Stubbed toe last year still not healed?
5 min read
Asked by: Clarence Jolivette
Why is my stubbed toe not healing?
If the pain and discoloration don’t ease up after a few days, you should definitely see your doctor. A broken toe that doesn’t heal properly could lead to osteoarthritis, a painful condition that causes chronic pain in one or more joints. Your doctor will examine your toe and ask for your medical history.
How long does a badly stubbed toe take to heal?
If your toe is broken, a realistic timeline for recovery is 4-6 weeks. Whereas with a sprain, or a minor strain, you may look at a few days to 1 week of recovery time. With a sprain, or strain, the immediate pain from the stubbed toe should dissipate rather quick, and transition to a dull pain or feeling.
Can a stubbed toe hurt for months?
Another complication can be osteoarthritis which may appear months or even years after an injury to the big toe. Stubbing the toe or dropping a heavy object on it can cause this chronic, painful condition.
Why does my broken toe still hurt after a year?
After the toe fracture heals, the person may still be left with arthritis, pain, stiffness, or even a deformity. Sometimes, the fractured bone will not heal completely (called a nonunion), or will heal improperly (called a malunion). Although it’s rare, surgery may be necessary to fix this problem.
Can a broken toe be fixed years later?
It is a common misconception that broken toes can’t be treated and will heal on their own. The truth is, not treating a broken toe can result in complications that, not only make the healing process take longer, but can cause permanent damage.
What happens if you leave a broken toe untreated?
Broken toes that don’t heal properly increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis or permanent nerve damage down the line. The right treatment with a foot and toe expert helps ensure your broken toe heals the right way so you can resume your normal activities without worrying about complications.
How do I know if my toe injury is serious?
See a doctor if:
- the toe is very swollen.
- the pain is severe and does not go away after several hours.
- it is difficult to walk or to put weight on the foot.
- the toenail falls off or the area around it is very swollen.
- there are signs of infection around the toenail, such as itching, redness, and pus.
When should you go to the doctor for a stubbed toe?
In other cases, what seems like a simple stubbed toe can become an intensely painful and increasingly worsening injury. If your toe pain gets worse over the course of several hours and your toe is swollen, bruised, deformed, or numb, you may have a broken toe bone and should seek medical care immediately.
How does turf toe happen?
A “turf toe” is a sprain of the largest joint of your big toe. It happens when your toe forcibly bends upwards, such as when you push off into a sprint. Your big toe has 2 joints. The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is the largest of these.
Can a malunion be fixed without surgery?
Treatment of Malunion and Nonunion Fracture
In some malunion fractures, if the limb function is not reduced, the doctor may advise some non-surgical treatment. In cases where the position of the broken bone is causing further damage, they will advise surgical treatment to remove the aberration.
What happens when a broken bone does not heal?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn’t heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
How do you know if a broken bone isn’t healing?
“Patients who suspect their fracture has not healed after treatment or is not healing properly should look out for three things: pain at the site, deformity – the bone was straight and now it’s bent – and impaired use or function – leg or ankle still cannot support weight.
How do I know if my toe injury is serious?
See a doctor if:
- the toe is very swollen.
- the pain is severe and does not go away after several hours.
- it is difficult to walk or to put weight on the foot.
- the toenail falls off or the area around it is very swollen.
- there are signs of infection around the toenail, such as itching, redness, and pus.
Should a broken toe still hurt after 2 weeks?
See a GP if:
pain and swelling has not started to ease 2 to 3 days after you injured your toe. it still hurts to walk 6 weeks after injuring your toe.
How do you tell if a stubbed toe is broken?
If it hurts the rest of the day and longer, you may have a fracture. When you stub your toe, it’s normal to expect some bruising and even some blood under the toenail. But, if the discoloration lasts for a few days, if it spreads, or if it seems like there is too much blood under the nail, you might have a broken toe.
How do you tell if toe is stubbed or broken?
Stubbing your toe can be so painful that you might believe that it’s broken when it’s not. A stubbed toe might show signs of swelling or bruising, but there’s no further injury under the surface. A broken toe is much more severe, and often presents itself with more obvious and harsher symptoms.
Can you wiggle a broken toe?
Can you move a broken toe? “If you can still move it then it’s not broken.” – False. This is another harmful old wives’ tale. Although it may be possible to move and walk on your broken toe, you should avoid doing so as this can lead to even greater damage and prolonged healing time.
