broken toe

[Chrysalis]

I banged my foot quite hard against a heavy wooden chair leg on sunday and it immediatly became painful and diffilcult to walk I was expecting to be able to rest it off overnight tho, that day their was no obvious bruise and could walk with shoes on outside but limped.

The next day a big bruise came up got worried but nhs direct told me it was just a bruise, the pain was worse tho.

Yesterday the bruising died down a bit but pain wasnt improving and when I put shoes on to go shop after walking around 10 yards extreme pain occured in foot and some spasms (i get spams anyway but these were worse and more extreme then usual and can usually manage alot more then 10 yards), had to take of shoe and limp back to house.

Looking at the toe it does seem a bit longer now then same toe on other foot, is toe next to smallest toe.

I now think I may have broken it, if I hold the other 4 toes and try to wiggle it, its a very weak response, although I have sensation touching it so doesnt appear to be nerve loss. The same toe on other foot doesnt have the problem. With foot hanging the toe seems to be dropped a bit and not at proper height. If I press down the toe like curling it it gets painful and I feel a pop which makes me think I have damamged the bone.

Does this sound liek a borken toe if so what should I do, is rest enough to heal it and ok to walk around the house?

There is no way I could get to the gp, would gps normally do callouts for this, thanks.

[Scrubbs]

take some painkillers and go to your local hospital? taxi ?'cos if it is broken it will need x rays I guess

[Nugget]

I had the same sort of pronlem not that long ago (well, apart from the fact that I suddenly got the sharp pain while I was ten pin bowling :erm: )

I eventually went to the hospital because the 'bruising' was getting worse, and I could hardly move any of my toes - turns out that I had an infection in my foot (I mean, I know they stink, but an infection :confused: ). One week long course of antibiotics, and it was better.

I'd recommend going to A & E personally, seeing as they're the people who sorted me out :)

[Scarlett]

My local doc usually recommends paracetamol as they are anti-inflammatory as well a pain killers. but if it's not getting better then go see your local doc asap.

[Salu]

It's possible that it may have broken depending on the mechanism of injury or conversely it may be sprained. You can tear the soft tissue surrounding the tendons/ligaments which result in blood seeping into pretty confined areas. This can be quite painful and as painful as a break.

Whether it is broken or not the treatment is the same. You don't generally Xray toes for this reason unless it is grossly displaced or open. What you do is what's called neighbour strapping. This involves wrapping some elastoplast around the toe and the 3rd toe effectively fixing them together. Take a course of ibuprofen 600mg three times a day for a week or so and keep it elevated.

Either go to your A&E or your GP or if you are brave you can even do this yourself but I would advise being under the watchful eye of a medical practitioner....

[Chrysalis]

to save on taxi fares I may ask nhs direct to get an ambulance to take me there, I have done this before when I needed treatment early morning.

its not pulling away from emergencies :p the ambulance comes when not busy so long wait.

---------- Post added at 18:36 ---------- Previous post was at 18:33 ----------

ok whats happening now is pain has died down somewhat but is still there, but the toe seems to be hanging slightly too low can feel when walking and lifting foot off ground.

[Jules]

Still costs the health service though, have you not got any one that could take you? :)

[Ramrod]

ok whats happening now is pain has died down somewhat but is still there, but the toe seems to be hanging slightly too low can feel when walking and lifting foot off ground.Thats the exact type of sensation I had when I broke my little finger a few years back.....weak, droopy......I had it confirmed on x-ray and then just strapped it to the finger next to it (as Salu suggested).

If I was you I'd get over to casualty with a good book, a drink and some sandwiches and wait till they x-ray it......there isn't much they will do for it if it is broken but at least it will put your mind at rest. :)

[Chrysalis]

Well presumably they could strap it properly rather then me doing a diy job of it.

Unfortenatly the only person who could take me wouldnt be bothered.

I know ambulances cost money but thats what they there for.

I will maybe try and do it tonight perhaps with some toilet paper and tape?

I got no elastoplast or means of getting any right now.

[Nugget]

Well presumably they could strap it properly rather then me doing a diy job of it.

Unfortenatly the only person who could take me wouldnt be bothered.

I know ambulances cost money but thats what they there for.

I will maybe try and do it tonight perhaps with some toilet paper and tape?

I got no elastoplast or means of getting any right now.

All joking aside, could you not get a taxi to the hospital?

[Salu]

Chrysalis, I appreciate that finances may be difficult for you but a 4 day old ?broken toe is not a candidate for an ambulance no matter how tight money is.
You need to leave those ambulances for those who need them. I 'm involved in the training of paramedics and I know they have story after story about "trivial" jobs they were doing and couldn't respond to catagory A incidents.

If you are going to use the toilet paper then firstly make sure it is unused and secondly make sure you fold a piece into 4 and use it as a pad between the toes you strap.

[Jules]

I know ambulances cost money but thats what they there for.

They are there for emergency's, if they are transporting you to the hospital and a call comes in they can't dump you on the side of the road so that they can respond to it.

I think your best bet is to go to your GP tomorrow were he/she or the practice nurse can strap it up for you