Possible Broken toe that has split open?!
Question: we have this large table top that we have been placing infront a doorway to keep out new pppyoff the carpets and when I went to go pick it up it dropped and hit my big toe on my left foot, it broke open at the crease where the nail and toe connecs and on the tip of the toe and on the back of the toe, now it is really blue and black under the nail and walking make me feel a lot of pressure even if I dont step directly with the toe and it will also begin to bleed, I can barely bend it and it needs to be elevated other wise i feel extreme pressure again. Is it broken? if I go to the doctor what will they do? my mom mentioned them having to drill it, what is that? thanks!
Answers: we have this large table top that we have been placing infront a doorway to keep out new pppyoff the carpets and when I went to go pick it up it dropped and hit my big toe on my left foot, it broke open at the crease where the nail and toe connecs and on the tip of the toe and on the back of the toe, now it is really blue and black under the nail and walking make me feel a lot of pressure even if I dont step directly with the toe and it will also begin to bleed, I can barely bend it and it needs to be elevated other wise i feel extreme pressure again. Is it broken? if I go to the doctor what will they do? my mom mentioned them having to drill it, what is that? thanks!
It might be broken - there is no way to be sure, short of medical examination and/or an X-ray. However, as you can walk on it it probably isn't, but you really need to make sure, so see some sort of medic ASAP.
If you go to the doctor (it may be better to go to the emergency room) they will take a look at it, maybe X-ray and probably dress it so the wounds don't get infected. The stuff about drilling it? One reason it's hurting so much is that it is bleeding under the nail and the blood has nowhere to go, so it builds up and causes pressure and pain. Drilling is literally drilling a hole in the nail so the blood can escape. I believe these days they usually don't use an actual drill though, but a hot wire.
Incidentally, you will probably eventually lose the nail. Don't worry too much though - in a case like this the nail usually grows back.
Ian Campbell BA (Cantab.), Chief Technical Officer at National Nutrition http://www.NationalNutrition.co.uk
it depends on how bad it is,but you need to go have it looked at befor infection sets in on it.if you get infection in your toe you will have a lot more problems and could land in the hospital,please go have it checked.