How to treat a bruised toe. Big toe bruise treatment at home. First aid for bruised toe

Although it is an unpleasant and painful injury, most bruises to the toes are harmless. In severe cases, an injury that at first glance appears to be a common bruise may actually be something more serious, such as a broken finger or a sprain. Since this injury can develop into complications such as osteoarthritis, it is very important to learn how to recognize and treat both types of bruises to the toes.

Steps

Basic Treatments for Toe Injury

Examine your finger immediately after injury. The first step is to understand how serious the damage is. Carefully and carefully remove the shoes and sock from the affected leg. Examine the injured toe, but be extremely careful not to make things worse (a friend can help you here). Check for the following symptoms:

• the finger is bent or bent;
• bleeding;
• broken or misaligned nail;
• severe swelling and / or discoloration.
• The type of treatment will depend on which of these signs you see, if any. Read on to learn about specific treatments.
• If it is too painful for you to take off your shoes and socks, it may be due to a fractured or sprained toe and / or foot. This is not a dangerous condition, but even in this case, it is necessary to see a doctor and undergo treatment.

1. Wash and disinfect any scratches and cuts. If the skin on your toe is damaged, clean the wound as soon as possible to avoid getting an infection. This includes injuries such as cuts, scrapes, abrasions and nail fractures. Gently wash your finger with warm water and soap. Gently dry your toe with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, then apply a little antibacterial cream to any skin lesions. Bandage your finger with a clean bandage.

   Apply ice to reduce swelling. As a rule, after a bruise, the toe will be slightly swollen. Because of this, the toe will be inactive and even more sensitive. Fortunately, the swelling can be easily relieved with a cold compress. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as by attaching a gel or regular ice pack, or even an unopened package of frozen vegetables.

2. Do not apply pressure to the injured finger. When you have a bruised toe, even just moving can be painful. To avoid causing additional pain and swelling, try shifting your weight onto your heel as you stand and walk. It is not easy to achieve the golden mean here, since walking, transferring the whole your weight on the heel is quite uncomfortable, and over time, your legs may hurt. Try to step on your finger anyway, but only slightly so as not to feel pain while walking.

   • When the swelling in the injured toe has subsided, you can place something underneath (such as gel insoles) to relieve pain when walking
   • If after an hour or two the pain in your finger still does not go away, you should take a break from physical activity, sports and other things for a few days until the pain disappears.

3. Make sure there is enough toe room in the shoe. Tight shoes can worsen pain and swelling even more. If you can, after an injury, change into a loose, comfortable pair of shoes to keep your toe from even more stress. If you don't have a replacement pair of shoes, try loosening the laces.

   • Open-toed shoes like sandals and flip-flops are great. They not only do not put pressure on the finger from above and from the sides, but also make it easy to apply a compress, change the bandage, and more.

4. Use over-the-counter medications for long-term pain. If finger pain persists, over-the-counter pain relievers are a good temporary solution. Here you have a wide choice: paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Nurofen, Motrin) or naproxen (Nalgezin), can be bought at almost all pharmacies.

   • Be sure to observe the dosage indicated on the package with the drug. Even over-the-counter drugs can have dangerous side effects if taken in large quantities.
   • Children should not take aspirin.

5. Tie the injured toe to the adjacent one. This will provide him with support. You can place a piece of cotton wool between your toes to keep them from getting wet.

   • Change cotton wool every day.

6. Lift your bruised toe. Swelling can also be relieved by lifting a bruised toe while you are sitting or relaxing. Lie down and rest your injured leg on a few pillows. When the injured and swollen part is higher than the rest of the body, it is more difficult for the heart to deliver blood to it. Because of this, blood gradually begins to drain from the swollen area, thereby reducing the swelling. This cannot be done while you are standing or walking, so it is worth lifting your injured toe whenever you intend to sit or lie down for a long time.

   Recognizing a serious problem

   1. Take long-term pain and inflammation seriously. As mentioned at the beginning, bruises to the toes are usually not are serious injuries. Therefore, a lack of rapid improvement is a clear sign that something is wrong with the injured finger. Pain that does not go away in the same amount of time as a normal bruise is often a sign of a deeper problem that needs special treatment. In particular, you should pay special attention to the following symptoms:

      • pain that does not improve after an hour or two;
      • pain that returns to full force when the finger is loaded;
      • swelling and / or inflammation that makes it difficult for you to walk or put on shoes for several days;
      • a bruise that does not go away within a few days

   2. Look for signs of fracture. If you bruise your finger very badly, it may be broken. In this case, you need to take an X-ray, and then apply a plaster of Paris or a splint. Signs of a fracture include:

      • crackling or popping heard at the time of injury;
      • visible curvature or curvature of the toe;
      • inability to move a finger;
      • prolonged pain, inflammation and blue discoloration.
      • Note that often a toe fracture does not prevent a person from walking... Just because you can walk doesn't mean your finger isn't broken.
   3. In most cases, a bruised toe does not require medical attention. However, if you have reason to believe that your injury is serious, do not hesitate to contact the emergency room.
      • Follow your doctor's instructions, not recommendations found on the internet. If something said by a doctor contradicts this article, then he has every reason for it.

A bruise of the big toe is very common, especially in the warm season, when we wear open shoes. Often people are dismissive of such an injury, but it is fraught with unpleasant consequences. In fact, it is very important to know how to distinguish bruises from other types of injuries and to be able to provide first aid.

Causes of bruises

The big toe is most often injured as a result of a direct hit to the limb with a blunt object or a fall. This leads to mechanical damage to soft tissues and disruption of the integrity of small vessels - both blood and lymph.

A bruised finger always hurts

Often, trauma leads to crushing of the vessels located in the skin and fatty tissue under it. Bleeding from the capillaries begins, and because of this, hematomas and bruises appear. In this case, the integrity of the skin in the affected area is usually not violated. The severity of the injury depends on the strength of the blow, as well as on the accompanying damage.

Often, with a severe bruise of the finger, the nail plate is also injured. The hematoma under the nail raises it a little and disrupts blood circulation, which becomes the reason for its rejection.

The main symptoms

It is very important to determine the presence of a bruise in time. Its characteristic features:

• The intensity of pain gradually decreases, and then, with the appearance of edema, it increases again.
• Swelling occurs within hours of injury.
• With minor bruises, there are small punctate hematomas. If the injury is more serious, then the "bruise" can spread to adjacent tissues. Peeling of the nail plate is also quite common.
• After the impact, the mobility of the injured area remains. Later, when edema appears, it may disappear, but at first the movements of the finger and the sensations in it do not change. This distinguishes an injury from a fracture or dislocation.

Diagnosis of contusion

It is impossible to diagnose a bruise on your own. This can only be done by a doctor in a hospital setting using an X-ray examination. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of fracture, dislocation and contusion are almost identical.

The bruise itself is not noticeable on the X-ray, but by examining it, the doctor will be able to make sure that there is no other pathology there. If the bone is not broken and there is no displacement of the joints, then fracture and dislocation can be ruled out.

If there are no signs of dislocation or fracture in the picture, a bruise can be suspected.

Classification of bruises

Depending on the severity of the injury, there are several degrees of contusion:

• 1st degree. The skin is slightly damaged, there may be minor scratches or abrasions. Treatment is not required, all unpleasant symptoms go away on their own in a couple of days.
• 2nd degree. There is a slight edema and hematoma due to damage to muscle tissue, accompanied by acute pain.
• 3rd degree. Develops after a strong blow. The tissues are significantly damaged, there is edema and hematomas, often accompanied by dislocation. Finger function may be impaired.
• 4th degree. Often accompanied by cracks, dislocations and fractures. The functioning of the affected area is completely disrupted.

Possible complications

Most people take finger bruises too lightly. They consider themselves to be completely healthy as soon as the pain subsides and the hematoma disappears. But this is a mistake. With a sufficiently strong blow, damage occurs not only to soft tissues, but also to tendons. Outwardly, this may not appear in any way, the symptoms appear later.

The first days after the injury, it is better not to try to put on shoes and move. The pressure on the injured area and the need to move can greatly delay the treatment.

After a certain period of time, a person may notice discomfort in the foot during strong physical exertion or when wearing certain types of shoes. Sometimes there is discomfort and pain when the weather changes. If the injury and its consequences are not treated in time, this can lead to arthritis in the future.

Often, a bruise leads to the loss of a nail.

How to properly treat a bruised big toe

Since the correct diagnosis at home with a bruise of the big toe is impossible, then there can be no question of any self-medication. It is necessary to visit the emergency room and consult a doctor. Only then can the treatment recommended by him be implemented, reinforcing it with folk methods. And before that, it is important to provide first aid correctly.

First aid

The first and most effective action is to apply cold. To do this, you can take ice from the freezer and place it in a heating pad or plastic bag. The sooner this is done, the smaller the tumor will be and the sooner it will disappear. Reducing swelling reduces pressure on tissues that compress nerve endings. This reduces pain.

If the pain after the blow is very severe, you can take any pain reliever or apply it to the bruise in the form of an ointment.

If there is no way to get medical help, then you can continue to massage the injured finger with a piece of ice every hour for 15 minutes. But for patients with diabetes mellitus, such treatment is contraindicated, since the cold slows down blood circulation in the fingers. In no case should you warm your finger, as the heat will cause the blood vessels to expand and increase the swelling and pain.

Tight bandaging for suspected contusion is prohibited.

It is very important for the patient to take a horizontal position and raise the bruised finger higher. This will facilitate the outflow of blood from it. For the next 36 hours, it is better not to walk or make any movements. You don't need to bandage your finger. Since it is unrealistic to completely eliminate a fracture at home, improper bandaging can lead to displacement of the bone.

We must not forget about the nail, which often breaks or falls off when bruised. It must be fixed with an adhesive plaster. If after a couple of days the nail plate has not grown, it must be cut off.

Folk remedies

If the injury occurred somewhere outside the city and there is no opportunity to go to the hospital, then you can use the advice of traditional medicine. Equal parts of vegetable oil, vinegar and boiled water make an excellent anti-inflammatory ointment. All ingredients must be mixed and moistened with cotton cloth in the resulting mass. She needs to carefully wrap the finger and tie it on top with a plastic bag. After the pain subsides, the lotion can be removed.

A compress of fresh plantain leaves helps a lot.... Knead them up and place them on the bruised finger. It is necessary to change the gruel to fresh as often as possible.

You can make a mixture of raw egg yolk and rugs with a teaspoon of salt. This ointment is applied to the finger, and tied on top with a dry bandage. Make a bandage at night, and remove it in the morning.

A bruise to the big toe is a serious injury that can lead to long-term consequences. Therefore, it is important to timely and correctly provide first aid and visit the emergency room for the correct diagnosis and treatment. The use of alternative methods of treatment is permissible when there is no way to see a doctor, but they will not replace qualified assistance.

Most of the leg bruises occur on the big toe, most often the nail area is affected. For quick healing of a bruised toe, it is necessary to follow a number of first aid rules and choose the right treatment. It is important to immediately start treating the bruise, otherwise you can get serious complications.

Injury severity

A bruise of a toe is a mechanical injury with a blunt object as a result of falling on the leg or hitting it with a foot. A bruise can also be obtained with a dislocation or fracture. The first sensations are quite painful, within an hour hematoma and edema appear. A sharp, throbbing pain is felt in the bruised finger.

Toe contusion can be of different degrees:

• First degree of injury- minor damage. Scratches and slight bruising are possible. Such an injury does not need special treatment and after 2-4 days passes without a trace.
• Second degree of injury suggests the presence of severe pain and pronounced bruising. The injured area is severely swollen. Healing time stretches over weeks.
• Third degree occurs with severe bruises. The toe is noticeably swollen, there may be a slight dislocation. A large bruise appears. It is impossible to touch the site of the injury because of the strong pain. It will take weeks for the toe to heal. You also need a doctor's examination and the use of medication.
• Fourth degree of contusion it is installed in case of severe injuries: dislocations, fractures, blows with heavy objects. The bruised area is completely damaged, there may be sores, wounds. Bone fragmentation or cracks are possible. Such a bruise is treated in a hospital under the supervision of specialists.

Symptoms of a bruised big toe

The first step is to determine if it is a bruise or a fracture, then check the symptoms:

• During the bruise, intense pain appears, indicating tissue damage. Further, it may disappear for a while, but with the manifestation of a bruise or edema, it will again make itself felt.
• The site of injury begins to throb painfully, swelling (edema) appears.
• Further, a bruise (hematoma) forms. The size of the bruise depends entirely on the intensity of the blow and on the size of the bruised area. If a strong blow falls on the thumbnail, then, most likely, after a while the nail will darken and begin to flake off.
• With a bruise of the big toe, its mobility may decrease for a while, and bright sensitivity will disappear, but the pain will still not disappear. After healing, the finger will fully recover, but if it is a fracture, then sensitivity and mobility are seriously impaired.

First aid

In case of severe bruises of the lower extremities (in our case, the big toe), the victim must independently or with the help of others provide first aid, paying attention to the following procedures:

• Examine the site of the injury and check the motor function of the finger. If mobility is preserved, then the fracture option disappears. In case of poor physical activity, you should immediately contact the emergency room.
• Apply dry cold to the injury site. It will help relieve pain and reduce the size of the bruise. It is important to do this in the first seconds after receiving a bruise, until the bruise has spread over the entire toe. It is best to apply ice wrapped in a towel and keep it for about 10 minutes.
• If the skin of the finger has been disturbed: there are abrasions, wounds, scratches, then they should be immediately treated with disinfectants (hydrogen peroxide, antiseptic gel or alcohol).
• If necessary, you can apply a tight bandage to the bruise, but only if the finger joint is damaged.
• Stopping blood. If the outer skin of the toe is damaged, you can elevate the leg to stop the bleeding.
• Use pain relievers and anti-inflammatory, revitalizing ointments.

  Never drink aspirin, as it can increase bleeding.

• If the nail is bruised directly, it is necessary to tighten the finger with a tight bandage or stick the adhesive plaster tightly.

What not to do with a bruised big toe

Many do not know, but most of the useful manipulations for a bruised leg can have the opposite effect. Therefore, it is worth remembering some of the nuances:

• It is strictly forbidden to warm or "steam" the sore leg. Apply a heating pad and use warming ointments.
• It is not recommended to use tablets, ointments and gels without a doctor's prescription if the finger has been severely injured.
• You cannot massage a bruised finger, knead it, rub it.
• No alcohol compresses.
• You can't try to straighten your finger, try to insert the joints into place.

Professional treatment for a bruised toe

If a bruised toe continues to hurt for a long time, there is swelling or a large bruise, then you should seek help from a doctor. The specialist will examine the site of the injury, interview the patient and send it for an x-ray. And only after that it will be possible to choose the right treatment.

If a crunch is felt on the big toe, in the area of ​​the bruise, and the toe is in the wrong position, then most likely it is.

There are three methods for treating bruises:

1. Using drug therapy... In this case, the doctor prescribes medicinal ointments or gels:

• "Ibuprofen" is a classic reliable pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. The price is not expensive, unlike their counterparts ("Nurofen").
• Bodyaga is a natural remedy.
• Ketonal.
• "Indovazin".
• "Ketoprofen".
• Heparin ointment.
• "Troxevasin" - relieves swelling well.
• Voltaren Gel.

They relieve swelling well and relieve pain. If there is severe pain, then pain relievers are prescribed in addition.

2. Physiotherapy methods prescribed for severe bruises and large bruises. Such devices are used as: UHF, magnet, electrophoresis. With these methods, the damaged finger is restored faster and the bruise with swelling disappears in a few days.

3. Surgical intervention it is used if the first two methods did not give the desired effect or a bruise of the finger crushed soft and bone tissues. Operation in such cases is indispensable.

Home treatment

If the bruise of the toe was minor and no fracture is observed, then most of the victims prefer to carry out treatment on their own at home, which is of two types:

1. With the help of medicines... In such cases, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory ointments, gels, and plasters are purchased for the patient at the pharmacy. If necessary, bandage the finger and use looser shoes.

2. Traditional medicine... In this situation, the patient uses products of natural origin, which can be prepared independently. Let's consider them in more detail:

• Plantain compress... Mash or grind plantain leaves into gruel and apply for 1 hour to the site of injury.
• Potato compress... Grate fresh potatoes. Apply the resulting gruel to the bruise for 20 minutes 3 times a day.
• Calendula decoction... Brew 100 ml of calendula and make compresses on the broth.

Any compresses and lotions are done exclusively on the second or third day after the injury. Otherwise, you may hurt your leg.

Complications of bruising

Many people believe that a minor injury to the big toe will not lead to serious consequences, and treatment of such an injury is not required at all, what can we say about going to the doctor? However, this opinion is erroneous: with a bruise, not only the skin and muscle cover is damaged, but the tendons also suffer.

If the bruise is not properly treated, the pain will soon return. The bruise has already passed by that time, but when walking or physical exertion, the pain can be felt. Also, the thumb can hurt when the weather changes or in uncomfortable tight shoes.

A bruised toe in ICD 10 has a code S90.1. The injury is considered serious and requires immediate first aid and emergency treatment. Without decisive action, a bruise will lead to the development of a number of complications.

Consider how to diagnose contusion, differential diagnosis of contusion and bone fracture, emergency care and therapeutic approaches.

1. Severe, persistent pain after a massive blow is a sign of a fracture. If you get a bruise of the big toe, the pain subsides after a while. When a bone or joint is broken, the intensity of the pain increases.

   Bruised pain

2. Both a bruise and a fracture can lead to the formation of edema, cause symptoms of a growing soft tissue tumor and subcutaneous hemorrhage. Differences: the fracture immediately leads to the development of edema, with a bruise, the swelling of the tissues occurs gradually.
3. A finger fracture makes it difficult or impossible to move around the joint. This is due to the presence of edema and severe pain.
4. The appearance of blood under the nail plate indirectly indicates a fracture. However, symptoms are considered only in conjunction with the rest. The nail plate turns blue, a couple of days later, due to the accumulation of blood, it becomes black. A bruise on the little toe sometimes produces similar clinical symptoms. When a fracture develops, which has a code according to ICD 10 S92.4, the patient complains of the presence of throbbing pain and a feeling of fullness in the finger, inability to move in the joint area.
5. You can distinguish a fracture from a bruise by the unnatural position of the finger in the joint area during the fracture. The injured finger protrudes unnaturally, its mobility goes beyond normal. On palpation, a characteristic crunch is heard due to the friction of bone fragments.

If, when examining a patient, the described signs are found, there is a fact of a fracture, first aid measures are provided by a traumatologist or surgeon. To verify the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an X-ray examination. Based on the image, the doctor will determine the presence of damage to the bone or soft tissues, prescribe assistance and appropriate treatment.

A bruised toe is characterized by damage to muscle tissue, ligaments or tendons, and skin. The development of trauma is characterized by the appearance of massive edema and severe pain syndrome, which gradually subsides. With severe bruising, hemorrhage occurs under the nail plate. Gradually the plate will peel off.

Emergency measures for bruising

If your toes are injured, first aid consists of applying cold to the affected area. At home, remove ice from the refrigerator or frozen food. You can dip the affected part of your foot into a bucket of extremely cold water. Ice compress is possible. It is permissible to gently massage the affected area in order to partially eliminate the growing symptoms of soft tissue edema. Thus, the edema will not squeeze the nerve endings and will avoid severe pain.

You can apply topically medicated ointment. When the cold compress is removed, it is permissible to bandage the affected area of ​​the foot using an anti-inflammatory and pain relieving ointment. If the pain becomes unbearable, treatment with pain relievers from the category of non-narcotic analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is performed.

The injured lower limb in the area of ​​the foot and ankle joint will definitely need to ensure rest and immobility. It is best to place your leg in an elevated position. This will reduce blood flow to the affected area and the clinical symptoms of swelling and pain. In the early days, the patient is not recommended to leave the house.

Leg immobilization

What to do next

The first emergency aid to the patient is provided in the conditions of a trauma center or a surgical room. The doctor will examine the injured area, assess the symptoms, and order an x-ray. The following conditions become contraindications for conducting: pregnancy, individual iodine intolerance, certain chronic diseases. If necessary, the patient undergoes computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

If, during a bruise, small lesions are received on the skin in the form of abrasions or scratches, it is recommended to rinse them thoroughly and treat them with antiseptic solutions. Before processing, remove impurities from the skin with running water. It is forbidden to resort to self-opening of the hematoma at home. This will result in suppuration and lead to the development of a number of complications, up to the loss of a toe.

How to heal bruises

Treatments for bruised toes include medication. To treat pain, edema and inflammatory symptoms, to alleviate the patient's condition, the traumatologist has the right to prescribe a compress at home, including an ointment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Medicines can help relieve pain and treat swelling. If the pain syndrome is severe, the doctor prescribes oral or parenteral administration of appropriate medications.

Prescribing medicines

Treatment of soft tissue bruises on the toe is possible with the use of physiotherapy methods. Magnetic therapy, ultra-high frequency currents or the use of electrophoresis with drugs are recognized as effective methods of treatment. The procedures ensure the speedy resorption of puffiness, hematomas and contribute to the restoration of the structure and normal functioning of damaged tissues. If the bruise is large and painful, the patient is advised to hold the injured part of the foot in an elevated position for several days to ease the condition and accelerate recovery.

When surgery is indicated

In the presence of a strongly pronounced hematoma with a tendency to suppuration, surgical treatment is performed. Under local anesthesia, the nail plate or soft tissues covering the hematoma are opened, and the contents are removed. The remaining cavity is drained and drained. The nail plate is removed. An aseptic bandage with therapeutic antiseptic solutions is applied to the site of the foot injury. Additionally, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. The operation is possible on an outpatient basis in a surgical room.

With severe bruises, sometimes the doctor decides to apply a plaster cast. This will quickly provide the affected area of ​​the foot with maximum rest and immobility. Treating the injury requires a period of one to three weeks. During this period, it will be possible to completely cure the affected area of ​​the joint and foot.

1. Do not rub or massage the affected area vigorously. The action can lead to microthrombosis of the veins and the development of thrombophlebitis.
2. On the first day after injury, it is forbidden to use a warm heating pad or steam the affected area in hot water.
3. You can not forcibly try to bend or unbend the affected fingers, try to adjust yourself at home. Only a qualified medical professional has the right to do this.
4. You should not resort to the use of medications without first consulting your doctor.

What alternative medicine offers

If a bruise occurs, it is necessary to quickly ensure the rest of the injured leg, it is permissible to make a pressure bandage and heal for three days.

When the specified period has passed, it is possible to use warming compresses, all kinds of lotions. It is permissible to gently massage the finger, in the absence of violations of the integrity of the skin. Help is provided until recovery. At home, folk remedies are used.

A few tablespoons of bodyagi powder are stirred with a small amount of heated water. The resulting composition is used in the form of a compress. The compress should be changed twice a day. Bodyaga has long been considered a miracle cure for healing various kinds of injuries, treatment has been practiced for a long time.

Onions have a good healing effect. Grate a large onion on a coarse grater, apply the resulting gruel to the affected area of ​​the leg. Leave the bandage on for a few hours. It is permissible to use lotions with fresh onion juice.

Grind a few fresh leaves of wormwood into gruel, add a little water and apply to the site of injury. The compress should not dry out. Periodically need to be moistened with clean water. It is possible to continue treatment until complete recovery.

For ingestion, a tincture from the arnica plant is well suited. At the same time, 30 drops of infusion are taken orally and lotions are applied to the sore spot. The treatment will significantly speed up the reparative processes in the body.

Fresh plantain leaves are a traditional way of treating injuries in folk medicine. You will need to grind it to a mushy state and apply it to the injury site. Can be used to treat lotions with freshly squeezed plant sap.

The available remedy, sea salt, has a good therapeutic effect. Its application will help in the first hours after injury on the little toe or other toes. For therapeutic purposes, you can prepare a solution of three teaspoons of sea salt and 500 ml of cool boiled water. You can make baths or lotions from the solution.

Trauma to the toes in the form of a bruise occurs due to mechanical impact. Heavy to moderate impacts with heavy objects damage soft tissues, bones and the ligamentous system of the joints. Falling from a height, simple stumbling over objects that impede free movement, are also a trigger for injuries to the fingers of the lower extremities.

This injury requires prompt intervention plus specialized examination and appropriate treatment. If you do not respond in time, the damaged fingers will lead to impaired motor function of the legs or to some complications such as gangrene of the fingers, followed by amputation.

Clinical picture

Contusion of the finger (or fingers) of the lower extremities is clinically manifested in the form of reactions of the body to pain, impaired motor function of the affected fingers and changes in the anatomical parameters of the organs of the locomotor apparatus. All of the above depends on the degree of injury (1, 2, 3 and 4 degrees). In case of injury, several fingers may be affected at the same time, or only one finger. And also bruises during a fall, impact, compression appear on both limbs or only on one foot with a bruise of one or more phalanges.

With a slight bruise, the symptoms are scanty: the pain is insignificant, there is no swelling, the fingers are completely mobile, but it hurts to walk. All symptoms disappear after a night's rest. Deeper contusion of the phalanges is characterized by acute pain, swelling, significant hematoma, bruising under the nail plate, complete or partial organ dysfunction. On palpation, the patient reacts painfully, the affected area is compacted, the skin is cyanotic due to hematoma. Pain with a bruised finger with proper treatment lasts a day, then gradually subsides. And with a fracture, the pain becomes unbearable, the swelling increases, the motor function is paralyzed.

How to tell a bruise from a fracture

A bruise is a mechanical damage to muscles, ligaments + ligaments in the form of ruptures + microcracks, after which their anatomical structure is disturbed with interstitial bruising. This pathology is accompanied by inflammation and edema. Puffiness and hematomas are characteristic not only of bruises, but also of fractures of the phalanges of the lower extremities. The difference in the manifestation of these symptoms is obvious: swelling + hematomas after injury appear in a day, and after a bone fracture they are immediately visible. Biomotor skills are preserved, and after a bone injury, it is completely impaired.

The displacement of the bones of the phalanges during a fracture changes their correct anatomical location, the locomotor organ uses a variety of positions in the form of unnatural postures. A toe with a fracture can be spread out, hanging + raised up, shortened, elongated. After trying to straighten broken bones, the pain threshold increases to unbearable sharp pain. It has a bursting + pulsating character. For a fracture, the characteristic sign is a crunch of bones.

Important! Severe pain is characteristic of 3-4 degrees of bruised toe. With oncological formations such as osteosarcoma or chondrosarcoma, finger gangrene in diabetics - pain is constant and acute, therefore, differential diagnosis in stationary conditions plus appropriate radical treatment is necessary.

In case of doubtful signs of fracture, bruising, dislocation, swelling and pain of injured toes, there is a direct need to consult a surgeon or traumatologist at your place of residence. Taking X-rays in three projections will help in the correct diagnosis and choice of treatment tactics.

The severity of the injury

Closed injuries of the fingers of the lower extremities with soft tissue contusion + bruising and damage to the nail socket with nail detachment are conventionally divided into several degrees, that is, into 4 types. This fact is confirmed by the depth of the lesion involving the anatomical components of the foot (bones, skin, adipose tissue, muscles, ligaments).

Toe contusion - severity:

Toe contusion degree	Description of clinical manifestations
First degree	Externally, after a first-degree injury, the finger does not have significant damage. Normal skin tone, there may be some scratches. The motor function of the finger is completely preserved, there is discomfort during long walking. The pain is insignificant, it disappears after a night's rest or rubbing the affected area with anti-inflammatory gels.
Second degree	The presence of hematomas, edematous fluid plus pain when trying to move the finger, are symptoms of a second degree bruise. The pain persists for 2-4 days, intensifies at night. The biomechanical capacity of the locomotor organ is limited. Compresses, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments + rubbing on the affected area will help fight inflammation. Movement is quickly restored, there are no complications, unless the patient has a history of diabetes or oncology.
Third degree	This degree is characterized by damage to the skin, muscle tissue, as well as the ligamentous apparatus of the phalanx. A large bruise appears over the bruise, the leg swells, the movement is paralyzed. When you try to move a sore finger, unbearable pain appears. This degree of injury requires the consultation of a traumatologist to exclude a fracture, dislocation.
Fourth degree	Symptoms are identical to the third degree of bruising, plus there may be dislocations or cracks. The pain syndrome disappears only after anesthesia. The swelling extends to the entire foot. Immediate hospitalization is required.

The first two degrees of finger bruises are treated at home, complications with these degrees have almost never been observed. The only exception is the loss of a damaged nail. The remaining two degrees are clinically more difficult, they are aggravated by complications that are eliminated only in stationary conditions.

First aid for injury

A bruised toe is eliminated without a trace in the case of the first or second degree of severity. If the bruise is not aggravated by other diseases, then it can be easily cured with first aid, namely:

1. Apply an ice pack to the affected finger. The cold should envelop the phalanx from all sides. It prevents bleeding and the spread of edema + tissue inflammation. Cold procedures do not allow the development of bursitis, tendinitis, myositis. The compress lasts about 20 minutes.
2. Rubbing the affected area with light movements without pressure. Gels, ointments or tinctures are used based on analgesic, anti-inflammatory + antiplatelet agents such as Feloran, Heparin, Movalis. These funds have a high degree of penetration through the skin and muscles. It is recommended to grind 3 times a day.
3. With severe pain syndrome, take Analgin, Ortofen tablets.
4. The leg must be kept raised.
5. Seal the damaged nail plate with a plaster.

In case of severe bruises, you need to take analgesics, as well as medications of the NSAID group, immobilize the limb and wait for an ambulance. Bandaging your foot or toe is not recommended. Fragments of bones during bandaging will damage blood vessels, and the hematoma will acquire a larger volume, which will complicate the healing process. Plus, if there are scratches, microbial flora can join, which will aggravate the situation of the bruise.

Therapy plus healing procedures

The most vulnerable to injury is the thumb + little finger. Their trauma accounts for 90% of cases of bruises. The method of treatment for 1-2 degrees consists in rubbing with ointments based on analgesic substances and NSAIDs, plus rest of the injured leg. After a day or two, the leg becomes absolutely functional, without signs of pain and swelling.

Treatment of 3-4 degrees of bruising of the finger of the lower extremity is completely different, in this case it is necessary to eliminate the edema and promote the restoration of damaged tissues, as well as restore the motor function of the finger. Therapeutic tactics consist of:

• drug therapy (Analgin in tablets and injections, Ortofen, Diclofenac, Ketoprofen, Movalis, B vitamins: Neurobion, Nerobex Forte, topical agents: Ketonal-Emul-Gel, Feloran, as well as chondroprotectors plus absorbable medicines), muscle relaxants;
• administration of drugs that dissolve blood clots (Heparin, Thrombostop);
• physiotherapy procedures (magnetotherapy, ultrasound treatment, electrophoresis);
• as a last resort - in surgery.

Physiotherapy procedures help to resolve the bruise, they enhance the regeneration of damaged tissues, improving metabolism. Severe contusion of the toe may require an aseptic bandage or plaster cast. Surgical intervention is required for health reasons, as well as for complicated bruises with large hematoma + pus.

In order to avoid many complications such as blood clots, gangrene and sepsis, there are a number of rules that prohibit the use of certain manipulations. These forbidden rules for a 3-4 degree finger injury include:

1. Applying warm compresses, which will aggravate the swelling, will increase the risk of interstitial bleeding, and in the presence of purulent agents, heat will increase the risk of sepsis. Warming compresses can be applied after inflammatory reactions and edema have subsided.
2. Massage procedures are strictly prohibited due to the threat of thrombus formation.
3. It is forbidden to correct dislocations on your own. In this case, fractures can be provoked.
4. It is not recommended to take strong painkillers or NSAIDs in the presence of chronic pathologies + diabetes mellitus + cancers.

After the X-ray, computed tomography, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment for individual indications. More serious cases of a bruised toe are treated permanently under the strict supervision of a physician.

Folk remedies and recipes

Recipes of traditional medicine will help remove swelling, stop inflammation and pain in case of mild toe bruises.

Popular recipes:

1. Alcohol compresses: moisten a piece of gauze with vodka, wrap a sore toe and surrounding areas of the foot. Put a bag on top of the gauze. Wrap with a warm scarf. Keep it on for about 20 minutes. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times a day.
2. Bodyaga. The powder is diluted with water. The resulting gruel is applied to a sore finger. Use twice a day.
3. Gruel from plantain or cabbage leaves: the plant mass is applied to the toe and foot. A plastic wrap is placed on top. It is recommended to keep it for an hour - an hour and a half.
4. Burdock root tincture: chopped burdock roots (200g) pour 400ml of vodka, leave for 6 hours. Rubbing the area of ​​injury. Repeat the procedure 5-10 times a day.
5. Chamomile, mint, dandelion, St. John's wort compresses. Make compresses with a steep tincture of these plants, keep for about an hour. Apply 2 times.

The listed drugs can be used in parallel with drug therapy. In severe forms of bruising, these methods of folk healing are used after the edema, inflammation and absence of pus, wounds, scratches, erosions have subsided.

Length of toe recovery period

Light bruises disappear in a few days, that is, from one day to three. Aggravated forms of toe injuries are completely healed within a month, it all depends on the depth of the lesion and on the attachment of a secondary infection. If the bruise is accompanied by a crack or dislocation, then the rehabilitation period varies within 1-1.5 months. This is due to the removal of plaster, the development of joints and rehabilitation procedures (exercise therapy, massage, baths, physiotherapy).

When to see a doctor

A mild bruise does not require hospitalization; it can be quickly restored at home. Concerning severe forms of bruises with severe persistent pain, extensive hematomas + edema of the affected area, these are direct indications for contacting a doctor at the place of residence or calling an ambulance. Self-treatment can lead to unforeseen complications, including disability.

Contusions of the fingers of the lower extremities are quite a serious injury. Acute pain, swelling, and limitation of motor function provide people with serious discomfort. If you do not respond in time, bursitis, tendinitis, destructive arthrosis or gangrene of the finger may develop. Therefore, such an injury must be treated in a timely manner, and it is best to prevent it, knowing thoroughly everything about a bruised toe, what to do at home and how to distinguish it from a fracture, and at the same time perform all movements carefully.

Toe bruises are one of the most common household injuries... In this case, damage to soft tissues is observed - ligamentous apparatus, skin, muscle tissue.

These injuries are usually associated with falls, hitting hard objects, or dropping heavy objects on the leg.

What to do at home with a bruised toe?

Clinical picture

Before treating a bruised toe at home, you need to analyze the clinical picture. The main symptoms of this condition include:

1. A few hours after injury, swelling appears.
2. The intensity of pain gradually decreases, and after the onset of edema, it increases again.
3. With a slight bruise, pinpoint hematomas appear. If the finger turns blue, this indicates more serious damage. A bruise of the nail is often accompanied by the detachment of the plate.
4. After injury, the mobility of the damaged area is preserved. When puffiness appears, it may be disturbed. However, at the initial stage, the movements of the finger do not change.

How to distinguish a bruise from a fracture?

Many people, after being injured, wonder how to tell a broken toe from a bruise. To do this, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

1. Very severe and sharp pain usually indicates a fracture... When a bruise is received, the discomfort disappears after 3-4 hours, while in the case of bone damage, it only intensifies.
2. With severe bruising, there is a risk of hematomas, tumors, swelling... Sometimes soft tissues and adjacent fingers are affected. With a fracture, this process starts immediately, while with a bruise, this can occur after a day.
3. It is extremely difficult to bend the finger in the event of a fracture... This is due not only to the appearance of swelling, but also to intense pain.
4. An indirect symptom of a fracture is hemorrhage under the nail.... It takes on a bluish tint, and then turns black. In addition, a person may feel distension and throbbing.
5. A fracture can also be suspected by an unnatural finger position.... When pressed, a person can feel the movement of bone fragments or hear a crunch.

If you suspect a fracture or crack, you should immediately contact a surgeon or traumatologist. X-rays are taken to identify this problem.

First aid for injury

First aid for a bruised toe is to do the following:

1. Examination of the affected area... First of all, you need to examine the sore finger and check its functions. If a person can bend and straighten it, then only a bruise is present. In case of mobility impairment, consultation with a traumatologist is required.
2. Cold compress... It provides pain relief and vasoconstriction, which helps prevent hematoma formation. To prevent hypothermia, you need to apply cold compresses through the cloth. You can use a towel for this.
3. Disinfection... If external skin lesions are observed, they must be washed and treated with disinfectants. At the same time, it is forbidden to use iodine, since it has a warming effect.
4. Bandage application... Additionally, it is worth using a tight bandage. This will help numb the affected joint.
5. Prevention of circulatory problems... To do this, the affected leg is slightly raised.
6. The use of painkillers... You can also apply a special bruise ointment. It is not necessary to use Aspirin for pain relieving purposes, as this agent leads to increased bleeding.
7. Pressure bandage or application of a disinfectant adhesive plaster... This measure is required in case of damage to the nail plate.
8. Keeping the damaged area at rest.

Healing procedures

If there is severe pain or severe swelling for a long time, you should consult a doctor. The specialist will tell you how to quickly heal the affected finger. In simpler cases, the consequences of a bruise can be dealt with on your own.

How to numb the affected area? For this, special ointments are used that contain ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium, ketoprofen. With the help of such funds, swelling and inflammation can be eliminated.

If there is severe pain, pain relievers should be used.

If the bruise is not very strong, treatment with folk remedies will help. The most effective are the following:

1. Plantain leaf compress... They need to be ground to a state of gruel and applied to the affected area. It is recommended to change the compress every 3 hours.
2. Bodyagi powder... This product must be mixed with water to achieve the consistency of sour cream. After that, apply to the affected area and bandage your finger. This dressing should be changed every 12 hours.
3. Potato compress... To do this, boil the vegetable, then knead and cool a little. Then the gruel should be wrapped with gauze and applied to the affected area for 4 hours. After the end of the specified period, the bandage is changed. It is important to consider that you should not apply a compress on damaged nails.
4. Compress from a decoction of calendula... Also, an iodine mesh can be applied to the surface of the injured thumb.

Any warming procedures can be done only a day after the finger is injured. If this rule is violated, there is a risk of serious deterioration of the patient's condition.

Many people wonder how long the bruise goes away.... If after 2 weeks the pain persists or bloody and purulent discharge is observed from the damaged area, it is imperative to consult a specialist. Otherwise, there is a risk of dangerous complications.

What can not be done with a bruise?

If a toe is injured, do not perform the following actions:

1. Rub or massage the affected areas. Such actions can cause thrombophlebitis, which is a blockage of veins.
2. Warm up injured areas on the first day after injury.
3. Try to forcefully bend or unbend your fingers, try to put them in place.
4. Take medications without medical advice. This is especially important for serious injuries.

A bruised toe is a fairly common injury that is accompanied by pain and swelling. In simple cases, it is quite possible to cope with the consequences of damage on your own, using medicines and folk remedies.

If suspicious symptoms appear, it is imperative to consult a doctor..

A bruised toe can occur both in domestic conditions, for example, when a person hits the corner of a nightstand or something heavy falls on his leg, and during sports. The toes are located at the very edge of the foot and in the event of an impact, as a rule, receive the most stress. Often the occurrence of such injuries is facilitated not only by a person's inattention, but also by wearing open shoes that weakly protect the toe of the foot. In most cases, a bruised toe does not require medical attention and heals well at home. But severe bruises can seriously damage bones, ligaments and nerve endings, in which case medical attention and treatment will be necessary. Even if a minor injury has occurred, the doctor will tell you what to do and how to be treated at home, which is especially important for the elderly, because any injury can cause complications for them.

A bruised toe most often causes symptoms that are easy to treat at home:

• Pain in the affected area that decreases over time
• Swelling and enlargement of the bruised toe, often resulting in decreased mobility
• The presence of a hematoma, which can be located both under the nail and elsewhere on the finger

If the following symptoms appear, it is forbidden to treat yourself on your own and you must definitely seek medical help:

• Pain gets worse and does not subside after taking pain relievers
• The bruising and swelling does not subside for several days
• Open wound and bleeding
• Coldness and numbness, indicating nerve damage
• The finger is in a curved position
• Partially or completely detached nail
• Having a large subungual hematoma

First aid and home treatment

1. Applying cold to your finger every 2 hours for 15 minutes for the first two days will reduce pain and swelling. The ice must be wrapped in a cloth beforehand to avoid frostbite of the skin.
2. Applying a moderately pressure bandage, wrapping the injured finger with the adjacent one, which will slightly reduce swelling and limit excessive mobility. This helps to keep the finger calm and speed up its healing. You can apply heparin ointment under the bandage.
3. When the nail is badly damaged or partially torn off, then you need to fix it on the finger with an adhesive plaster in order to increase the chances of its preservation.
4. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and pain. Ketans, analgin, ibuprofen will do.
5. Applying warm compresses after 2-3 days, which should speed up healing. Also for these purposes, you can do baths with sea salt 3 times a day for 15 minutes. It is forbidden to do warm compresses in the first days after the injury, so as not to increase the swelling.
6. The leg where the finger bruise occurred should be placed in an elevated position in order to reduce its swelling. This is especially important in the first 48 hours after injury, as too much blood at the injury site can create a lot of pressure and increase pain.
7. Keeping the finger at rest for at least 2-3 days. By moving less, reduce the stress of outdoor shoes and protect yourself from repeated injury. After an injury, it is best to walk in open-toed shoes so that nothing presses on the toe, and try to keep the weight of the body on the heel to protect as much as possible from repeated injuries.

Medical treatment

If a toe is severely bruised or if symptoms persist for a long time, seek medical attention. Usually, the doctor makes an examination and, if necessary, diagnoses with X-rays or computed tomography. The main purpose of the diagnosis is to identify a possible fracture, damage to ligaments or nerve endings. Often, with a bruise, a dislocation of the finger occurs, in this case, only a traumatologist should reposition it. If you have a bulky subungual hematoma, you may need to remove the fluid, which is usually done with a syringe or other instrument. This is necessary to preserve the toenail. More serious intervention is required if a severe fracture has occurred or if the function of the joint is impaired. A severe fracture may require surgery using pins, plates, and screws to restore the correct structure of the toe. Do not be afraid of surgical treatment, as this is often the best option for bone fusion and an early return to previous activity. After surgery, a fixation bandage or plaster cast is often applied, which should speed up the healing of bone tissue if it is damaged. The bone usually heals in 4-6 weeks. As an additional treatment, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy: electrophoresis, magneto and UHF therapy.

It is worth remembering that a bruise of the big toe heals longer due to its size, which contributes to a greater accumulation of edema and requires a long period of rest and treatment, since it receives the maximum load when walking.

Output

Most often, a bruised toe will heal within 1-2 weeks and leave no negative consequences. To make recovery faster, it is good to competently provide first aid and give yourself time to recover, and in case of severe bruising or serious symptoms, consult a doctor as soon as possible so that he can carry out initial treatment and give recommendations on how to treat a finger at home.