How to Treat a Broken Toe
Sports-related injuries, or injuries from high-impact physical activity, can cause excruciating pain. The pain and agony brought about by a broken toe can leave you immobilized for a very long time. Here are some ways for you to treat a broken toe.
Diagnosis
The human foot is composed of 26 bones fit together in a feat of Nature’s engineering. It is designed to carry the weight of your entire body during walking, and can withstand high-impact activities like leaping, jumping, and running. Yet as good as feet are designed, they are prone to some nasty injuries that range from mild muscle strains to complicated fractures.
The design of the foot can make it quite difficult to properly diagnose a broken toe. Here are some signs and symptoms you should watch out for to confirm if your toe is broken:
Severe swelling and redness on the affected toe
Tenderness and a very sensitive feeling on the injured toe
The toe feels crooked, or there’s a noticeable lump on the toe
Treatment
Like any fracture, broken toes need time to heal. If you follow these steps, your foot will be back to a healthy and fit state in no time.
See a Doctor
If you’re not sure about the extent of your toe injury, or if the pain is too much to bear, you need to go to the emergency room. Fractures should only be healed and repaired by doctors. A mild toe fracture may be able to heal itself, but more serious cases of toe fractures must be bound in a cast for a few weeks.
Medication and Rest
broken toeToe fractures should be treated like any other disease. You should follow your doctor’s advice once he or she sets the bones of the broken toe together. Here are two things you should always follow to help speed up the healing process:
Medication. Painkillers like ibuprofen and other over-the-counter analgesics can help reduce the pain that comes with a broken toe. Make sure to take other medications or treatments as prescribed or recommended by your doctor.
Rest. Do not put any unnecessary weight or stress on your injured foot for as long as the pain does not subside. It’s best to treat your broken toe with complete bed rest until the healing is complete.
A broken toe can be very painful and can leave you on the sidelines for weeks. With these steps, you can treat a broken toe, and be up and going in no time.