Help!

[whiskeyranch]

Last night I dropped one of those stadium chairs on my big toe! It cut along the cuticle about 1/2 an inch and is swollen, it's been throbbing all night and my foot and ankle hurt too.

Is there anything that can be done?? Should I go to the ER?? I can't believe I've done this!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

YES go to ER , go NOW!!

The likely hood is that it is not broken but you need it looked at- an infection could set in , that is a nasty place to have a bruise.

Put frozen peas on it- in the bag!!!

And get someone to drive you.

Good Luck.

 

[Jacquee']

The only way to find out if something is broken (unless pieces of bone are sticking out of the skin!!) is to have it X-rayed. You need to go to the doctor.

I would not reccomend going to the Emergency Room. That is for emergencies, and a possible broken toe is not an emergency. However you should get yourself to a clinic NOW. As Rabbitsfizz said, you could have an infection or have something else going on in there. Go to a doctor.

 

[whiskeyranch]

I'm trying to get ahold of the doc. but I don't think any of them are in today. Friday plus a holiday weekend.

Teach me to need a chair because I have a pinched nerve!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I guess our ERs are for different things?? A suspected broken toe- Yes, I would call that an emergency, myself, especially if it was MY toe

:

 

[mountain_waif]

If you can't get in to see a doctor, go the the ER. You probably will have a long wait, so take something to read. Hope it heals fast for you.

 

[Jacquee']

Rabbitsfizz...... this is why I said that. My husband is a paramedic and works in the ER. When someone comes in with a broken toe, they WILL have to wait, because mostly what the staff are dealing with are life-threatening injuries and conditions, and you won't die from a broken toe (at least, not right away - it is smart to go to the doctor, though). If someone comes in with a broken toe and is willing to wait until more serious injuries are dealt with, that is all well and good. However, at least here in the US, going to the ER will run a LOT more money. Like, sometimes nearly 5 times as much!!! (Depending what the condition is.)

I know quite well that Whiskeyranch would never do this...... but there are those who come into the ER with a broken toe and then carry on and get mad when they don't get treated right away. Meanwhile, all the nurses, techs and docs are dealing with horrific injuries due to a car crash, for example, and it can be pretty hard on them to have someone DEMANDING to be treated IMMEDIATELY for something like a broken toe. Especially when there are clinics set up to deal with this very thing, where the person won't have to wait very long and won't have to pay ER fees.

This is why I think it is better, for everyone concerned, if people with something like a broken toe go to a clinic instead of the ER.

You would be very sad at my house if you got a broken toe..... you would get NO SYMPATHY from my husband!! :bgrin I'm not just guessing, either!! I'm speaking from personal experience. I always tell people that as long as their heart is still beating OK and they are not bleeding to death, to expect no sympathy.

: He's used to dealing with lots worse stuff than what normally happens to me, although I agree it DOES seem like an emergency when it is your toe.

 

[whiskeyranch]

Jacquee is right, I will live, and I will have to go without seeing a doc for the weekend, I couldn't find anyone open around here

. It hurts like the dickens, but I have dealt with worse. Gallbladder and recently a pinched nerve that I go to the doc. twice a week for. Worst pain I've felt in my life!! So this is minor.

The only good thing about the cost is that all my deductibles have been met for the year, thanks to my surgery.

I would never throw a fit in the ER, except for the one time my daughter was bleeding all over the floor, but I think they just didn't realize the mess she was making, as soon as I informed them of the trail and pool of blood, she was taken somewhere else! She had fallen on roller blades, (that went straight into the garbage) and cracked the bone on her chin!

No one here has sympathy either. They have been helping me with the peroxide though!

I'm just not gonna carry the chairs anymore!! LOL

Thanks for the support everyone, I really needed it this morning

:

 

[crponies]

Peroxide is actually not a good thing to use because it will damage the healthy tissue as well as getting rid of the bad stuff. My mom is a nurse and we used to use it all the time; however, now they say the best thing is just soap and water for cleaning wounds. I'm sorry your family is not being sympethetic. A hurt toe effects you more than they realize. I had a really bad ingrown toe nail once so I do know a bit what it is like when you have an aching toe. I hope it feels better soon.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Do you have an urgent care clinic in your area? They are walk-in clinics for after-hours care and they would certainly be open on a holiday weekend. They usually require money up front (about $100) but they are much cheaper in the end than an ER visit. I agree you should probably be seen for the cut although the only thing they can do for a broken toe according to the nurses I work with is say "Yep, it's broken" and tape it.

You can also call a consulting nurse line for advice on determining if the cut is really bad enough to need to go in. There may be one in your area through a local hospital, if there's not you can call mine at 425-899-3000 or toll-free at 1-800-793-3474. You do not have to be in our area to use our free service, although we won't be any help in finding a local clinic if you aren't! LOL

Leia

 

[The Dynamic Duo]

: Well I guess this is a forum family of injuries!!Tonight my mom was at a work party and jumped into the pool but hit her foot on the side. She thinks its broken but shes running a summer camp so shes taking crutches and I will be in charge of running around helping out!!

: :new_shocked:

:

 

[yankee_minis]

I've had enough broken bones to know when I have one. And guess what? My pinky toe is broken. Horse reared and came down on it. No sympathy for me though, folks. I was wearing sandals. But they were suede and my toe was actually covered by it. Ya okay. I take full responsibility. And I'm not whining.

There's not much they can do for a broken toe. Tape it to the next one. That's what I did because it was a horrible feeling when it got separated ---- ooogie!! Like fingernails on a chalk board! Those bone pieces rubbing against each other! ouch!!!

Funny, but a broken toe hurts less than a bruise or sprain. The bruise can cause swelling, which causes it's own pain. Especially if it's on a place where there are a lot of nerve endings like on the toes or fingers.

I don't usually swell with a broken bone. (Walked on a broken foot for 9 days because it wasn't swollen and my husband wouldn't take me to the hospital cuz he didn't think it was broken.)

There's something about breaking a bone that is kind of numbing when it first happens. Unfortunately it takes longer to heal than a bruise. If it's broken you'll still be feeling it at 3-4 weeks.

Wear hard bottom shoes. I wear sandals so it doesn't squish the sore toe. The board shoe you can get from a doctor is like a sandal. You might be able to find one at a drug store. I just save mine for the next broken bone...

Mine keeps cracking when I walk on it... you suppose it's actually healing?? lol

 

[whiskeyranch]

I think this IS a week for foot injuries! A friend of mine was at home depot Friday and rolled a Home Depot cart full of wood over her foot!

I'm pretty sure I have damaged or broken something. The more I walk the more sore my entire foot gets, I don't think it's going to be anything serious, so I might just have my chiro look at it when I go in Tuesday.

And like yankee, I too am guilty of not wearing appropriate shoes! I'm in flip flops from April on unless I am clipping!

Boy, let me tell ya, I don't say alot on here, but there are times when I don't know what I would do without the wealth of advice I can get from everyone on the forum.