Broken Toe

Treatment for abadly broken toe

If your toe is badly broken, youmay need:

an X-ray of your foot to check if your toe is broken and how severe the break is
a procedure to move anyout of placebones back into the right position a doctor can often do this with their hands (no cuts are needed) while your foot is numbed with local anaesthetic
a procedure to drain blood from underneath the nail of the affected toe, or remove the nail completely if there's a lot of blood trapped under it
a cast or a special wooden-soled shoe or boot to support your big toe if it's broken
crutches so you can walk without putting weight on the toe
any woundscleaned, and possibly antibiotics or a tetanus jab if your vaccinations aren't up-to-date

If the break is particularly severe, you may need surgery to put the broken bones back into the correct position and fix them in place with special pins or screws.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for broken toe

Introduction

Find out about the symptoms of a broken toe, when you should get medical advice, and how to look after it at home.

Symptoms of a broken toe

A broken toe will usually be: extremely painful and tender swollen red or bruised difficult to walk on If the break is severe, the toe may stick out at an angleor the bone may poke through the

How to treat a broken toe at home

Most broken toes can be treated at home. See below for advice about when to see your GP and when to go to hospital . The following tips can be used to care for a broken toe: Put a piece of cotton

When to see your GP

Check the toe every day and call your GP if: the pain gets worse or isn't relieved by ordinary painkillers your GP may be able to prescribe a stronger painkiller the swelling or discolouration does

When to go to hospital

Go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department if: you have had a severe injury, such as your foot being crushed or a road traffic accident you think your big toe is broken your t

Treatment for abadly broken toe

If your toe is badly broken, youmay need: an X-ray of your foot to check if your toe is broken and how severe the break is a procedure to move anyout of placebones back into the right position a d

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