, and apply a sterile bandage or a piece of gauze to the wound. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the afflicted area to reduce pain and swelling. Hold the ice on your toe for 20-minute increments, several times a day.
Over-the-Counter Care
Your doctor might recommend over-the-counter treatments to soothe the pain while your stubbed toe is healing. Take a dose of acetaminophen, naproxen sodium or ibuprofen every few hours, or as recommended on the label's instructions.
Doctor's Treatment
If you've tried over-the-counter treatments and the pain of your stubbed toe is still unbearable, consult your doctor. He might recommend a prescription painkiller to soothe the pain. If your stubbed toe is broken or fractured, your doctor may place some gauze between your toes and tape your injured toe to the one next to it, stabilizing the injury and creating a splint. If your stubbed toe is severely broken, your doctor might prescribe a surgical shoe with a hard bottom to make walking more comfortable while your toe heals.
Warnings
As your stubbed toe heals, the area should become less swollen and bruised. If the area becomes more swollen and black-and-blue within 24 to 72 hours of your injury, your toe could be broken and requires the care of a doctor. Do not attempt to splint or stabilize the toe yourself unless your doctor recommends it. Additionally, do not try to straighten the toe if it is misplaced or curled over. This may cause further injury.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Broken Toe: Treatments and Drugs; November 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Broken Toe: Lifestyle and Home Remedies; November 2009
- "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies"; Deborah Tkac; 1990
