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Chronic Pain In Toe After Being Jammed. What Could It Be Due To?
A month ago, I jammed my left pinky toe in a door frame and heard a loud pop like when you crack your knuckles. It hurt a lot at first, but the pain went away rather quickly. Now, I have chronic pain that's not as bad as before near the last joint (where the toe meets the foot) and a slight tingling sensation from time to time. I can move the toe, it isn't cold or numb, it doesn't look out of shape or discolored, and I can walk on it and touch it with little to no pain, but how long the pain has lasted and the tingling sensation worries me. It's either a sprain, a bone bruise, a dislocation, or a fracture and I'm not sure which. I can't seek medical attention because I can't afford it and want to know how likely it is that it's broken, how severe a break it probably is, and what kind of home treatment I can perform to help the healing process. I'm hoping it's a bone bruise, but I can't remember hearing about a tingling sensation accompanying one.
Mon, 19 Aug 2013
Hi and welcome to HCM
If you are able to walk and able to move the joints of the foot actively then there is unlikely possibility of a fracture.
It could be only a soft tissue injury or bone contusion which generally subsides over a period of time spontaneously without any issues.
Numbness and tingling sensation could be due to injury to superficial nerve fibres. Do not worry these will go with time.
To get relief from the pain and for quick healing:
1. Do hot fomatation at the site.
2. Apply local anti-inflammatory gel 2-3 times a day.
3. Take anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen to reduce pain and local swelling or inflammation.
4. Do not try to do exercise that involve painful muscles. Give proper time for the injury to heal.
Hope this will helps you. Take care.
If you are able to walk and able to move the joints of the foot actively then there is unlikely possibility of a fracture.
It could be only a soft tissue injury or bone contusion which generally subsides over a period of time spontaneously without any issues.
Numbness and tingling sensation could be due to injury to superficial nerve fibres. Do not worry these will go with time.
To get relief from the pain and for quick healing:
1. Do hot fomatation at the site.
2. Apply local anti-inflammatory gel 2-3 times a day.
3. Take anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen to reduce pain and local swelling or inflammation.
4. Do not try to do exercise that involve painful muscles. Give proper time for the injury to heal.
Hope this will helps you. Take care.
I find this answer helpful
Hi, thanks for writing to HCM.
An xray of the injured area is mandatory to rule out a fracture of the phalanges. If it is a fracture, simple immobilization in the form of strapping the injured toe to the adjacent toe by a plaster will suffice. It should be kept for 3-4 weeks by which time the fracture unites without any issues.
If its a soft tissue injury involving either joint capsule,ligaments or tendons, adequate rest for a few weeks will make them to heal. Some amount of tingling sensation is considered as normal phenomenon resulting from concussion injury of the digital nerves which will recover spontaneously.
The general treatment guidelines are as follows -
* Rest to the injured part and avoiding activities which puts additional strain on the injured tissues.
* Ice packing should be applied for about 20 minutes once in every 2 hours.
* Elevation of the limb
* Analgesic & anti inflammatory medications
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
An xray of the injured area is mandatory to rule out a fracture of the phalanges. If it is a fracture, simple immobilization in the form of strapping the injured toe to the adjacent toe by a plaster will suffice. It should be kept for 3-4 weeks by which time the fracture unites without any issues.
If its a soft tissue injury involving either joint capsule,ligaments or tendons, adequate rest for a few weeks will make them to heal. Some amount of tingling sensation is considered as normal phenomenon resulting from concussion injury of the digital nerves which will recover spontaneously.
The general treatment guidelines are as follows -
* Rest to the injured part and avoiding activities which puts additional strain on the injured tissues.
* Ice packing should be applied for about 20 minutes once in every 2 hours.
* Elevation of the limb
* Analgesic & anti inflammatory medications
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
I find this answer helpful
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