Walking innocently through the house on a search for your car keys can start any morning off in the wrong direction. For one, it is frustrating to lose something. In addition to that, these lost keys are wasting minutes on the clock, causing you to be later and later for work. As time progresses with no luck, your calm demeanor fades and panic rises up within. You start to hurry along and suddenly, thwack! You stubbed your toe. The pain is excruciating, your toe is throbbing and now your day has gone from bad to worse. Gingerly, you strip off your shoes and take a peek at the damage. Your toe is swelling, it looks a little deformed, and the toenail is bleeding.
Is it serious if my toenail is bleeding?
After stubbing your toe, if you notice that your toenail is bleeding, you should call your podiatrist. This is because a bleeding toe can be a sign of a more severe injury. It could mean that there is a cut under the nail. This cut can become infected easily. If it gets infected and the cut is deep enough, it can begin to affect the bone. Another serious indicator of a problem is if the base of the toenail is loose. This is because it could mean that the joint of the toe has been injured.
Is my toe broken?
There is a chance that the toe has suffered from a fracture or a break. That is especially true if it is the pinky toe that is injured. If the toe is swollen, bruised or deformed looking it should be seen by a podiatrist immediately. A podiatrist will take an x-ray of the foot to determine whether or not a fracture or break has occurred. If it is determined that you are suffering from a fracture or a break, your podiatrist will set the toe into the proper healing position and wrap it. It is usually splinted and wrapped for 6 weeks so that it can heal properly.
If you stub your toe and it looks to be in rough shape, do not just walk the injury off. It is important to see a podiatrist so that you can ensure that there are no underlying problems that could worsen over time. Call Dr. Andrew H. Cohen, of Mid-Michigan Foot & Ankle Center, located in Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan. Call 989-790-8009 or make an appointment online today. There Dr. Cohen and his staff can inspect your toe and determine whether or not a more severe injury has occurred from the trauma of your stub.